A Live Urban Sketch Class at DRIP.

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I offered a Live Urban Sketch Class at DRIP (8747 International Dr #102, Orlando, FL). You enter DRIP from a loading dock giving the venue a mysterious speakeasy vibe. My eyes had to adjust to the dark black light interior. I was running about 15 minutes late thanks to rush hour traffic. There were close to a dozen artists in the bar area.

A volunteer agreed to model. She was tall and chiseled with beautiful dreadlocks. We discussed basic human proportions which I break down into four units. Half way between the head and feet is the waist. Half way between the waist and the feet are the knees, and half way between the head and the waist is the heart. I discussed how your eye line should relate to the figure and I had everyone draw this line on the page.

We did five minute poses and each time I asked student to make each drawing smaller than the last, while keeping one aspect of the models body lined up with the eye line. The result was receding figures that looked like they could be standing on the same floor plane. We then moved to longer poses where the model sat on the couch and looked at her iPhone. I encouraged everyone to include background elements.

Our model had to leave, so Jessie Sander, a DRIP dancer, took over. She offered the class plenty of action lines and gestures to work with. I came up with a new exercise in which everyone broke up the page into four panels to create thumbnail or storyboard sized panels. I had everyone just draw the background, or staging elements. They were encouraged to find interesting new angles for each sketch. Then Jessie returned to the set, and students added her to the scenes. Some really fun work came out of the exercise. I  plan to recreate the exercise for my younger Urban Sketch students today.

Finally, we went on a field trip to the parking lot next door, to sketch The Boston Lobster Feast car. It is a tiny red beetle that has a huge mean looking lobster on top of it. Anytime people entered the restaurant, the sweet buttery smell wafted outside. Every tourist walking down International Drive has to stop to take a photo of the huge lobster. The artists scattered around the monster and began to sketch. Some tourists were curious about what we were up to, so it was a good initiation for beginning artists to realize that no one ever judges your work when sketching on location. I was pleased that one artist was asked, “Are you an artist?” I’m always tempted to come up with a snarky remark, but end up responding, “Yes.”

Overall, I had fun giving the workshop and it would be fun to repeat. Jessica Mariko, DRIP’s founder suggested having the model under a sand shower or paint can chandelier while artists sketch. The possibilities for fun, wet, spontaneous sketch opportunities is endless.

July 4th Drip Pool Party.

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On July 4th, Terry and I went to a Drip Dance pool party. A barbecue kept burgers and hot dogs steaming. All of the dancers an support staff of Drip were there to relax a have fun. A slip and slide was unfurled across the lawn, and terminated at the pool. Guys and girls got a running start, and dove into the pool with a big splash. 

My sketches were done rather fast, so that I could get in some pool time myself. Tie dye pockets were full or red and blue dyes. Dancers took T-Shirts and pinched the fabric using rubber bands. Everyone had their own techniques and every shirt when dry and unfurled was unique. It was a messy fun process. 

Terry, had several small dreads put in her hair on our trip to Australia. Jessica Mariko offered to put a color for tri-colored ribbon in Terry’s hair. As usually happens at y party lit this, I met someone who does something fun and creative as a career. A woman next to me did large sculptures for the theme parks. She told me about her projects and it sounds like an unexpected inspiring way t make a living. I’m having to rethink my priorities. I get out and experience a creative rush every day, but not many sketches get sold. Changes need to be made so that I’m less of a voyeur and more of a participant in the Orlando Arts scene. I am starting to reach out to find a job that will keep me in Orlando and challenge me creatively to think out side the box.

Drip Local Art Night featured Public Record.

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Drip Local Art Night features Visual Artists, Performance Artists, Burlesque troupes, Body Painters, Dancers, Belly Dancers, and Art Installations. 

This is an all ages event. Set-up for artists started at 6:30 and doors for the public opened at 8pm. Drip is located at 8747 International Dr #102, Orlando, F, behind Denny’s and Senior Frogs. Access is via a loading dock. 

Artist rent tables at this bimonthly event for $10. Artists get 100% of all sales. It is a pretty sweet deal for the artists and the crowds that show for this event, keep getting larger. Jessica Mariko‘s husband David Travers is in the band Public Record.  This band accepts ideas from social media about their fans favorite albums. They perform the entire album in order, live.

