A creative crowd at the Dribbble Meetup at Envy Labs.

Posted on by Thor

I went to sketch at Envy Labs (618 E South Street · Suite 620 Orlando, FL)  for an event called the Dribbble Meetup. Every one was scribbling away on graphic design concepts when I arrived. They were working on spec to create a new Orlando Designers logo. I was please to see many of the designers working old school putting pencil to paper. The venue provided dotted paper. There was drinking and drawing with the hope to win more than bragging rights. I’m not sure what prizes might have been offered, but wasn’t tempted. I have my own agenda. If someone wants to design a logo they would need to hire me.

Many artists were more interested in hanging out rather than focusing on design. The open bar in the corner was constantly busy. Carlos Basabe an amazing illustrator who attends my Drink and Draw events stopped by to say hello. It is wife is a designer so that is why he gets the invites.  I’m not sure how I was invited, but it was fun to see a crowded room full of creatives. Music set the beat to the evening. An MC named Daisy stood at the front of the room with a megaphone. She let everyone know how much time was left to create. I timed my sketch to her announcements. She then walked around the room, still projecting her voice with the megaphone. She was quite funny.

There was apparently an art swap going on as well. Designers were encouraged to bring in any stray prints they might have to swag with fellow artists.I didn’t actually notice any swapping going on. Dribbble is a growing artistic community. If you are a creative, you should look them up. And there are indeed three bs in Dribbble.The hand writing recognition on this Windows 10 tablet sucks. I may need to get a wireless keyboard and learn to type. The ghost in the machine keeps changing what I write.

ODD 5 at The Brass Tap

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The fifth Orlando Drink and Draw (ODD) was held at The Brass Tap (Mills
Park 1632 N Mills Ave, Orlando, Florida). Mills Park is a new
development featuring apartments and a strip mall near the theaters on
Princeton. There used to be a tiny store on the corner of Mills and
Virginia called “Cash Lust Translator“. That store sold of cash
registers and the owner held on to the store for the longest time which
held up the development project. I regret never going into Cash Lust
Transactor to sketch.

Having never been to Mills Park, I got a bit lost looking for The Brass Tap.
In all about six artists stopped out to drink and draw. I was pleased that
two new artists came out. Audrey Zindler and John Nadeau are regulars at the Crealdé
sketch classes. John sat at the end of the bar and as I sketched l debated if he was an artist or not. He does wonderful loose oil paintings in the figure drawing classes. Audrey showed me his work on her phone. She is now running the Sunday Morning
sketch sessions and I’m encouraged to start sketching from models again.
The Sunday morning sketch sessions are from 10am to 12:30 pm at Crealdé
School of Art, 600 St Andrews Blvd, Winter Park, FL. The cost. $10. I
need to loosen up my digital sketches and this seems like a great way to
do that.

Carlos Basabe was working on a sketch of a steampunk penguin with a jet pack which I believe is for a beer label. He recently shared a beer label design for Chiberian Warmer and it is hilarious. Vote for it if to like it. I had the notion of having artists do quick 5 minute sketches of each other, but by the time everyone had arrived, I was contently working on my sketch and I couldn’t stop, so I let everyone drink and draw in piece. My beer for the night was Funky Buddha and I had a pretzel to munch between sips. When my sketch was done I joined in on a conversation about the Walking Dead. I like having the opportunity to see what other artists are up to and being able to wind down after the sketch is done. Usually when I sketch each night, I pack up the art kit and head home once the sketch is complete. 

Mark your calendar. ODD 6 will be held December 7th starting a 6 pm at The Falcon Bar and Gallery. If you know an artist who likes to drink, draw or both, let them know.

ODD3 had about 15 artists drinking, drawing and collaborating.

