Next Dr. Sketchy: January 15, 2009!

Hi Sketchers & friends! Hope the holidays are treating everyone well.

Three things from me:

First: A huge year-end thank you to everyone who's helped make Dr. Sketchy so much fun this year, despite some glitches in the scheduling of late. Whether you're a regular or just a once-in-a-while participant, it's because of you art monkeys, models and other supporters that this thing happens, and I'm really grateful for your participation.

Second: Dr. Sketchy is set to get back on track now that the holiday craziness is behind us. Our next session is scheduled for:

THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 6-9PM
at Blick Art Materials
14339 Michigan Ave, Dearborn, MI 48126
(313) 581-7063

Modeling will be Dr. Sketchy friend and recent Metro Times cover model Demonique Damzelle!

Last time we were at Blick's, drawing bellydancer Lana, we had a great crowd of DS regulars and Blick customers discovering DS for the first time. Expect tight quarters, snacks and music, and don't worry about running out of pencils or markers or... pretty much anything, actually! Admission is the usual $5 (cheap!).

Lastly: Dr. Sketchy Detroit has been doing well mainly by word of mouth so far, but I'm really hoping spread the DS gospel in the coming months - passing out postcards and flyers, posting online and otherwise promoting the event. I'm also going to try to get even more local burlesque and cabaret acts and performers involved. SO - if you know anyone who we should hire to model, a group we should contact or a venue who'd like to host us, or if you'd just like to help get the word out to schools, arts groups, etc., please let me know!

Thanks again, and expect more info as we get closer to Jan. 15. Hope the new year is good to you,

Sean

DS22: Hansel? Hansel... Hansel??

Photos from Agnes Domanska of models Chris and Anna's campy-vampy version of Hansel & Gretel, among other creepiness.






Speaking of cool pin-up photography, take a look at this web site from Kit Kymla, who with luck will join us at the next Sketchy.

More Halloween treats

More sketches, first one from Matt Feazell, then one from me, and a couple from Kevin Hsieh. Photos from Agnes Domanska to come.

DS22: Happy haunting!

Whew! Finally! Last night's Halloween Dr. Sketchy session was another high-spirited, slightly chaotic and fun time, and lots of people helped bring it all together. Thanks to Green Brain and Blick art supplies for providing prizes (congrats Lola!), to DJ Muziq 666 for a great set (and to the Belmont for accommodating his tech needs), big thanks to Aaron for providing the coffin, and especially to Chris and Anna for being great and game models! And of course, thanks to all who attended, it's not much fun without sketchers.

John Nagridge gets to claims "firsts" for sending in these sketches, in appropriately Halloween-y colors. More to come, along with news on our November session.

DR SKETCHY TONIGHT! OCT. 28, 7-10pm

Here's your customary last minute reminder...

DR. SKETCHY
TONIGHT! TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 7-10PM

at The Belmont bar in Hamtramck
10215 Jos, Campau, between Holbrook and Caniff
313-871-1966
thebelmontbar.com

Two models, live DJ, prizes to raffle off, and a big heap of candy!

Still only $5 a head to draw - gawkers get in free!

See you tonight!
Sean

Poster children

Molly Crabapple has started a page on the Dr. Sketchy web site with samples of posters and flyers from around the DS empire, along with tips on how to make promotional materials, and it's worth a look! (Despite the model's moniker, the image above is from Dr. Sketchy's Kansas City, MO.)

It's the Great Pumpkin, Dr. Sketchy!

Well, after a long and inadvertent hiatus (besides the scheduling and vandalism problems last month, I've been swimming in other projects), we're finally closing in on the next installment of Dr. Sketchy in Detroit, our annual Halloween bash, and it should be a doozie.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 7-10PM at the Belmont bar in Hamtramck

We'll have Christopher (seen above with Jessica Rabbit), head honcho at Causing A Scene and all-around amazing guy, modeling for us along with his grandmother (!!), who I'm told will also be decked out in some crazy costumes along with Chris. We should have some cool Halloweeny props for them to play with too, on loan from local horror film auteur Aaron Trudgeon's latest flick, "After The Blood Rush". Plus a live DJ, candy, contests and prizes, and if you feel like dressing up so much the better!

Speaking of CAS, I found this page by a local photographer of the 2007 Fringe Festival featuring several faces familiar to Dr Sketchy regulars.

See you soon, and stay tuned for updates!

Sean

Losari Beach

Diseluruh Indonesia, hanya ada satu pantai yang dapat menyaksikan sunrise dan sunset disatu titik berdiri yang sama. “Pantai itu yakni pantai Losari, Makasar”, begitu kata Jusuf Kalla salah satu tokoh masyarakat disana mengatakan kepada saya sambil membanggakan pantai ini, satu saat yang lalu. Awalnya saya bingung dengan kenyataan ini. Posisi pantai yang memanjang Utara-Selatan ini memang bisa menyaksikan terbitnya dan terbenamnya matahari disatu posisi yang sama. Unik memang.