Mark your calendars! The next Drip Art Night is April 28, starting at 8pm. Check out the hottest scene in Orlando. 

Drip Art Nights are full surprises.

Posted on by Thor

Drip Local Art Night features visual artists, Performance artists, burlesque troupes, body painters, dancers, belly dancers, and art installations. I love sketching this monthly event because I always find something new and exciting to draw. Drip is Orlando’s grunge version of the Moulan Rouge. I arrived as artists were setting up their booths and focused on the bar. One Drippy was getting her T-shirt cutting station set up. She cuts up the whip Drip T-shirts and bees the fabric creating a unique pattern of flesh and brilliant day glow blue.

A drip dancer Roxanne Faye LeBlanc had just died her hair a deep red in purple. She dances the part of the lusty Red in the Drip show. I sketched he as she filled out paperwork a the bar and again when she did something a the left end of the bar. I do this quite often, populating a sketch with one person’s activities. I do believe the guys seated at the bar were on person at different times as well. Soon enough however, the place was so packed that you couldn’t even s the bar. The main Drip Show is no longer performed on Art Night, which means The re is more room for artists to set up their wares.

Set-up for artists started at 6:30 and the doors opened at 8 PM. My favorite performance was by BalaChandra Belly Dance. I run into these dancers a love town. I have to learn to sketch faster to catch their fast moving hips and fluid motions. Since I function at a much slower pace when I sketch, I sometimes miss some acts as I rush to complete a sketch that was started.

Mark Your Calendar! The next Drip Local Art Night is Thursday, March 24 with the doors opening at 8pm. If yo u haven’t been to Drip then what are yo u waiting for. Get out and experience some local art.
8747 International Dr Suite 102 (Behind Denny’s and Senor Frogs) Orlando Florida. Art nights are every other month. 

Drip’s Local Art Night ignites International Drive.

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On the 4th Thursday of every month, Drip hosts a Local Art Night. Located on International Drive behind  Denny’s and Senior Frogs, (8747 International Dr #102, Orlando, FL). You literally enter the venue via the loading dock, Drip offers an industrial, grunge , speakeasy flair. The usual Drip show combines a dance love and loss story line with flying sand and paint. Every where in the venue is a splash zone. Although the usual performances don’t happen on Drip Art Night, there is often burlesque belly dancers, and other forms of experimental dance that pop up. 

The evening mostly showcases Visual Artists, Performance Artists, Art Installations, and Body Painters. Spaces are available for $10 and artists keep 100% of all sales. Janae Corrado is a local artist who sets up regularly at the Art Night. She sets up early and starts painting as other artists are rushing to set up. Her work is mystical and surreal using age old master painting techniques to build up the polished final work. Word is starting to get out that this is a fun evening and so the entire venue is now packed full of artists.

I love sketching the chaos. When a performance breaks out, the crowd surrounds them like school kids pressing in to see a fight. I have to accept that I only catch a passing glimpse of the performers through the crowd. At a future art nigh I hope to Sketch from the stage, which is often only used by the DJ. This would give me an elevated view over the crowd so I could see the performers. This is why I usually sketch rehearsals, there is no audience to get in the way.

Mark your calendar! The next Drip local Art Night is January 28, 2016. The doors open to the public at 8pm. There is a $5 cover charge. Escape the Orlando’s white bread theme park quaintness and experience some Orlando craziness.

Underground Vampire Bar brings sexy gore to International Drive.

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I went to the grand opening party for DRIP’s Underground Vampire Bar, 8747 International Dr Suite 102 (Behind Denny’s and Senor Frogs), Orlando, Florida. Through October 31st, 2015, DRIP Orlando, is creating a safe haven for the Vampires and their human friends. Finally there will be a place in Orlando for Vampires to be themselves, sip “Blood” from the Blood Bar, watch dancers enjoy “Blood” baths, take a “Blood” shower, witness human sacrifices, enjoy live music, and full theatrical show featuring performances in paint, sand, “blood”, flying water and more.

The Underground Vampire Bar will be at DRIP for a limited time in October on International Drive just down the street from the New Orlando Eye.