Posted on by Thor

The third Orlando Drink and Draw (ODD3) fell on Labor Day. Artists were to meet at Redlight Redlight (2810 Corrine Dr, Orlando, FL). I was afraid there might be holiday hours so I searched the web and found out the bar would be open from 5:30pm to 9:30pm. Since artists would start arriving around 6pm, I could relax. I went to see the movie Mission Impossible Rouge Nation, so I ended up arriving about an hour late. When I arrived,I bumped into Gay Geiger who was getting napkins from the food truck parked in front of Redlight Redlight. The building used to be a refrigeration sales store and the signage is still out front. The bar signage uses the same colors so it all blends in.

Gay was in the back room of the bar with her daughter. I glanced through her daughter’s sketch journal latter that night and there was a stunning collage of characters from the Japanese animated film “My Neighbor Totoro.”  I ran my fingers over the image to feel the amazing depth created. After that image I explored every page as if searching for Braille messages. This is what I love about this monthly event, I always get to discover and meet amazing artists.

In the front room Carlos Basabe was at a long table in the corner along with about 6 other artists. There was one seat available but when I sat in it, I found myself blinded by a projector which was projecting an image on the wall behind me. The blinding light wouldn’t do so I set up at a table near by. Colin Boyer and a friend sat at my table. I’m learning names slowly and sent around a sign in sheet that I forgot about, so it was left behind. Once I started my sketch I was lost in thought. I started my sketch by drawing Brian OHalloran at the end of the bar lightly in pencil. A young couple sat at the table in front of Brian blocking my view. They became my center of interest. Brian did a digital sketch of the beer he was drinking. Later in the evening he took a picture of the bar maid and he took a shot of me at work. Brian is now doing a series of sketches of people.

I made a small accordion sketchbook and invited any interested artists to fill a page or two. When the sketch is unfurled you can see the stream of consciousness as each sketch builds off of the sketch preceding it. I’ll bring the sketch to the next ODD event since it is a work in progress. Two young women were visiting Orlando from Walla Walla, Washington state and they heard about the event and joined us for the evening. They had bright markers and they added a splash of color to the nights sketch. Artists came an went in waves. All told I would say about 16 artists came out to mingle, drink and draw. I got to meet artists I’d never met before so to me the evening was a success.

Drinking and Drawing at the Thursty Topher.

Posted on by Thor

ODD2 was held at the Thirsty Topher on Alden Road in the artsy warehouse district which is part of Ivanhoe Village. This bar along with the Fringe Festival offices next door and many other art studios will be facing the wrecking ball this fall. In there place, a high rise condominium will be constructed.

All told, about 8 artists stopped out to drink and draw. When I arrived, Gay Geiger was already at work sketching the beer she had selected. She had just changed jobs and sketching seemed a good way to celebrate. I ordered a Southern Tier beer which was dark and had a citrus aftertaste. Carlos Basabe, an artist I hadn’t met before, joined me at the bar.

Artists sketched each other, shared their work and sketched the bar scene.

I introduced myself to each artist as they arrived, but I didn’t have any agenda for the evening other than drinking and drawing.  The bartender, Sam knew of me from a past sketch I had done. She introduced me to Viking Blod which is a meed made from honey and it is delicious and strong. That became my drink of choice for the night.  lt is made with honey and the honey combs which are buried underground for at least a year to ferment. Meed is apparently one of the oldest liquors in the world. lt really tastes like life blood, and it packs a punch.

After quite a few drinks, several artist recruited an unsuspecting patron to join in and do a sketch. He drew a character called a Cactopus.  It rules the land and sea. On land it is a water conserving Cacti and at sea it is an octopus. It’s side kick was an angry looking spider-fly and they were joined by a tumble bunny. Carlos began sketching the characters as we all joked about the characters. After a few Viking’s Blod and a Southern Tier, it seemed like a glorious idea.

The next Orlando Drink and Draw will be September 7th at Redlight Redlight (2810 Corrine Dr, Orlando, FL) from 6pm to whenever. Carlos gave me some ideas for some artistic socializing and I’ll arrange to try one of these ideas at the next ODD.