Category: sketching

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A (Sketchy) Ode to Apollo

Last session with Tony Apollo?  Holy Moly, hands down Tony has to be one of the best dynamic models we’ve ever had.  The audience knew it too – I haven’t seen a crowd get that rowdy in awhile, and oh, they knew what they wanted.  We had a minor communication mishap/traffic issue at the beginning of the night that caused Tony to be a few minutes late through no fault of his own—so Alexis jumped on stage to pose while Tony got ready.

Usually the crowd is tickled pink by this (the two times it’s happened), but not this time.  I must have gotten asked at the door 3 times in 5 minutes,

“Where’s Tony?”

“Oh, we’re just running a few minutes late.  Alexis is doing a 5-minute pose while he gets ready in back.”

“Are you lying?  I came here to draw Tony.”

“I’m not lying!  He’s here!  Why does everyone think I’m lying?!!”

I’m telling you, I thought I was going to get shivved.

Brian Dugan

Five minutes later, Tony jumped up on stage and we dived into 1- and 2-minute poses.

Brian Dugan

Brian Dugan

Brian Dugan

Brian Dugan

Then we took a ten-minute break.  Here’s a couple tweets folks were sending during the breaks—

I’m at @drsketchysbmore and seriously this model is almost to hot to draw. It’s redonculous (@ The Windup Space) http://4sq.com/gGXCqP -annatagonist

The model at @drsketchysbmore is Tony Apollo, who is ridiculously built – it’s like drawing a Street Fighter character. (In a good way.) #fb – fizzbang

When everyone got back from the tinkle break, it was time for the first contest of the evening, the 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 we hate your guts.

As always, the contests are optional. The prize for the two winners was a mystery shot from Russell at the bar, as long as you’re 21, of course.

Brian Dugan

By the way, we’ve been recording video for a bit now to make a Dr. Sketchy’s Baltimore documentary at one point—we’re going to post a tiny clip here to see how WordPress handles it.  This bit cracked me up, so it sounds like a good candidate.

After that there were three more 5-minute poses.

A quick break followed so folks could get a drink and Tony could get a breather.  Next up were the 10-minute poses and the first contest of the evening—Alexis made a few “best incorporation” suggestions from celebrity birthdays and historic events that happened on or around Feb. 28. Justin Bieber’s birthday was the next day but, to our relief, there wasn’t a single Belieber in the audience. Texas was annexed by the U.S., but no one was feeling a Texas-themed contest, either. Finally, Alexis gave up on Wikipedia, channeled her inner dork (which is always a better source of inspiration), and won them over with Battlestar Galactica—since, you know, the whole Apollo thing.

The winners got a gift pack of issues of the zine Smile Hon, You’re in Baltimore from Atomic Books in Hampden, and a 18 x 24 pad of vellum from Artist & Craftsman Supply across the street on the corner of North and Howard, with the first place winner taking their pick.  Both of these businesses are part of why we’re able to run Dr. Sketchy’s— without them it would be a lot, lot more difficult.  So, if you’re looking for art supplies or books of one sort or another, pay them a visit, they’re awesome.

Brian Dugan

Another break and we’re on to the first 20-minute pose and the next contest where folks wrote the most maddening sentence they could imagine, traded it with a neighbor’s, and then attempted to draw whatever their neighbor had written.  The prize was a pair of sexy-as-hell, vintage-style backseamed stockings from our brand new sponsor What Katie Did.

Brian Dugan

Seeing how we’d finally figured out what the crowd wanted, we said screw it and went with the best incorporation of Firefly for final contest of evening.  (If you don’t know what it is, go watch it on Netflix’s instant download.) The prize was Miss Mindy’s Sassy Paper Doll Bonanza by Miss Mindy from Baby Tattoo Books, who, if you didn’t know, also runs the LA branch of Dr. Sketchy.

