feeling forlorn about your figure drawing skills?

While Dr. Sketchy's has the cure! Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School is the drawing class that convenes at a bar near you. Artists get the opportunity to draw "glamorous underground performers" in sparkly revealing costumes. It's the figure drawing experience you always wish you had where the models are full of good humor and exude kitchy pin up goodness. My husband and I just attended our local chapter of Dr. Sketchy's and when I went  to their site I realized it is actually attend-able in 100 cities around the world!

How it worked,
We packed up our sketchbooks, pencils, and pens and sat down at the bar. The model came out wearing a  tiny costume with a vest that tied in front and a skirt made of two fabric panels. She had a raven haired wig with a headband and accessorised her look with a bow and suction cup arrow. There were a few warm up poses that were 2 minuets each, and then maybe two more poses for five minutes. The model did a fun little strip tease where she minimized her costume and after a small break did two longer poses for about 30 minuets each. I had not had a drawing session since college and I rarely sketch so the class was very beneficial. It is hard not to judge one's own drawings but I was very pleased with my last one. They are all quite loose and full of energy at least.

This is my best-est drawing from the class. I used a pink marker first to get more of the gestural lines and added pencil to get more detail.

Closing thoughts,
Unlike the studio drawing classes (in school) the atmosphere was much more just, fun. The addition of the costume was great and added a theme to the session. As an attendant you had the ability to draw what you wanted and focus on what you needed to get out of the class. Whether it was  how many drawings you did or how technical you wanted your drawings to be. The atmosphere was relaxed but still professional and respectful. I would and will go back again!

so join the "sketch revolution" and find a branch near you! visit their site at www.drsketchy.com
you can also visit my husband Joe Rheault's blog to see some of his sketches from the session at www.dirtyinks.blogspot.com

the shape of wings to come

My sister is going to be attending a fabulous Halloween party. My mother is sewing her a beautiful fairy costume and I am doing my part by creating wings.

There are a lot of different ways to make wings and most places I’ve found suggest nylons and netting. However I wanted a fabric that was really durable and it just so happens that I have a lot of canvas scraps,so that was my number one choice. In deciding the size for this particular project I knew the wings needed to be small in order to be attached to my sisters wheelchair and allow room around the handlebars for her to be pushed. If my sister isn't feeling like wearing them they also need to be a size that can be stored easily.

Just as I was about to draw out my wings I came upon a nifty wing shaped hanger that I found at my local patina shop. It was the perfect size and shape to give me an idea for the pattern. I began by tracing the "wing hanger” and drawing it into my very own wing shape. Meanwhile I hardened a piece of canvas by painting it with a few coats of modge podge. This made the canvas easy to cut out and there was no fraying of the fabric. It also made it water resistant, ready to paint, as well as giving the fabric some stiffness. I thought the canvas would be stiff enough that I could just paint it and put some ribbons on it,but alas it needed wire.....

Sooooooooo I modge podged another piece of canvas. This time it was a lighter weight canvas that was the texture and weight of linen. After that was dry I cut it into a shape that would offer the wings support. I also hand sewed a thick piece of aluminum wire that I had bent into the shape of the fabric. The wire was bent in a shape that would offer support and could be clipped into a garment or in this case a wheelchair seat back. After the wire was sewed on the canvas shape,I glued it (with modge podge) onto the large wing shape.

This is what I have done on the project so far. 

1.painted 2 types of canvas with modge podge

2.cut out 1 wing shape in thick canvas

3.cut out 1 support shape in thin canvas

4.bent a piece of thick aluminum wire and sewed it to support shape

5.glued support shape to wing shape

Here are some pictures so you can see what I mean.

This is the wing hanger and the paper underneath it is the shape that I made for my my own wings.

This is the hanger along with my paper wing shapes and the real wings themselves. I drew the half wing shape first and cut the larger shape on a fold like you do do when you cut out a paper heart.

Close up on the wire detail and shape that I glued on for support. Be sure to only sew the top part and down toward the center a little. Leave room so it can work like a paper clip and clip into your garment.

Even closer on the part I sewed at the top of the wing.

This is how the counter looked the other night as I was working.

The wings aren't quite finished but I had to go try them on. Since they have wire they can be bent in half to look more flutter-y.

a create-shop full of heart!

A friend of ours the abundant empress is hosting a lovely event on October 2nd. It will be an art party where participants will all create a work of art inspired by the event. There are openings for twenty people to join in the half day workshop. It promises to be a day "filled with fun, fellowship, and creative play." And "you will come away with an original, signed work of art created not only BY you, but specifically FOR you by the others in your group." Each participant will be provided with art supplies, snacks, and beverages.


It sounds as though a lot of fun will be had, acquaintances will be made, and new artful friendships will be formed. Most inspiring!


for further details please visit her blogspot on the subject here.
abundant hearts collaborative create-shop

a Kermit poster correction

It was brought to my attention by a certain lady, we will call her "mom" in this scenario, that the Kermit poster from a previous post was not a dentist giveaway as described. As a public health nurse back in the day my mom received it as part of a teaching campaign. She proudly used it to promote clean teeth to the youth of America. I believe it was followed in the subsequent years by her memorable scrubby bear outreach program about a bear who always scrubs/washes his hands on every occasion but not obsessively. Thank you again for the poster mom....it has been truly enjoyed throughout the many years!

Bla la log

I have been a busy girl as of recently (but really aren't I always,me? Yuppers you are, you.) I have a great post coming up about my new wardrobe acquisitions as well as one if not a few posts about a pair of wings I am making for my sister. I will also have a rather long post in late sep/early oct about visiting and volunteering in Mankato this summer cause I did a few times with a truly lovely girl of mine. So that's what's up with me and as always I am thinking about paintings and dollhouses and drawing and sketches and pictures and organizing and fabric and movies and um lots of other stuff don't you know....