Dahlia Derriere – Dr. Sketchy's Baltimore

September 25, 2011September 25, 2011

Dahlia Derriere Does Desert Dames

(Photo by Jen Swanson)

Holy Moly. I really need to try harder to do some drawing myself at Sketchy’s once the door slows down and the poses get longer. You don’t get opportunities to draw folks like Dahlia Derriere, or any of our other models, that often. If Dahlia doesn’t inspire your pencil, well, maybe you should put your time into something else. I honestly can’t think of anything else to say besides that, so let’s just jump right into the 1- and 2-minute poses brought to you not by one, but TWO photographers, Jen Swanson and Jeff Schock. Dahlia’s first look for this desert-themed evening: a Vegas showgirl.

(Photo by Jeff Schock)

(Photo by Jen Swanson)

(Photo by Jeff Schock)

(Photo by Jen Swanson)

(Photo by Jeff Schock)

(Photo by Jen Swanson)

(Photo by Jeff Schock)

(Photo by Jen Swanson)

(Photo by Jeff Schock)

(Photo by Jeff Schock)

(Photo by Jen Swanson)

A quick break for folks to empty their bladders and fill their glasses (pints of Flying Dog Beer for 3 bucks!) and then Dahlia took the stage again, this time as a cowgirl, for the 5-minute poses. As always, the first of these was the infamous opposite hand contest, where if you’re right handed you draw with your left, if you’re left handed you have to draw with your right, and if you’re ambidextrous, you have to do it with a beer balanced on your head. The two winners got a mystery shot from Russell at the bar.

(Photo by Jeff Schock)

(Photo by Jeff Schock)

(Photo by Jen Swanson)

Ann Marie Brokmeier

(Photo by Jen Swanson)

(Photo by Jeff Schock)

Fred Zeleny

Another break and it was time for the 10-minute poses and another contest, this time a tribute to Johnny Cash, since it was the anniversary of his death. The prize was Rubber Duck by Karen Hsiao from Baby Tattoo Books. No photos for this these two poses, but here are some sketches.

Next was a pair of 20-minute poses, another contest, and a seriously ambitious pose from Dahlia, who wore a heavy shamadan on her head as part of her belly dancer look. Since it was the day before Molly Crabapple’s birthday, we went with a birthday theme for this last contest. The prize was Viva’s Pinups: Bullet Bras and Backseat Betties, a stunning collection of pinup photography by Viva Van Story, who contributed the photo for the flyer for this session. This absolutely amazing prize was generously donated by Atomic Books, which was recently confirmed as Baltimore’s “Best Independent Bookstore” by both City Paper and the CP Readers Poll.

(Photo by Jeff Schock)

Fred Zeleny

(Photo by Jeff Schock)

(Photo by Jen Swanson)

Charlotte Bunting Floyd

Ann Marie Brokmeier

Special thanks to Dahlia Derriere for being our fantastic model; thanks to our sponsors: Atomic Books, Flying Dog Brewery, and Baby Tattoo Books; thanks to Jen Swanson and Jeff Schock for the photos above; thanks to Russell for slinging songs and booze; and thanks to Alexis for driving the microphone.

Next session is Monday, September 26th with Valeria Voxx!

Get there early or I’ll drink all the beer.

August 8, 2010August 9, 2010

Dahlia Derriere Does Dead Dames

There isn’t much point in getting all loquacious about it, the pictures pretty much do the talking. Clearly, Dahlia Derriere was pure win. Our usual photographer Jeff wasn’t able to make it (he was at Comic-con punching out storm troopers or something) so Jen Swanson lent us a hand—and wow, did she.

Dahlia’s first dead dame was Cleopatra . . .

Jeff Lance

Our first contest of the evening was the opposite hand drawing contest, where if you’re right-handed, you draw with your left, and if you’re left-handed, you draw with your right, and if you’re front-handed you’re going to meet my back-hand.

The two winners got mystery drinks from Russell at the bar.

Ben Carnow

Jeff Lance

Ben Carnow

Liz Beetem

Look at that pose—she held that for FIVE minutes. Wow. And then she did it again, this time for a TEN minute pose.

The second contest was the best interpretation of an encounter between Juanita Cruz (Dahlia’s second historical heroine) and a bull, with extra points if you work in an homage to a famous Spanish painter. There were two winners with each receiving a sketchbook from Artist & Craftsman Supply, which is just down the street from the Windup Space, at the corner of North and Howard.

Liz Beetem

Jeff Lance

Liz Beetem

Ben Carnow

The third contest was the random noun contest in which we ask the crowd to suggest a random person, place, or thing. This time around, the random noun chosen was “Amsterdam”, and the prize was Gris Grimly’s Little Jordan Ray’s Muddy Spud from Baby Tattoo Books.