Angelica Temoche

 

Brian Dugan

Special thanks to Tony Apollo for being one of the best models we’ve ever had! And thanks to our sponsors Atomic Books, Artist & Craftsman Supply, Baby Tattoo Books, and What Katie Did for donating all the prizes for folks to win, thanks to Russell for the space and for slinging drinks and booze and for so many other things that would be impossible to list them all, thanks to Jeff to the snazzy photos above, and thanks as well to Alexis for posing a little bit and hosting all this bedlam.

Thank you as well Viola Van Wilde and Roma Mafia who, with no notice, emptied the contents of their closets on the floor in order to rush down and pose for all of you in case Tony wasn’t going to be able to make it. I cannot possibly express how much it means to us they were willing to dump dinner in the trash, grab something sparkly, and ride like hell for the Windup.  That’s what cool looks like.

Next session is Monday, March 14th with Little Luna of Gilded Lily Burlesque!  Fairy tale theme!  One of my favorite costumes of all time! Doors are at 6, start is at 7!  Drink tickets for a dollar off a drink if you get there before 7!  Little Luna always blows the doors off, so get a good seat!  I use lots of exclamation marks!

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The fabulous Nicolette Le Faye!

The first session of 2011 with Nicolette Le Faye was packed!  Everyone must have been getting the shakes after that grueling winter break.  Telling you, Dr. Sketchy’s is like cigarettes: you might be fine for a little while, but eventually you’re going to be flipping the couch cushions and trashing the living room, except better, since Dr. Sketchy’s doesn’t cause lung cancer (or Tourette’s—don’t believe everything you read on the Internet) AND you get to draw beautiful, unique people.

In any case, that’s the most folks we’ve had yet.  I bet it was because of the ever-popular Nicolette, who was one of our very first models, back in the days when we were camped in Dionysus’s upstairs lounge.

The night started off with the one- and two-minute poses to warm everyone up.  Take a look.

Shawn Adomanis

Stewart White

Shawn Adomanis

Shawn Adomanis

Look at that crowd! Lordy, lordy. After a quick break we moved on to the 5-minute poses, which started off with the dreaded opposite hand contest where, if you’re right-handed, you draw with your left, and if you’re left-handed, you draw with you’re right, and if you’re ambidextrous, you draw with your center hand.  As always, all contests are optional—if you see a good pose and say, “Nooo!  I want to draw this one normal!” for God’s sake, draw it normal.  Art comes first.

Unless you’re thinking, “My, those snazzy-looking shots Russell is making for the winners would make my tummy feel pretty shiny . . .”

Obligatory imbibing finished, we forged ahead into the remaining 5-minute poses.

Shawn Adomanis

Shawn Adomanis

Shawn Adomanis

Our second contest of the evening, keeping with a rising theme of decadence that would shortly be squashed by a soon-to-rise dark horse theme of pure dorkiness, was in honor of Caligula’s birthday, i.e., your best incorporation of Caligula for the first ten-minute pose. The prize? The recent Taboo issue of Retro Lovely featuring some gasp-inducing photos of the founder of Gilded Lily Burlesque, Maria Bella, along with many other retro-ed out pin-up models.  Retro Lovely was donated to us by our generous sponsor, Atomic Books, which, regardless of whether they were our sponsor or not, is literally the coolest independent comic shop we’ve ever come across, and we’ve done enough traveling where that statement shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Shawn Adomanis

Adrenaline Junkie

The second ten-minute pose.

Caitlin Rose

Craig Hankin

Adrenaline Junkie

After a break so everyone could refuel on liquid courage, it was time for the first twenty-minute pose and our third contest of Buffy Summers, who, if she were real (she’s real damn it, don’t make me cry!), would have been celebrating her 30th birthday. (Yes, we’re talking about the Slayer. If you don’t know who she is, minimize this web page, go watch all seven seasons, and come back.)  The prize was a pair of bad-ass back-seamed stockings from our brand new sponsor, What Katie Did, whose unmentionables are what unmentionables were meant to be, versus the sad generic nonsense someone picked up from Target on your birthday.

Ladies, if you get hit by a Mac truck, this is the stuff you want to be wearing.

Well, sort of. Actually, that’s a little disturbing. Let’s just move on.