EXPERIENCE:
Limited Edition Vampire Shirts
Killer Paint Station (Complimentary),
T-Shirt Artists ($5 cutting),
Performance artist in Liquid Blood Bath Hammock.
Special twist on a Full DRIP show featuring vampires, live band, red paint, red sand, dancers, flying water and more!
A theatrical story about eternal love and heartbreak.

I sat at the Blood Bar to sketch and ordered a “Bloodyrita” which [ think was a strawberry Margarita. Since I knew this would be a low light situation, (vampires need low light), I used my Cintiq Companion 2 for the sketch. One thing I missed from a traditional watercolor sketch, was the ability to spatter the page with red paint. The tablet was  perfect to catch the day glow blue of all the white T-shirts in the darkness. I was wearing a dark shirt but the zigzag stitching pattern glowed blue making me look a bit like Charlie Brown. The bar filled up quickly. Once vampires started dancing on the bar, I packed the tablet away since it might be destroyed in the bloodbath. Soon the sexy vampires were offering to pour blood into spectators open mouths. The first female volunteer ended up getting drenched when the entire pitcher was poured on her head.

After the main show, a projector showed a 15 minute count down on the wall. The countdown was for the human sacrifice. At the appointed hour, two female vampires took to the stage and beckoned to a young female volunteer. She might have been a bachelorette, because she was with a rather large crowd of friends. She was a willing victim as she gyrated along with the vampires to the pounding bewitching music. Then she was asked to kneel on the bar top, and the vampires began to bite her delicate wrists and neck. Blood squirted everywhere and pooled on the bar. The crowd went wild as the gory scene unfolded. After the sacrifice, men and women danced in the Interactive Blood Shower.  Everyone had raffle tickets for a DRIP “Bloodeaux” Wine giveaway at 11PM.

DATES! 
Open every Friday and Saturday in October, 2015
Doors and activities start at 8:00PM. Show will start a little after 9PM and will be followed by an afterparty until midnight.

Mark your calendar! Closing Party featuring an after party with “The Bloody Jug Band“: Saturday, 10/31 (Halloween).

More details and tickets. . .

Clockwork Orange being staged in a Vampire bar.

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Clockwork Orange, adapted for the stage by Anthony Burgess and directed by Jeremy Seghers is being staged at Drip’s Underground Vampire Bar, 8747 International Dr Suite 102 (Behind Denny’S and Senor Frogs), Orlando, Florida. The play, based on Burgess’ acclaimed 1962 novel of
the same title, tells the story of young Alex, played by Anthony Pyatt Jr., and his droogs as they
wreak havoc in the streets of London. When Alex is caught and subjected
to an experimental treatment to “cure” his violent tendencies, all hell
breaks loose, and questions are raised about human nature and the
freedom of choice. 

 The black light inside the Underground Vampire bar mad any white garment shine a bright blue. The performance space is intimate, so the action happens all around you. Just as in the Stanley Kubrick movie,  the violence is intense. Fight Director Jason Skinner, had combatants using  knives, chains and wrenches inches from the audience. During the fight rehearsal, one actor almost walked in the midst of the fight and a heavy chain missed him by inches.

During the experiment, the entire cast knotted them selves into a pyramidal mass to form the torture chair and restraints as Alex watched violent content with his eyelids forced open.  Alex was an anomaly, a cultured thug with a taste for classic a music. He also likes a bit of the old in and out which means rape. Being a smart bloke, he figure he could out whit his captors, but he volunteered for something that even he couldn’t handle.

Due to mature content of the show, all ticket holders must be over the age of 18.  

Show dates: October 15-19, 2015
Thursday and Monday 8:00 pm Industry Night 

Friday and Saturday  11:00 pm
Sunday 3:00 pm

For more info and to purchase tickets, visit ilovedrip.com

 

DRIP Local Art Nights are a hidden gem on International Dive.

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Drip Local Art Nights are always fun. On this evening I sketched Allure A. Abelo as she danced in the Drip paint can shower. Allure isn’t a Drip Dancer but she was fine with dancing in the green paint. I always admire anyone who shares their art with abandon. Anytime I sketch at drip, I find myself using colors with pure intensity and brightness.

Dancers from BalaChandra Belly Dance also performed, using the main bar area as their stage. I admire the way they catch the audiences attention, not just with the amazing fluid hip movements, but with sly knowing smiles.

