Number 9? Number 9?

Yeah, Dr. Sketchy number nine! Where does the time go? If I knew I wouldn't be so late with this blog update, would I?

Nevertheless, we are a go for the Belmont tomorrow, Thursday, May 31, from 7-10pm! Our model is the wonderful Muana, who Fringe festival participants will remember as our grindhouse poster model (see Suzanne's contest-winning drawing below). She's really excited about it too, and promises to bring along a few different costumes to get us just as enthused.

Since I'm so late with the updates this time around, I'm offering a special deal: first-timers who show up at the Belmont tomorrow night get in FREE! Bring a new friend along, or if you've been lurking on this blog and biding your time, waiting for the perfect opportunity to sample this Dr. Sketchy strangeness, here's your chance to check it out at no cost to you. If you can find a better deal on drawing a burlesque dancer at a bar, I'll give you five pounds of coffee (and if you get that reference, you're not only local, you're old!).

See you there!

Fringe? More? Yes!

Some typically lovely drawings by DS stalwart Suzanne Baumann.



And more photos: Green Brain Comics grand poobahs Katie and Dan share a sketchbook - aww!

Did I mention the clown? We had a clown! Dig it, his name is Orange Whip:

More from the Fringe

Yers Trooly. That's about as swanky as I get, folks. Sadly, the flash kinda washed out my hand-painted mermaid tie (thanks Ann!). Plus, dig the tres-Frenchie Ryan on the right there. Photo by Jim Anderson.


Jim makes the case that he should win a prize from Swag Faerie Katherine.

A flattering portrait couldn't hurt...



"Come with me if you want to live!" Art by me.


Michelangelo's lovely sketch of Anna, in his trusty moleskine. Photo by Jim.

More to come...

"Are you Dr. Sketchy?"

Well, what can I say when someone asks me that, as a few did last night at the Fringe Festival? (The good doctor's reputation precedes him.) I just say, "yes, yes I am!" But aren't we all? It's sort of a Spartacus thing. "I am Dr. Sketchy!" "No, I'M Dr. Sketchy!" "No, I'M Dr. ..." Or to paraphrase Devo, "we're ALL Dr. Sketchy!"

Anyway, what was I talking about? Oh, the Fringe Festival! Well, the session last night was sparsely attended (change of seasons illnesses claimed a few members, and almost knocked out our Swag Faerie toward the end of the night) but those who made it were most enthusiastic, and we attracted the attention of a number of curious folks who might join us in the future. Plus, we had a special guest appearance by Dan and Katie, proprietors of Green Brain Comics, one of DS's sponsors. (Only 20 days and change until Free Comic Book Day, everyone!)

We also had a constantly revolving cast of exotic models, from a 1920's flapper-looking hottie to a bright orange clown. Even Causing A Scene's Christopher himself graced our impromptu stage/pedestal. Eventually we all got punchy enough that a few of us took turns up there too, including my wife! Thanks to Dick Blick in Dearborn we had some free sketchbooks to hand our to three or four innocent bystanders who ended up joining the 10 or so of us regulars in our sketching. Afterwards, a few of us took in the art gallery, some experimental animated short films, and a full-on Causing A Scene performance featuring a kick-ass hula hooper, and giant walking spider-looking monster and a gaggle of other sexy, scantily-clad folks shakin' their respective thangs.


More art and photos as they come in, but here's a few from me for now. (Stupidly, I didn't get everyone's names, so if you were there and can help, please let me know!)

Close to the fringe!

Yes, we're getting closer to the date - Friday the 13th, and Dr. Sketchy's appearance at the Fringe Festival at the Music Hall in downtown Detroit.

I went early last week to scope out the location, and chatted with Christopher of CAS, and we've got some interesting ideas about working the models and sketchers into the Hall's cabaret/café/piano bar area that should make for some great drawing opportunities, as well as giving the visitors something fun to look at. I'm assembling prize packages full of novel goodies from Dick Blick, Green Brain and other sources, and I've picked the brains of Molly Crabapple and her minions for contest ideas (more suggestion always welcome!). Music Hall is even plugging us on the web site now. All is in readiness!

I've received several email and verbal responses from sketchers who want to participate- thanks for the replies, all - and now I'm wondering about logistics. I'll be emailing everyone again today to discuss meeting at the hall and proceeding in together, and possible carpooling from Hamtramck or elsewhere to avoid parking hassles downtown. If you haven't contacted me and want to participate, or if you want to come but can't make it until after 7pm, email me in the next few days or respond to this post.

Photo of Christopher by the amazing (and invaluable, to us Metro Times shlubs) Cybelle Codish.

Dr. Sketchy VIII: Voyage to the Fringe!

