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.

Whirly Dome

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Jessica Mariko, the founder of Drip, invited the entire cast and crew to an evening at the Whirly Dome, 6464 International Dr, Orlando, Fl. Terry and I tagged along. Jessica had game tokens for everyone, so once we entered, the game was on. There was a formula one racing simulator with three screens creating an immersive panoramic view. If the car went up an embankment, the chassis would tilt. Melissa Kasper and Brigette Frias tossed basketballs into a hoop which moved back and forth. They had excellent eye hand coordination, landing shot after shot. I tried playing along with Terry and I didn’t do half as good.

There was a mini bowling alley, but it was broken. It took Terry’s token and didn’t spit out the bowling ball. Then everyone went up to the second floor to play laser tag. We were suited up like storm troopers and given a laser gun. If you were hit, a light would blink on the vest and the gun wouldn’t fire anymore. We were split into two teams based on the vest colors. The first team entered the maze to find cover and then the second team entered. The adrenalin immediately kicked in as we blasted our way towards the far end of the maze. I worked up a sweat trying to avoid laser blasts. Frustratingly I allowed myself to be caught in cross fire, often being killed from behind. A computer kept track of each persons kills. I was never in the top ranks.

Finally everyone made it to the main attraction, a heated game of Whirly Ball. There were five bumper cars per team. Besides driving recklessly, contestants held a lacrosse scoop which was used to toss a wiffle ball towards a hole in a basketball backboard. For the first match, I sketched, watching the dancers laugh and compete. Of course, Yellow, Jessie Sander, piled into a yellow bumber car. For a second match, I got into a bumper car myself. You would think there would be little physical exertion, but I worked up a sweat. I’d love to see octogenarians from a retirement home play this game. Your killer instinct immediately kicks in as you ram the other bumper cars at top speed. Also, tossing and catching that ball with the scoop was a real challenge. Once two cars smashed the ball flat in a head on collision. After the game, Jessica gave everyone a beer wrapped in a nice gift bag. Everyone had worked up a thirst from screaming, laughing and ramming each other. Oh, and if you haven’t seen Drip on International Drive yet,  you are missing the hotter ticket in town.

Drip Gay Days

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Through June 1st, Gay Days is being celebrated at Drip on International Drive (8747 International Dr. Suite 102, Behind Denny’s and Senor Frogs, Orlando, Florida). Tonight, May 31st, there is an all male cast performing at 8:30PM and 11:30PM. On Saturday June 1st at 8:30 and 11:30 there will be performances by an all female cast. I had seen the all female performance before, so I wanted to see how the tragic love story played out for the men.

The band got on stage and soon the room was ripped open with the ear splitting riffs of David Traver who also is the music director for Blue Man Group. Quickly the room was filled with men. The male dancers performed inside a makeshift inner structure where paint and sand flew. Jeans were suspended from the ceiling and when tugged they became erotic showers of sand. People were screaming and shouting.

Overall the show’s story remained the same, Blue and Yellow spark a romantic dance and as they smear their colors together they turn green. There is infidelity and a very sexy scene performed under pulsing strobe lights. With the men there was a bit more masculine shoving and athletics. Yellow was left to wash away the past to find some sense of self.

I found out that Jessie Sander who usually dances the part of yellow in the production was seeing the show for the first time as an audience member. I saw her watching the male Yellow’s every move and she shouted encouragement at the top of her lungs. The male cast had three weeks to rehearse and fine tune the show. Jessica Mariko, Drip’s founder stood on the side lines watching the show unfold. At one point she whispered to a male dancer in the dark offering advice.

There is no passive seating for the show. The audience stands on either side of the huge performance space. Everywhere inside Drip is a splash zone, everyone gets wet. I knew when to close my sketchbook this time to preserve the sketch. When water balloons were handed out to audience members, a big bear of a guy hid behind me to try and avoid getting pelted by his boy friend. I ducked left and right and he followed my every move. Ultimately he was pelted.

