Rubin Block Party - Part 2 & People Sketches

Up and down 18th St by the Rubin Museum there were activities and performances...especially for kids. There was a station set up with all kinds of metalware (pots, pans, cups, strainers) and the kids were given wooden spoons to make sound with the objects.

There were performances by Himalayan and Indian dancers. Their costumes were so colorful and lovely. I tried sketching them as they performed on the stage...not an easy task.

Here are more of my sketches for #oneweek100peoplesymposium. This first group was done by the pool yesterday. #35-41 I forgot my sketchbook and had to sketch on a piece of loose paper that had writing on the other side.

These were done today at Alive After Five where we were sketching. Some of the people were watching us sketch and some were other sketchers. #42-53

Finally these are of Zoe and Fantasia. The Sideshow Sketch Night group arranged for them to pose again this year. Zoe has had Fantasia as a pet for 3 years and the snake is 13 years old. She is very tame and feels quite different than you would expect. #54-61

Sideshow Sketch Night - Little Darlings

I've posted sketches from the Sideshow Sketch Night before. The models are people mostly from burlesque or from the sideshows at Coney Island. The models last week are a recently married couple. He is a little person with some physical deformities that necessitate a wheel chair. Apparently he sings and plays music too. They were the sweetest people. Compared to Sharpie Velour, the woman, Velvet Crayon is doll sized. During the evening there are contests and I won one for my 5th sketch down. We were supposed to sketch them for a Hallmark Valentine tender moment. I didn't do anything but sketch them the way they were posed, but my sketch won.

After today's post, Tracy at the Ranch has one more day of sketches.

http://tracyattheranch.blogspot.com

Sideshow Sketch Night - Part II

If you haven't seen Part I of Sideshow Sketch Night it is in the post below this one. As the night went on the poses got a little longer...and I got a little braver. For some of them I painted directly in watercolor. 

 This was my last sketch of them in their first costumes.

When Satine came out the second time she was wearing this beautiful dark green gown that clung to her curves. It was not a skimpy burlesque outfit by any means.

This is my favorite sketch of the night. It actually looked like her and I think I caught her mood too.

Sideshow Sketch Night - Part I

Some things are just so much fun. Last night I went with a group of friends to the Sideshow Sketch Night in Patchogue. We've gone before and it is such a lot of fun and you get to sketch so much. The models are burlesque performers who are in various states of dress/undress. lol Last night we were treated to Satine and Broody Valentino. As always the night begins with quick 5 minute poses and then moves on to longer poses...not more than 25 minutes. Except for the longer poses I find it almost impossible to sketch both of the models in the pose time. Here are a few of the 5 minute poses I sketched.

Satine was dressed in a corset and yes, she had several tattoos.

Broody Valentino came out in a purple robe, a purple g-string, purple pasties, and purple feathers.

This was one of the longer poses...maybe 20 minutes. For most of these I sketched in watercolor pencil and shaded with them too. 

Zoe and Fantasia

Last Thursday I went to an outdoor event called "Alive After Five" in Patchogue. It is held twice a month in the summer and there are all kinds of vendors, food, drink, music, and art. This past week it was estimated that there were about 25,000 people in attendance. The Patchogue Sketch Club participates and we come out and sketch the event. In the past we sketched the people attending in the crowds and the musicians. But we had a treat on Thursday. This year the people who have been running  the Sideshow Sketch Night with the burlesque models decided to take part too. They invited Zoe and her pet boa, Fantasia to pose for us. They were both so great! We weren't rushed sketching and most of the poses lasted long enough to get a good sketch done. Here are a few of the sketches I did.

As you can see Zoe was dressed in a jungle outfit. The kids coming by loved seeing Fantasia, and she was friendly. Zoe doesn't let anyone hold her by themselves, but lets them hold her tail or her head. I didn't hold her, but did pet Fantasia who was surprisingly soft. It was a great night and we all learned a bit about boas from Zoe.

Here is a photo of some of the sketchers working. We sketched for about 3 hrs finally stopping when it started to get dark.

Sideshow Sketch Night

A week ago last Friday my sketching friends and I went to another Sideshow Sketch Night held at the Brickhouse Brewery in Patchogue. This time we sketched Cheeky Lane in her costumes...and later not so much in her costumes. lol

Separately each of these were done in about 5 minutes. Cheeky designed her costumes and she is a burlesque performer.

Again these were 5 minute poses.

This time it was a 10 minute pose.

This was done of one of the longer, 20 minute poses.

This one was done for a contest where you had to make it look like a poster advertising her show. Prizes are given to the winners.

Today's entry for my "fake" aquarium journal is here.

http://aliciasaquariumjournal.blogspot.com/2016/04/alicias-aquarium-journal-april-26.html

Sideshow Sketch Night

Somehow I missed posting yesterday...which isn't like me. So today I'll do a longer post.

On Friday evening a group of artist I know went to the Sideshow Sketch Night at the Brickhouse Brewery in Patchogue. I've gone to similar "Dr. Sketchy" events in the city and this was just as much fun. "Betsy Propane" and "Trick the Bastard" modeled for us in a variety of 1, 5, 10 and 20 minute poses icostumed and semi-costumed. (Some of the poses were a little risqué. lol) Betsy is a voluptuous burlesque dancer and Trick works at the sideshow in Coney Island. This was the first time this style sketch night was held on Long Island and 53 artists showed up...the event was sold out!

Here are some quick 1 minute poses that I did to warm up. I sketched these with a water-soluble pencil, but didn't have time to add any water. 

These are 5 minute sketches. In addition to the water-soluble graphite I used watercolor crayons for some bold color.

During the evening there were several sketching contests and raffles with prizes like yoga classes, pottery classes, a basket of art supplies, sketchbooks, and a basket of chocolate products. In case you're wondering, Trick was in  a straightjacket. 

This was one of the 20 minute poses.

During one of the breaks I sketched the woman who was the emcee. She owns a local vintage clothing store and was dressed in a gorgeous outfit.

The night wound down with shorter sketches that were 1 minute again.

Everyone had a great time and it was so much fun to see the sketches and artwork done by the other artists during the break. My thanks to Amanda and Dean who worked so hard to get this event together. They did a wonderful job!

I have to say that this event made it a bit easier to sketch than "Dr. Sketchy." There were tables to work on and spread out your materials. At "Dr. Sketchy" events there are no tables so you need to balance your art materials, usually in your lap. Both events are great fun. The "Dr. Sketchy" events have become worldwide events, but it was fun to have an event so close to home in Patchogue. Another Sideshow Sketchnight will be held at the same location on March 4th...sadly I won't be able to attend.