Okay, art monkeys, it's official: Thanks to the brilliantly thoughtful Christopher of Causing A Scene, Dr. Sketchy is going to be a part of the upcoming Fringe Festival at the Music Hall in Detroit, Friday, April 13 (ooo...) from 7-10pm!

The Fringe Festival is a balls-out, no-holds-barred, 30-straight-hours arts event, featuring a crazy array of music, dance, performance, film, mixed media and visual art (read all about it at the Fringe Festival web site), so this'll be a DS session like nothing you've experienced. Right now the plan is to have three fantastic dancer/models from CAS posing simultaneously in different locations, so you can migrate around and draw your hearts out. Contests will be extra challenging, and prizes will be extra awesome, I promise. DS participants will not just be spectators, you're considered to be part of the show ("Don't be part of a scene," they say,"cause one!"), and as such anyone who comes to draw gets a discount on admission to the entire event - only $15 to get in, $20 off the original ticket price! The Fringe Festival starts at 7pm Friday and runs 'til 1:30am Sunday. Presumably coffee and Red Bull will be available on site...

BUT - in order to get the discount you need to know the super-secret code word to tell the guy at the door! So I'm asking anyone who's interested in comig to CONTACT ME FIRST and make a reservation. Once I have a head count, I'll fill everyone in on the logistics. I'm meeting next week to finalize plans with the organizers, so I'll keep y'all posted.

Your figure drawing fingers are itching already, aren't they? Stay Tuned!

Faerie wings and other things

Two more works of art from our latest session. These beautiful sketchbook collages come from DS newbie Doug Blanchard. Thanks Doug, see you at the next session!



Here's another great color image from DS regular Jim Anderson, too. Whew, we're not worthy...

Cheers and jeers!

Cheers for Hatch founder Chris Schneider, for shooting this swell photo of Xaina, as seen from outside the cafe thru their big front window. No wonder trucks were slowing down as they passed!

BUT- jeers from Dr. Sketchy:MCD's first official detractor!! Shortly after the Hatched event was written up in the local paper, the Citizen, with a prominent photo of Xaina included, the café received a letter from one Mary O. of Hamtramck, neatly handwritten on an index card:

"I was very ashamed and hurt to see the burlesque woman posing in such an indecent, shameful pose. I thought your place was an old fashioned coffee place. Let's keep Hamtramck a decent place."

She also called the café a couple days later to complain. She got profuse apologies from the owners and turned out to be a sweet old lady, apparently, and she promised to stop in for a drink some time (yep, she's never even been to the café...) so it's all good.

Still - complaint letter! I'm just childish enough to be a little giddy about it!

"Professor Scratchy" strikes again!

(I overheard a woman at the Café 1923 trying to remember the name of Dr. Sketchy who called it that. I almost want to change the name but Molly C. would disown me...)

Sorry so late with this update, but: a belated "thanks so much" to the throngs who turned out for the DS session we held last weekend at the Hatched! opening. It was not only a blast (or, as they say, a blowout) for those who attended, it was a big hit with local media too (model Xaina ended up featured in full color on the back page of the local paper along with a few sketchers) and a great draw for passers-by and point of interest for the folks who came to see the art. It was so packed in the café during DS that the fastest way from the front of the place to the back room where the DJ, classical guitarist and free munchies were, was going outside, out the front door and back in through the side door! We even had a little girl, maybe 4 years old, sketching, giving special attention to the big fairy wings sprouting from Xaina's back! The whole event did what it was supposed to do - put the arts collective Hatch on the mental maps of our fellow Hamtramckans and Detroiters.



More interesting news for DS coming up next month - yet another new venue, and yet another art event going on around us while we sketch, this time even bigger than Hatched! It's all pretty hush-hush, y'unnerstand, until the details are worked out, but... stay tuned!

Art above by John Nagridge (John's drawing is silver pen on black paper, I think!) and Matt Feazell. Send more art, y'all!

Update: March 10 is a go!

Hey all. DS Usual Suspect Jim A. sent another drawing from our session with Queen Bee, and it'll do nicely to pretty up this update post about the upcoming Dr. Sketchy event and the art exhibit it's kicking off.

Chris and Xania (see links a few posts below for more on them) are confirmed as our models on March 10! We'll be starting early, 5pm, and going for our usual 3 hours until 8pm. We're planning on having a live DJ spinning for the session too.

Meanwhile, Hatch will be celebrating its first anniversary with lots of art on the walls (all up for sale), live music from Jere Stormer, snacks and plenty of desserts and coffee and such served up by the folks at Café 1923.

Come to Hamtramck early that day and visit the Art Factory for their "Crafty Bitches" mini-arts 'n' crafts festival, and plan on staying late to cruise around and take in some of music at any one of several local bars as the Blowout music festival blows through town again. Lots going on in Hamtown that weekend! See you there.