Lepas dari itu, pantai Losari adalah salah satu pantai paling resik dan apik yang pernah saya datangi diseluruh Indonesia ini, dan hebatnya lagi pantai ini berada tepat dijantung kota besar. Membandingkan dengan beberapa bibir pantai kota kota besar di Jawa, jelas Losari paling top: bebas sampah dan nyaman dikunjungi. Sambil menulis ini saya membayangkan betapa bau dan kroditnya situasi di Tanjung Priok Jakarta, atau pelabuhan Perak di Surabaya. Tidak heran, dahulu ketika Ratu Elizabeth dari Inggris bertandang ke Jakarta (era 80 an) ia tidak mau turun dari mobil saat tiba di Tanjung Priok karena begitu shock dia dengan bau dan amburadulnya situasi dipelabuhan. Dia pikir, Tanjung Priok sama indahnya dengan Hongkong harbour . Kejadian ini menjadi “insiden protokoler” yang memalukan, tapi begitulah wajah pelabuhan di Jakarta.

Posisi pantai Losari sangat strategis dan menjadi bagian yang menyatu dengan suasana kota Makasar yang membentang sejauh kurang lebih 4 km. Pantai ini langsung dapat diakses dengan jalan utama protokol utama. Diseberang jalan bertumbuhan hotel dengan berbagai kelas. Sebut saja beberapa nama hotel yang lokasinya amat dekat dengan bibir pantai al: Hotel MGM, Hotel Losari Beach, Hotel Quality, Hotel Aryadutta, dan Hotel Aston. Untuk mid-budget traveller, bisa pilih Hotel Losari Beach, atau agak masuk sedikit kedalam jalan Joseph Latumahina, ada hotel kecil yang nyaman yakni Hotel Kenari. Saya sendiri suka Hotel Quality atau Hotel Losari Beach karena lokasinya oke, dan harganya tidak selangit.

Waktu paling ideal mengunjungi pantai Losari adalah sore hari antara jam 15.00 hingga jam 21.00. Banyak yang datang kemari untuk duduk duduk menikmati pantai yang bersih, jogging disepanjang pedestrian sejauh 500m, atau makan diwarung warung yang telah direlokasi oleh Pemda setempat (diujung paling selatan pantai). Tua muda akan datang kemari menikmati matahari terbenam disini sambil membelu makanan dari pedagang. Jika suka jogging, tempat ini juga sangat ideal. Udara bersih dan angin bertiup tanpa henti, matahari yang merah keemasan menyapu wajah manusia yang duduk bibir pantai.


Pedagang menjual aneka makanan mulai dari jajan ringan saja sekedar ganjal perut seperti bakso atau gorengan. Ada juga makanan khas Makasar seperti Coto atau aneka hidangan masakan laut dengan resep asli orang bugis. Sungguh enak!

Suasananya amat tertib dan aman, saya merasa nyaman disini. Tapi ada satu yang saya keluhkan yakni: pengamen. Mereka ngeyel, tidak bisa ditolak untuk tidak menyanyi. Jadi semacam paksaan saja mendengarkan mereka menyanyi, dan suka memaksa dengan sindiran jika tidak diberi uang. Mereka mengamen tidak Cuma sendirian, tapi datang dengan sekelompok teman yang sama sama bernyanyi dengan nada (maaf saja ya) tidak bagus. Kenyamanan pantai ini berkurang minus satu poin hanya gara gara kehadiran pengamen yang tidak tau aturan dan main paksa ini. Ada baiknya pemda dan aparat melakukan penyuluhan agar kenyamanan di Losari tidak tercemar gara gara gerombolan pengamen macam begini.

Download MP3 Makassar Bugis

Indologo(Kartika Karman).mp3
Anak Jalanan Makassar.mp3
Ajanana Ia Musenge.mp3
Kaluru Surya.mp3
Anging Mamiri.mp3
ABG Palopo.mp3
Lussa Rilantang Banggia.mp3
Ammaku Bapakku.mp3

Sparkly Devil update!

Wow! Got an email from Sparkly tonight:

I wanted to let you all know that I am the centerfold for this week's issue of the SF Bay Guardian, for their annual Style magazine!

If you're local, you can pick up a copy anywhere in SF, but for those of you who aren't, you can see the image online.

It was shot by a wonderful photographer named Merkley -- you can check out his site at www.threequestionmarks.com.

Dr. Sketchy retrospective

Here as promised, some art from the past that i don't think ever made it to the blog until now! First three from Tom Dow:



Two from Jim Anderson (I think, correct me if I'm wrong, someone):


A few from Michelangelo Cicerone:




And a couple by me. Send yours in too!

September Blues

Things are rough all over in Dr. Sketchy land. First the Temple of the American Dream got vandalized, then this month's session, scheduled for today with the local Burning Man folks as a benefit to help with repairs, is rained out (theoretically... I haven't seen any actual rain yet today, despite the razzin-frazzin forecast...) Hopefully we'll get something together before the end of the month.

