The last time I went to a life-drawing class there was much serious shuffling of easels, discussion of line and form, and, above all, a rapt silence. Educational and absorbing, yes, but about as similar to a Dr Sketchy class as a cup of tea is to a Sex on the Beach.
Dr Sketchy offers “drinking, drawing and dames”; founded in New York by artist Molly Crabapple in 2005, it has since spread internationally (check out the manifesto here). The movement is based around the question, “why can’t life-drawing be sexy?”. I packed up my pencils and headed to the London branch, this time taking place at The Old Queens Head in Islington, to find out.
“No one is crap, it’s just a matter of looking. . . “
The pupils of Dr Sketchy (an invisible task-master, only compere Dusty Limits and organiser Clare 
Marie seemed to be in control of proceedings) were a varied bunch: “proper” artists and art students, mixed with a raucous birthday party, rockabilly boys and girls, the creative and curious-and a journo from the London Lite, suggesting Dr Sketchy is about to go very mainstream, very soon . . .
Mr Limits declared he was suffering from “wine flu” but kept up a patter of commentary, distributing prizes and praise (“no one is crap, it’s just a matter of looking”), and instructing us on our challenges.
The first model was former burlesque performer Ruka Johnson, who ran Dr Sketchy until December ‘08 when Clare Marie took over. She posed in a pink swimsuit, while us scribblers were instructed to draw her using our “opposite hands”, and then as a dot-to-dot. Next up was the rather delicious Buck Fast (and check back soon for an interview with him!), a Glaswegian “boylesque” performer who completed a rather hilarious act as a plumber, then posed, avec plunger, for us to draw him with a “nautical” theme, and then to sketch only his bone (“s”, added Dusty). The last model was Miss Marianne Cheesecake, swathed in red feathers, whom we had to draw in two minutes, then five, then 10, and who later treated us to a fan dance.
Insane charm
The different challenges affected my sense of time (at first, two minutes felt like forever, by the end 10 impossibly short), and also tested my creativity. Prizes were awarded for “insane charm” and imagination, not accuracy.
This is not a class where you’re going to learn much about drawing. The only instruction came
from Mr Limits (“no erasing at Dr Sketchy’s!”)- but it seemed the crowd, increasingly lubricated by drinking in the daytime and the DJ’s constant mix of ’50s crooners and dance tunes, was there for a good time, not the finer points of anatomy. And I also noticed that while at the beginning, the majority of the room, in a very English way, was all too ready to put their hands up to the question “Who here thinks they’re bad at drawing?”, after four hours were confident enough to display their favourite pictures on stage. The good-natured judging processes of each “round” helped too.
I spoke to organiser Clare Marie, whose full-time job is running the What Katie Did boutique in London. “It’s not about being a good drawer,” she emphasised. “It’s about good fun. People do surprise themselves.” She says that the clientele has changed over time: “There are a lot more people inviting their friends, it’s like karaoke. It’s more social now.”
A model opportunity
As for the models, she professes to a long waiting list of boys and girls wanting to strut their stuff (and not necessarily keep that still), but for those wanting a go, she’s after “interesting” models, who must be performers, with a “personality”.
“We’ve had jazz singers, circus acts, it’s different every week. It’s quite good to do something in your life that scares you. After all it’s only 15 minutes.”
This REALLY was a GREAT afternoon. A super venue, a great host and three outstanding models, all showing curiousity as to they were seen by their audience! All marvellously ran.
Sounds like a great afternoon and definitely something I will look into for the future! thanks! xx