UPDATE OF THE UPDATE: The DJ is confirmed (now he just has to figure out how to set up in little ol' Cafe 1923!).

A nice gesture...

Yes, it's a nice gesture to send nice gesture drawings to the DS:MCD blog. Nice color sketches too. Thanks John!

Avast, ye art-lubbers!

I know it's Super Bowl Sunday and all, but the only QB we're concerned with here is still the amazing Queen Bee. Here's a shot by Wolfgang of her pirate tape ensemble, and another of her in a shocking pink feathered headdress.

And here are a couple of my own drawings from the evening. I've got Karen looking sorta pissed off in that second drawing, but she actually emailed to say she'd had a great time!

Panic! Chaos! Swedes!

It must be Dr. Sketchy Episode 6: Attack of the Killer Queen Bee!

They say good things come to those who wait, and despite a late start Thursday night's session with the stunning Karen "Queen Bee" Neal was most definitely a very good thing. Any drawing class that begins with the model strapped into a homemade bikini made of black skull-and-crossbones tape (like something pirates would string up at a crime scene) and brandishing a bass guitar is going to be an evening to remember! We drew late into the night as Queen Bee switched into a couple of classic Vegas showgirl outfits, all tassles and feathers and pasties, and Mike from Detroit Threads kept the records spinning.



Meanwhile, the bar behind us was filling up, unusual for the Belmont on a Thursday night. Rumor is that an indy film crew from Sweden was there to shoot part of a documentary about the Detroit music scene. At some point the DJ they were interested in bumped Mike off the turntables. A few curious innocent bystanders wandered over to see what we were up to, one of whom was a Detroit ex-pat whose grandfather had run a well-known burlesque joint on Woodward Ave. back in the day! Small world...

Anyway, the film crew ignored us, I think. What the hell is the world coming to when Swedish filmmakers don't want to film a half-naked woman!?



Many many thanks to Mike for tunes and gift certificate prizes (I'm telling you guys, you gotta check out his place. He just got a shipment of vintage art supplies in that are really great!), and especially to swag faerie-turned-model's best friend Katherine who helped Queen Bee out in the dressing room. And of course, thanks to the art monkeys who were most patient despite the craziness and most generous with the tips.

Art by Tom Dow, more to come!

DR SKETCHY TONIGHT! To Bee or Not To Bee?

What a silly question - you're telling me you're gonna miss out on this? Of course you have to come draw Karen "Queen Bee" Neal at the Belmont, Thursday, Feb. 1 for the very first Dr. Sketchy Detroit of 2007!

With Her Highness modeling I shouldn't have to tempt you further, but I'm not proud: remember, we'll also have gift certificates from Detroit Threads and copies of Molly Crabapple's Dr. Sketchy book up for grabs to those of you who find favor with our capricious swag faerie, and tunes spun live by Threads proprietor Mike.

So there's your reminder! 7-10pm at the Belmont - bee there or bee square!

Double your pleasure!

Like the February DS session wasn't going to be cool enough, consider this: What could be better than pleasantly whiling away an evening drawing one of Dr. Sketchy's mind-bendingly sexy models? How about drawing TWO of them??

Oh, yes way! To kick off the gala coming out party for Hatch, Hamtramck's local arts collective and DS:MCD sponsors, we'll be having a special edition of Dr. Sketchy featuring not one but two dancers from Causing A Scene Productions: Xania and CAS founder Chris!



Details for the evening are still being hammered out, but here's what I know for sure: it'll happen on Saturday, March 10, at Hamtown's newest nexus for all things artsy and caffeinated, Cafe 1923. We'll do it earlier than usual - 5pm until 8ish, overlapping with the opening party for Hatch's first juried art exhibit, HATCHED! (If you're inclined to enter something, there are entry forms available on Hatch's web site). Space is gonna be tight, so mark your calendar and keep an eye out here for confirmation of the start time (and other details) so you can get here in time to grab a chair.

Meanwhile, here's an article that'll fill you in on Causing A Scene and Chris, and here's a link to Xania's web site (with lots of swoon-worthy photos!).

WAKE UP, ART MONKEYS!!!

C'mon, you've had over a month now to do all your holiday blah-blah and gather your strength for the next Dr. Sketchy: Motor City Division Anti-Art School figure drawing session! Yer gonna need it, too, and you'll know why when you see our model for the upcoming session — none other than Detroit's "delicious diva of sex-rock," Karen "Queen Bee" Neal!



"Queen Bee is an unstoppable force of power, passion and intensity...The stuff that legends are made of!" Who am I to argue?

PLUS, DS:MCD now has its very first oh-fishial-type sponsor! Mike from Detroit Threads has not only volunteered to DJ for the night, he's donating gift certificates for his store (conveniently located right across the street from the Belmont) to be given away as prizes for the evening's drawing contests. Threads is packed with cool-as-hell t-shirts and hoodies, used CDs, vintage clothing and all sorts of other great stuff.