Worse yet, Molly Crabapple forwarded this to me from Katie at the Portland, OR Sketchy branch:

We've had a pretty upsetting event happen this past weekend here in Portland--my September model was attacked. Two men approached him around midnight on Friday, and started saying homophobic slurs to him, and then proceeded to beat him enough to concuss him and cause bleeding of the brain. You can read more about it here.

A close friend of our model has created a website -- healportland.com -- to let people know about our model's status, donate money (since he has no healthcare), and leave well-wishing messages.

I'll make a donation on behalf of Dr. Sketchy Detroit.

The good news is that our October session is set to go, with Christopher from Causing a Scene modeling along with his grandmother! We'll be at the Belmont from 7-10pm on Tuesday, October 28, so expect Halloweeny goodness all around.

Also good: Matt Feazell sent along the sketch above of Lana from August, and I'm gathering up a little art from past sessions that haven't been posted yet, as a sort of retrospective, so I'll post that soon. If anyone has any past art they'd like to see, send it along!

Dr. Sketchy Detroit Turns 2

Technically, August was DS:MCD's two-year anniversary! If plans come together as hoped, we'll be celebrating belatedly later this month. Until then, relive that first Sketchy session with these photos of Sparkly Devil. (Photo credits if/when I figure them out!) Stay tuned for the scoop on DS's upcoming late-September birthday party.

More of Lana

This time from my own sketchbook.

Doug Blanchard sketchbook exhibit

If, like me, you've marveled at the sketchbook drawings and collages of Doug Blanchard on this blog, and if you'll be in NYC next month, be sure to check out his exhibit at the Riviera Gallery in Brooklyn. He says he'll have some of his Sketchy work in the show. Congrats Doug!

She moves in mysterious ways

Some sweet art from last Thursday from Jim Anderson. Check out his blog for more sketches and some of his thoughts on electronic art tablets and figure drawing.

Lily LaRue Update

Wow, check out what former DS model Lily's been up to:

"Wheew! So I have spent the last month on a film set working as Drew Barrymore's stand in on the movie WHIP IT. A film about Roller Derby!"

Also see Lily's updated website.

DS21: Swords & skulls & wings & things

Well, Dr. Sketchy's trip to Dearborn was an experiment in trying something new, and it was a big success! Wow, we haven't had so many new faces all at once at a Dr. Sketchy in some time, and it was good to see. Many thanks to Paul and everyone at Blick art supplies for supplying not just the venue but some great door prize/goodie bags and snacks, and for turning so many new folks on the DS.


Among our new participants was Dennis Orlowski (in the foreground above), a muralist who's done several well-known local works, in Hamtramck especially but elsewhere around town too.


Many many thanks of course to Lana, who dazzled us with her dancing, costumes, music and her greatly-underestimated ability to hold a pose for several minutes. She's a joy to draw from, and a glance around the room at everyone's sketchbooks confirms she was an inspiration.


DS's reliable photog Agnes sent some super photos to share. She even got the skull we used as a tip jar into one shot!


More art to come! ( and PS: If you check the comments section of the last post, you'll get a hint at what's in the works for September...!)

NEXT SKETCHY: THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 6-9PM!

Good news everyone - I ran into Lana of Detroit Bellydance at World Hoop Day Friday afternoon and she's all set to model for us this month. So the next Dr. Sketchy session will be Thursday the 21st at Blick Art Materials on Michigan Ave. in Dearborn (between Schaefer and Greenfield, a few blocks west of Green Brain Comics). Manager Paul Flowers has been nice enough to offer us the front of his shop to use as modeling/sketching space, after the shop closes at 6pm. Expect cool prizes, snacks, music and probably a performance by lovely Lana too. See you then!


By the way, Hoop Day was a big hit, with lots of kids and adults too (including the crew of a DFD fire engine) showing up for some hoop-spinnin' and general community and good feeling in the shadow of the Temple of the American Dream, an intricate cut-plywood pagoda you need to see to believe (click the link for info on the project). IN FACT...

...you might get to see it up close if you come to Dr. Sketchy in September! A very special session is in the planning stages, so watch the blog and your email inbox for details.

MORE NEWS: Dr. Sketchy Empress Molly Crabapple needs our help!

"I recently wrote a panel called "DIY Empires: Taking Your Online Following Offline," It's about movements like Dr. Sketchy's that, despite being started by creative folks with low budgets, have spread all over the world. The panel's for presentation at SXSWi (South by Southwest Interactive), an international conference about digital technology and its effect on culture. We got past the first round, and now our fate is in part decided by voting."


Click the image above to go and vote for Molly and help send her SXSW!

Hoops go digital

More art from DS20. First, a few painterly photo treatments from Lou Salazar:




Next three sketches from the cool digital drawing tablet of Jim Anderson (and there are more on his web site).