Weekend Top 6 Picks. 

Saturday June 1, 2013 

6PM-9PM  Superman Art Show, Acme Superstore 905 E. State Road 434 Longwood.

8:30PM-10:30PM $35 DRIP Shows- for the ladies (all female cast). Drip 8747 International Dr. Suite 102 (Behind Denny’s and Senor Frogs), Orlando, Florida

11:30PM-1:30AM $35 DRIP Shows- for the ladies (all female cast). Drip 8747 International Dr. Suite 102 (Behind Denny’s and Senor Frogs), Orlando, Florida

Sunday June 2, 2013

 8:00AM-10AM Free Total Body Transformation Workout. Gaston Edwards Park – Lake Ivanhoe Boat dock / next to Gargis 1414 North Orange Avenue, Orlando, FL

7PM-Midnight Free Jesse and Amy get hitched and reception/open jam all nite! On the Rocks, Lake Eola Park 195 N Rosalind Avenue, Orlando, Florida 32801.  Everybody is welcome! Only request is that everyone wear some sort of white shirt (for photographic reasons). We’re def not expecting wedding gifts (gravy boats, microwaves,etc…) but if you’re so inclined, we are trying to get a house, so any cash donation would be welcome (again, not in anyway necessary). We just wanna have the coolest wedding/jam fest EVER!! Bands are welcome to do 2-3 song sets, but must use stage equipment (except for guitars, if u want your own) and notify Jeremy Hagen so he can organize the chaos. We’re hoping the jams just materialize outta the insane assemblage of all the musicians in the house.

10PM-Midnight Free Sick Of It Presents: Rancid Karaoke Cover Set. Will’s Pub 1042 N. Mills Avenue, Orlando, Florida 32803. You come up out of the crowd and sing your favorite Rancid songs with a live band…YOU’RE the singer!

Drip Comic Art Party

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Mega Con is at the Orange County Convention Center this week and Drip is throwing a huge party every night of the week. On Wednesday March 13th, Drip (8747 International Dr. Suite 102, Behind Denny’s and Senor Frogs) had a Comic Art Party. I decided to participate by doing life sized chalk drawings of anyone in a comic themed costume on the black walls of the bar. Through March 16th, Drip is performing special Comics and Sci-Fi Shows at 8PM and 11PM each night. Tickets are $35 for the show or $43 for the show and a white Drip T-shirt. You will want the shirt because you will get wet.

Artists were invited to show any work they might have that had a comic, sci-fi or Japanese Anime theme. All mediums were encouraged. The only sketches that I could find I had done at Mega Con a few years ago. I framed them and brought them along. When I arrived, attendance was pretty thin. I asked for some chalk and waited for my first model. The dancer who performs as red, Brigetta Frias, was my first model. We both stood on a table and I sketched her life sized on the black wall. When we hopped down to see what the sketch looked like I was surprised to see how large I drew her head. That was because we were so close as I sketched her. Next, blue, Meagan Nagy, posed and my skill at drawing so large improved. All the Drip dancers wore capes. Yellow, Jessie Sander, was running around all night just to get the cape to flap in her wake.

When I sketched Tracy Lulu Brown everything clicked into place. Tracy’s goth fetish outfit with a plaid skirt and fishnet stockings seemed natural rather than a costume. It wasn’t until I was sketching, that I noticed she had horns. I exaggerated forms and the chalk lines flowed with a gestural ease. I think the fact that she was an artist put my mind at rest. A fire alarm had to be incorporated. Tracy is now working for Drip making sure every performance flows without interruption. Every action is set to a musical beat. I met Tracy’s husband AJ who had a black mask painted on his face and black dog ears.

