Burlesque Meets Life Drawing At Dr. Sketchys

A beautiful woman dressed as an absinthe fairy reclines on a gauze-draped table and strikes a pose, an elegant but slightly crooked antique chandelier hanging above. The artists grip their sketch pads with purpose and get to work as bawdy music cranks up over the speakers

sketch by the talented Tiffany Kamerman

Dr. Sketchy's Anti Art School combines burlesque with life drawing for a raucous good time to be enjoyed by artists and gawkers (as long as they're respectful) alike. Founded in 2005 by artist and webcomic creator Molly Crabapple, the event (held every other Saturday) has become a Brooklyn institution.

model Delirium Tremens before absinthe...

...and after absinthe

I attended the event with my friend Tiffany, an artist who let the charcoals grow dusty and hadn't sketched in a while, figuring that maybe the interesting venue might inspire her to pick her craft up again. She started with a few hesitant, unsure sketches, and by the end of the night she got her art mojo back and even won a contest (and a free shot of absinthe onstage!).

Tiffany and a fellow artist share absinthe on stage

The audience for this beautiful and sultry-- but definitely tongue-in-cheek -- burlesque show/sketching session was about 50/50 men and women and the event was definitely something both genders would enjoy. Our tireless model, Miss Delirium Tremens, struck each pose with an air of self-confidence and just a touch of humor.

If you're an artist or simply a devotee of cool shit to do in NYC, you really owe it to yourself to attend Dr. Sketchy's -- their next show is on July 26th at The Lucky Cat in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and you can read the details here.

Gallery:Dr. Sketchy's John Leavitt and Molly Crabapple

flesh...

...and fantasy
(sketch -- and the ones that follow --
courtesy of Tiffany Kamerman)