Shawn Adomanis

Caitlin Rose

Craig Hankin

While everyone was drawing, we played “Walk through the Fire” from the Buffy musical—and I must say, watching the crowd recognize it, and then start to sing along, might end up being my favorite Dr. Sketchy’s moment of all time.

Yes, you may now make fun of me.

Actually, you might want to hold off for a second.

We took a break and then came back for the last twenty-minute pose and contest of the evening. The sheer dorkiness of the contest frightened Alexis, so I was forced to take one for the team and announce the contest.  It went something like this:

[me, faintly tipsy:] “Hey folks, Alexis wants me to announce the last contest since 1) it’s pretty geeky and 2) she has no idea what it’s about.”

[astonished voice from the crowd:] “Wait, it can get geekier?”

[me:] “Oh, you have no idea.  Well, tomorrow, they’re releasing an issue of Fantastic Four, sealed in a black-bag which no one has done since the Death of Superman a decade or two ago.  Supposedly they’re going to kill a member of the Fantastic Four and—”

“Oh GOD . . .”

“Wait, stick with me—”

“Everyone run for your lives, it’s a dork-trap!”

“—and the contest is, ‘Incorporate your best rendition of the death of any comic character.  It can be Popeye, Batman, someone from Tiny Toons, Little Abner, whatever . . .”

“Okay, that’s not toooo bad . . .”

The prize was a sketch pad from Artist & Craftsman Supply, which is pretty much across the street and down the block from Windup, right on the corner of North and Howard.  They’re open late, so if you need art supplies right before one of our sessions (like next week!), grab ’em there.  It’s about as convenient as you could possibly ask for.

Shawn Adomanis

Craig Hankin

Mike Hasson

And that was the end of our evening and the beginning of another long wait till the next Dr. Sketchy’s. We thought about doing one on Valentine’s Day, which is when our next session would have fallen, but in the end we decided not to risk it—if no one showed up, it would have sucked for the model, so it seemed best stay on the safe side.

So when is the next Dr. Sketchy’s? It’s February 28, mere days away, with Tony Apollo!

Photo by Tony Veloz

Holy shit, now that’s a photo!  Personally, I’ve been fooling around of late with trying to create some “pulp artwork” that has the feel of old Doc Savage/John Carter covers. I might have to forgo my Dr. Sketchy’s tasks for a bit this session and sneak a few sketches in. 🙂

We’d like to thank Nicolette Le Faye for helping us start 2011 with one of the best sessions we’ve ever had; our generous sponsors Atomic Books, Artist & Craftsman Supply, Baby Tattoo Books, and What Katie Did; Russell at the Windup Space for slinging music and booze; Jeff for the stunning photos you see above; everyone who sent in drawings for us to include here; and Alexis for being our gracious microphone wrangler.

So, we’ll be back this coming Monday, February 28, with Tony Apollo!  Doors at 6, start at 7, and if you show up before 7 you get two tickets for a dollar off a drink AND you get the best seats!  See you then!

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Lauren Marleaux slams the door on 2010!

Oh, it’s been way, way, way too long since the last Dr. Sketchy’s Baltimore session.  I’m not sure if having the beautiful Lauren Marleaux of Gilded Lily Burlesque as our last model of the year has made the break any easier to bear, or if it just makes it worse, reminding us of the glories and wonders we once had before this abominable season of runny noses, obligatory office parties, and 3000 “Merry Christmas!” texts from people you never talk to.

Well, buck up, grab what’s left of the eggnog and we’re going to look at some purty pictures and tell tales of events long past.

Before we started the session, Alexis had a pop quiz on the identity of our last three models, with the winners each getting a copy of Bachelor Pad Magazine, which featured an absolutely gorgeous photo spread of Maria Bella, founder of Gilded Lily Burlesque.

For the one- and two-minute poses, Lauren went all steampunky on us, an aesthetic near and dear to my jager-soaked heart.