If there is a cutting edge performer in Orlando you will likely find them at Drip Art Nights. They usually occur on the 4th Thursday of every month. Since there are so many visual artists and performers, my sketching opportunities are limitless. The increasing popularity of the event is however, making it hard for me to find a spot to sketch without seeing a wall of peoples backs and butts. To date I’ve always found an angle that works.

My drink of choice for the evening was angry orchards and there was a fabulous $5 taco bar with all the fixings.

I bumped into Allure at my exhibition opening at Winter Park’s City Hall. She is active in the urban dance scene and plans to sponsor future events. B-Boy dance competitions are incredible to sketch so I’m hoping she plans to bring more of that energy to Orlando.

DRIP never fails to amaze.

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DRIP (8747 International Drive Orlando FL) is an in-your-face explosion of color and movement backed by a live rock band, all in an industrial bar. You may get wet … you may get messy … you WILL have an awesome time. Grab a colored beer (orange, yellow, red or blue!) or glass of wine from our bar and let DRIP assault your senses. For this sketch, I thought I might be out of the splash zone because I was standing close to the stage. I was wrong. This sketch was hit multiple times by uncontrolled tsunamis of color from the show.

This explosive dance show follows the story of three dancers, Yellow, Blue and Red. Yellow and blue fall for each other and when they touch their colors mingle to create green. Blue cheats and has a hot purple affair with Red. In a ferocious strobe scene Yellow discovers the truth and trashes the place in anger. In the spotlight she experiences isolation and sorrow. In the end though, she recovers as she washes away the residue of her former relationship in a bright yellow shower.

This local dance company has been bringing this show to tourists on International Drive for over a year. This is a place where adults can get away from the child themed parks and get a little nasty. DRIP is much like a speakeasy. It is located in a dark alley behind a Denny’s and Senior Frogs. You enter via a loading dock.  If you haven’t experienced DRIP yet, what are you waiting for. Spring Break shows are coming up starting March 6th. DRIP will blow the roof off. Be sure to dress down.

Tickets:

Student with ID $35.00

Party Rate for groups 8+ (includes DRIP t-shirt) $39.00

General Admission $44.00

Florida Resident with ID (includes DRIP t-shirt) $49.00

General Admission (includes DRIP t-shirt)$54.00

Drip opens its doors to local artists.

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Drip Local Art Night invites artists and musicians
to represent Orlando art to local, national and international travelers! On the evening I went there was a packed house in the bar and the dance performance then drew the crowd into the main performance area giving artists the opportunity to set up in the bar area. Future local art nights will no longer be on the same night as a performance.  This should allow more artists a chance to set up and share their art.

This event will be held on the 4th Thursday of every month. The Drip organizers will keep a running list for this monthly event.

On the night I went, I set up framed sketchbooks in a spot next to the bar. The bar area is now illuminated wit black lights which makes all the Drip shirts glow an eerie blue color. I discovered that the paper in my early sketchbooks doesn’t glow under black lights, so they were hard to see.  I want to go back and do a digital sketch since that is probably the best way to catch those colors. This sketch was sort of done blind because I couldn’t see the page in the low light plus the page glowed blue making colors a guess in the dark. I should have had a book light. Ashlyn Bapst used this end of the bar to create intricate woven Drip shirts. Her nimble fingers worked quickly to create these sexy, much sought after collectors items.

If you haven’t been to Drip yet, what are you waiting for? It is an explosion of color, light and dance set in a grunge back alley bar on International Drive. The story revolves around a love triangle. Dancers get covered in primary colors of paint and when they hug they change colors. It becomes a story of redemption and empowerment all set to the beat of a live rock band. Don’t wear your Sunday best. It is wiser to dress down for Drip. While Sea World has front row seats in a splash zone, the entire venue is a splash zone at Drip. You will get wet.

Drip Local Art Night

Who: Open to everyone 21+ (Artists can be 18+)

What: Local Art Night @ DRIP

When: 4th Thursday of every month
Set Up 6:30 PM; Doors open to public from 8-10 PM.

Where: DRIP 8747 International Dr #102, Orlando, FL 32819

How to apply: Send a link to your portfolio/samples to kristen@ILoveDRIP.com

Mark your calendar! The next Drip Local Art Night is February 26th 6:30pm to 11pm.