Shane Malesky and his wife Heather were there showcasing his Chronic Damage Art.  Chris Tobar had a series of his gas mask paintings across the room from me. One artist that I didn’t get a chance to meet was doing little four inch square paintings of cupcakes on canvas. A make shift screen was set up where people could play a Super Mario Brothers road race game. Balloon artist Bruce Carr  had eight balloon arms that sprouted from his back. His entire head was enclosed in a white balloon helmet. He posed for me and his arms snaked all over the wall. He spent well over an hour creating a balloon mask inspired by one of Shane’s paintings. It was an impressive reproduction of a red face screaming. When Bruce took off his balloon helmet he broke his glasses and I believe he had to be driven home since he wouldn’t be able to drive.

I met Lynann Barr who is a beauty and special effects makeup artist. She had worked at Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights where she had to crank out hundreds of face makeups a night. This was her first time doing body painting but when the evening was over she realized it had been a walk in the park. It was a first for me as well to do life sized drawings, but it was a blast. Although attendance was light, I was busy all night adding giant figures to the wall. There wasn’t an artist on hand to sketch my performance. Drip is bringing Sexy back to International Drive.

DRIP Valentines

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After returning from Mount Dora, Terry brought her out of town friends to International Drive to experience DRIP Dance. DRIP had a special Valentines show that featured a full color themed diner along with the full floor show. Tickets cost more for this Valentines show but Jessica Mariko, the company founder, pulled out all the stops to make it a memorable show. Her boyfriend David Traver was back from being on tour. He composed all the hard hitting rock and roll for the show. We all had to sign wavers when we went in acknowledging that we knew we might get paint drenched. Yellow, Jessie Sander offered each of us a white DRIP T-shirt. I opted for the DRIP logo up on my shoulder. A brightly colored oxygen bar complimented the beer and wine bar.

As the room got crowded, and the music pulsed, Miranda Snow got on the bar holding a mango.  She did a sensuous dance with the fruit. She ripped it open and devoured it as the juices ran down her cheeks and on to her tank top. I never realized there was so much juice in a mango. When she twirled, the juice splashed onto the patrons. Dinner was served in finger food portions. My favorite item was the coconut crusted skewered shrimp. Instead of a colored beer, I went with white wine. There was a table with dozens of Valentines cards along with necklaces that featured a heart shaped bottle cap. Miranda began painting herself with red paint. My shirt had gone unscathed most of the night until she danced behind me and ran her blood red hands down my back.

Blue, the male dancer, Marcus Alexander Cartier, was performing for the last time on this evening. In the show, Blue and Yellow fall in love. Together, the two dancers create green. However, another woman, Red, Brigette Frias, catches Blues attention and they have a sordid purple affair. In future shows, Blue is being performed by a female dancer named Meagan Nagy. Meagan explained that audiences welcome the idea that two women dancers fall in love. If anything, it makes the scenes hotter.

After the show, John Frank performed on guitar. I quickly worked him into my sketch and then rejoined our crew. Everyone was paint covered and hot wired. what a night! I ended up leaving my polo shirt behind. Lovers will often forget an article of clothing when the want to return for more. It was the wettest, hottest, sexiest Valentines ever.

DRIP Sold Out Performances

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There was a performance of Drip on founder Jessica Mariko‘s birthday. Appropriately this was the first sold out performance. There was a waiting list of people who hoped to get in. The Drip venue is located in a dark warehouse and you enter via the loading dock (8747 International Dr. Suite 102, Orlando, Fl 32819, behind Denny’s and Senor Frogs). The place used to be an indoor miniature golf course but now it is one of the hippest spots in Orlando. January 5, 12, 18, and 19th’s shows were all sold out. A second show is being added on January 26th to accommodate the crowds.