John Brewer

Ben Carnow

Liz Beetem

Fred Zeleny

Our last contest of the evening was “zombie Amelia Earhart” with the prize being a $15 gift card to Atomic Books in Hampden at the corner of the Avenue and Falls Rd.

Ben Carnow

Liz Beetem

Mike Hasson

Fred Zeleny

Many thanks to Dahlia Derriere who did a smash-up job, and to Jen Swanson for taking the beautiful photos you see above. Special thanks as well to our sponsors Atomic Books, Artist & Craftsman Supply, and Baby Tattoo Books. Thanks also to Russell for DJ’ing/bartending, to Bill for manning the door, and to Alexis for hosting and general rabble-rousing.

Our next session is tomorrow, Monday, August 9th with Roma Mafia at the Windup Space! Doors at 6, start at 7 – this is the ONLY session we’ll have in August, so if you miss it, you’ll be Sketchy-starved for over a month! (Don’t worry though, come September we’ll start up our usual scheduling.)

July 25, 2010July 25, 2010

Mourna Handful, Marie Antoinette, and the Predator?

I have a sneaky suspicion that no one in Baltimore owns a hat that damn cool. Mourna Handful of Black Tassels Boolesque easily had to have some of the best outfits we’ve ever seen at Dr. Sketchy’s Baltimore, if not the best. We were all excited about her Marie Antoinette costume (especially since it was two days before Bastille Day) and didn’t even know she had this one.

Alexis did a quick trivia question for a drink at the beginning of the night, something to do with Marty McFly’s travel date I think, and then we were off into the one and two minute poses, which there were ten and five of respectively.

Brian Dugan

Brian Dugan

The first five minute pose was the optional opposite hand contest where if you’re right-handed you draw with your left, if you’re left-handed you draw with your right, and if you’re ambidextrous you probably think you’re something special to begin with, so you don’t need any fancy-pancy prize anyway because you probably already look in the mirror every morning and go, “Hey, I’m AWESOME” and that should be enough for you. The two winners got a mysterious drink from Russell at the bar. Usually we have no idea what’s in these drinks but since the bleach is stored a full 50 feet away in another room, we’re pretty sure they’re safe.

After four five minute poses it was time for Mourna to change into her Marie Antoinette costume, which is obviously somewhat of an involved process, so our gracious Alexis kept the crowd occupied and did a quick five minute pose. The, ummm, finger showed up when someone asked for “more attitude”.

Brian Dugan

And with that Mourna was ready, and it was well worth the wait. Our second contest of the evening was the best incorporation of “other decapitated historical figures besides Marie Antoinette”. The prize was a a pack of fancy grey-toned drawing markers from Artist & Craftsman Supply, who’s just across the street at the corner of Howard & North. They’re open till 8 on Monday folks, so if you ever forget your art supplies on the way to Dr. Sketchy’s, or just need a new pad, for God’s sake head over there.

Brian Dugan

A few days before, a new dinosaur had been discovered, which, because the involved scientists were drunk in a bar when brainstorming up names, was named Mojoceratops. Apparently this had something to do with it using its unique bone structure to attract “the ladies”. For the best incorporation of Mojoceratops, the winner received a $15 gift card from Atomic Books, which is up in Hampden on the corner of Falls Rd. and the Avenue. If you’ve never been, and you’ve read this far down into the blog, trust me, you’ll like the place.

Brian Dugan

Mike Hasson

The last contest of the evening was the random noun contest where the crowd shouts out random nouns and we, in an incredibly fair and non-partial process, pick one of these words—this time around it was “predator”. The winner won a copy of Miss Mindy’s Sassy Doll Bonanza by Miss Mindy from Baby Tattoo Books, who, if you’re ever out in LA, runs the LA branch of Dr. Sketchy’s.

Brian Dugan

Mike Hasson

Fred Zeleny (winner)

And that was a wrap. As always, we’d like to thank Mourna Handful of Black Tassels Boolesque for an amazing evening and some of the coolest costumes we’ve ever seen. We’d also like to thank our generous sponsors Atomic Books, Artist & Craftsman Supply, and Baby Tattoo books; Russell and the Windup Space for slinging drinks and songs; Jeff who took all the snazzy photos above; and last but not least, Alexis for maintaining calm and discipline so things didn’t get out of hand and end up on the 11 o’clock news. This time, anyway.

Our next session is tomorrow, July 26th, with Dahlia Derriere! Doors at 6, start at 7, come early if you want your choice pick of seats.