Oh, and I just might have copies of Molly Crabapple's Dr. Sketchy Rainy Day Colouring Book available that night as well.

Oh my goodness, you will soooooo suck if you miss this Dr. Sketchy session, my friends! Don't do that to yourself. Come join us!

Thursday, February 1st
from 7(ish) to 10(ish)pm
at the beautiful Belmont
on Jos. Campau in Hamtramck.
$5.00 (cheap!) to draw, more to drink (and you know, you really ought to tip the model and the bartender, too).

Here's more on Queen Bee:
Queen Bee's homepage
Queen Bee on MySpace

Lana's back!

See? It's Lana's back, by DS regular Matt Feazell.

Dr. Sketchy 5: In Color!

Jim was so inspired he went home and colored up the sketch posted below. Here's the new version. Daaaaaaang!!



Also, Sparkly Devil emailed with a link to photos of the release party in New York for Molly Crabapple's Dr. Sketchy Rainy Day Coloring Book, including this one of Molly getting friendly with an ersatz Sparkly:



Check this link for more on the release festivities and coverage of the event from the definitely "not safe for work" Fleshbot site.

Shakin' all over!

(And not just because it was freezin' freakin' cold, either...)

Wow wow wow!! Another great turnout at the Belmont for Dr. Sketchy Detroit last night! We were packed in tight for a chance to draw the beautiful Lana, whose bellydance moves were lovely and inspiring even in freeze-frame mode. And when she graced us with a short performance after the last pose, well... let's just say everyone got their five dollar's worth last night and then some! DS regulars Jim and John both said it was the best session yet. Here's a few of Jim's sketches:


...and a couple of John's...


...and heck, one of my own too.

Swag Faerie Katherine was on the case, too, scrutinizing our work and doling out the goodies howsoever her capricious nature and impeccable taste should dictate. (Uh, sorry I forgot to pick you up, SF. Don't put the whammy on me! Thanks again for the assist with delivering her to the event, Suzanne!) We had a Christmas-themed contest, natch, and an animal-themed one too, since Lana's an animal rights advocate as well as a dancer. More of those drawings as they come in.

Some folks were interested in the cool modern bellydance-y CD Lana brought to play during the session. It's called "Arabesque," it's on Gut Records, and if you can't find it at your local independently-owned neighborhood record store (hint hint...) you can find it on Amazon here.

Many thanks to everyone who came, most especially Lana, and I'll post more art and photos when I get them. Check back here for info on the January session, and on how to score a copy of DS founder Molly Crabapple's Dr. Sketchy coloring book, several copies of which are winging their way to me as I type.

In other news: long-time Dr. Sketchy participants will remember our very first model, Sparkly Devil. She's moved to San Jose to take an editorial job at a weekly paper there, and to continue her burlesque career. Her final column for the Metro Times (written in her mild-mannered Sarah Klein guise) is on the stands now, or online here. Dr. Sketchy Detroit is in her debt for hooking us up with a lot of cool models. Wish her luck!

And while I'm here, let me just say "Happy Holidays!" to everyone who's turned out over the last few months and made Dr. Sketchy Detroit such a big hit. Obviously it wouldn't be the same without all you ink and graphite-smeared artsy fartsy types, so many many thanks, Happy Merry Etc., and we'll see you all in the new year!

-Sean

Belly up to the bar...

...for the next Dr. Sketchy, featuring the fabulous Lana of Detroit Bellydance! According to her web site:

"Lana teaches and performs throughout the U.S. and overseas and
educates hundreds of students throughout metro-Detroit - from those
wanting to have fun and get fit to more "serious" students who take to
the stage."

I'd have posted a photo here, but I can't pick from the many on her site, so go see for yourself. Hm, we may have to do a few more longer poses this time, those costumes are really ornate!

If you're interested in attending, do me a favor and respond here or email me at themanwhojaped@comcast.net so I can get a head count. See you there!

Dr. Sketchy December

We have a date: Thursday, December 7th - yes, Pearl Harbor Day. (Must... fight... urge... to think up... tasteless... contests!)

We'll start at the Belmont at 7:30 (but show up a little earlier to get a jump on your drinking and get first crack at the jukebox) and go until 10:30. Model TBA...

Working on it...

...a date for the next Sketchy, that is. As soon as I can get hold of our man at the Belmont, we'll set something up for December. Last week at the Motor City Art Expo in the Emerald Theater, several folks expressed interest in joining us, so hopefully the next session will be another packed house with some new faces.

Until then, to tide you over, Wolfgang has sufficiently recovered from his brush with death to send some photos from the last two sessions with Beth and Tim TV.