This performance was so crowded, that I had to stand on my artist stool to see well enough to keep on sketching. This isn’t a passive show to sit and watch. The audience stands on either side of the huge warehouse interior and at times is involved by lobbing water balloons at dancers and at each other. The hip energetic dance has a story line that anyone can relate to. A hot romance ignites with a male dancer, Marcus Alexander Cartier, throwing blue sand and the female dancer, Jessie Sander, throwing yellow sand. Together their colors unite becoming green. The romance sours when the male dancer cheats on his partner. Jessie wakes up in her loft bed alone. She finds evidence that Marcus is cheating when blue jeans shower down red sand. With strobe lights freezing her frenzied anger, she rips apart her closet sending clothes down into the audience. At the same time Marcus and another sexy dancer perform a flaming, evocative and passionate dance. In a daze Jessie wanders through the crowd with a video camera and spot light following her. She stopped below me and suddenly a milky water balloon exploded next to my head soaking the sketch.

DRIP is an in-your-face explosion of color and movement backed by a live
rock band, all in an industrial dive 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 us assault
your senses. There are special Valentines performances February 13-16. If you are looking for a way to impress your date on Valentine’s day, get to Drip for an interactive evening that includes a four-course dinner-by-color, where
each course is served in a special hue (orange, blue, yellow and red),
make-your-own Valentine station, full DRIP performance with live band and dancers who perform in paint, water, and colored sand, a white DRIP T-shirt for you to wear and take home as a splattered souvenir and a dessert party
with live acoustic music by Lance Herring and other musicians. Tickets
are $65-$90 per person and are limited to 100 people per night.

DRIP Splashes onto International Drive!

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Drip is now officially making a splash on International Drive (8747 International Dr. Suite 102, Orlando, Fl 32819, behind Denny’s and Senor Frogs).  The venue is a cavernous dark warehouse that guests enter via a loading dock. My wife and I have been to several performances and the show keeps getting more dynamic. The last show we went to was sold out and I have never seen the venue so crowded. Near the entrance there was a sign saying the limit was 264 people. There was a waiting list for people who couldn’t get into the show.

At the entrance you have to sign a release stating that you know there is a chance you will get wet and covered with paint. White tee shirts are for sale that inevitably got covered in paint. Some women had hand prints on their chests, indicating some creative use of paint. As I see it you are guaranteed to be in the “splash zone.” Once you sign the release then your hand is stamped with the Drip logo. Inside the bar and waiting area, Melissa Kasper was at a table with jars of paint. She asked what color I wanted and I got a bold slash of blue paint on my left cheek. I knew that I might get wet, so, to protect my sketch, I wore a waterproof wind breaker. I might have looked like a geek, but I was prepared. The bar offered various colored beers. I ordered an orange beer and Terry ordered a blue beer. By the end of the night her tongue was as blue as a panda’s. Jessica Mariko, Drip’s founder and choreographer was at the door to greet us. This show was a long time in the making and it was exciting to finally see it all come crashing together.

The show opens with a loud, raw and vibrant rock band performing live on the stage under a wagon wheel suspended from the red metal ceiling rafters. The modern dance focused on a love story of a young couple, who meet and breakup. The female dancer, Jessie Sander, strode onto the center of the dance floor with a bold beam of light behind her. She approached the male dancer, Marcus Alexander Cartier, with slow deliberate steps like in a wedding march. She was showered with yellow sand and water while the male dancer’s color was blue. Together their colors mixed and combined to create green. Sand was thrown in a wild dance contained within four clear plastic walls that were later removed and stored next to the stage.

With this sketch, I focused my attention on the band as they were back lit by strong stage lighting. Below the stage, lights raked their beams across the sand covered dance floor. The show had a bold energy that had the entire audience involved. There is no passive seating, instead the audience stood around the edge of the warehouse to watch. Water balloons burst against the walls sending their milky white spray everywhere. Several times my sketch got drenched and I had to wipe off the sand and paint. This show has an energy that is addictive. Tourists and locals will be blown away. This is the most hip show to hit Orlando and International Drive in a long time. After the show you can linger and meet the sexy cast while sipping colored beer. Marcus has really grown into his roll and the Jessie is expressive and energetic adding her spark to the show. If you want an amazing date night, this is the ticket for you. Performances are every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8PM.