Caitlin Rose

Everyone took a break, got some whiskey or cocktail or whatever, snuck a smoke, and came back for the five-minute poses.  The first was the 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 are meant for a life in the circus and shouldn’t waste time hanging with us.  The two winners received a mystery shot from Russell at the bar.  There ain’t much point in asking what’s in ’em; his memory has been failing for years and that sort of thing seeps right out a couple minutes after the glass hits the bar.  (On reflection, I seem to recall he said they were two Cookies For Santa, so do with that info what you will.)

As always, all contests are optional.

More five-minute poses . . .

Another quick break, and it was time for the ten-minute poses.

The second contest of the evening was the best incorporation of “What will Denise Whiting of Cafe Hon trademark next?” with one winner receiving an acrylic paint set and a second winner a watercolor paint set from our generous sponsor Artist & Craftsman Supply, just across the street on the corner of Howard and North Avenue.  They’re open till 8, so if you’re in a hurry to get to Sketchy’s and forget a pad, for God’s sake, get one from over there—they’re good folks.

Ben Karnovski

Caitlin Rose

Ben Karnovski

Next up was the first 20-minute pose with the contest being the best incorporation of the Twelve Days of Christmas, Baltimore-style—resulting in many a Natty Boh reference.  The prize was a $15 gift card from Atomic Books, our oldest sponsor (as in, they’ve been with us since the beginning, not, um, that they’re really old).  If you like Dr. Sketchy’s (or even if you don’t and you’re reading this for some weird reason, but you love indy comics & books), you’ll love them.

Ben Karnovski

Liz Beetem

A quick break and onto the next 20-minute pose and the random noun contest—somebody shouted out “Gandalf”—with the prize being the Chiodos Bros.’ Alien Xmas from Baby Tattoo Books.

Liz Beetem

At this point, things get a little hazy, honestly.  For some reason, Russell was making me and Bill do shots of whiskey with pickle-juice chasers while Alexis, Viola Van Wilde, and Dahlia Derriere ooohed and aaaahed over naughty pin-up magazines.  You’d think the guys would be all about that, but no, apparently we were drinking pickle juice for some reason.

Thanks to Lauren Marleaux of Gilded Lily Burlesque for braving the frigid weather to pose for our drawing pleasure. (BTW, a little piece of B’more Sketchy’s trivia: Lauren was not only our last model of 2010; she was our first model of the year, too. Take note, kids—it might come handy in another pop quiz later this year.) Thanks as well to Russell for slinging drink and song and letting us use his amazing space and to our generous sponsors Atomic Books, Artist & Craftsman Supply, and Baby Tattoo Books for providing us prizes to doll out—not to mention big ol’ thanks to Maria Bella for getting a hold of a couple copies of Bachelor Pad Magazine (and signing them!) for us to give out too!  Thanks to Bill for filming for our documentary and helping with cleanup, thanks too to my parents for getting me a bad-ass video camera for Christmas to help with that documentary. (Yeah, I just thanked my parents in a Dr. Sketchy’s recap, so what?  Are sure you don’t need to call yours and thank ’em for something?  Don’t get all high and mighty with me—you think I won’t come over there, but I will.)

…thanks to Jeff for the stunning pictures you see above, and to Alexis for MC’ing this big ol’ bobsled of crazy. And last, but definitely not least: thanks to everyone who modeled for us in 2010, and to everyone who attended our sessions in the past year.

Well, it’s almost time for the next Dr. Sketchy’s Baltimore, folks.  It’s been a long cold winter, but I can’t think of a better way to come back than Nicolette le Faye on Monday, January 24th, one week from now.

The multi-talented Nicolette—she’s an actress, trapeze artist, burlesque performer, dancer, musician, and costume designer—was a huge hit when she last modeled for us over a year ago, and you can see for yourself why by checking out the photos from that session.

And, if that’s not enough reason to get yourself to The Windup Space on the 24th, then you should know that we’ll be on yet another break until February 28, thanks to a certain Hallmark holiday falling on the second Monday of next month. Hey, don’t get mad at us—the calendar gods have not been on our side as of late, so take it up with them. Or, at least, be sure not to miss our January session.