Becoming Miss Scarlet...

I regularly costume model for drawing events and recently did a Cluedo themed drawing night where I got the opportunity to play Miss Scarlet! It was such a fun night and I loved the opportunity to get my murderess on! For this post I thought I'd share a bit about what went into costume modelling behind the scenes.

Firstly I searched for images of Miss Scarlet from the famous board game and various TV shows to get an idea of how she looks. I then compiled an outfit to fit the character. Usually I use things I already have, but sometimes I borrow items from friends. I rarely buy any new bits unless they are something I know I'll love and want to wear again.

For this outfit I put together a vampy red dress with a fascinator and some black leather gloves I thought would be perfect for murdering someone and not leaving any prints!

I then worked with the event organiser to put together an itinerary for the evening including the number of poses and the length of each pose. This was a drawing session for all levels so I wanted to keep it fun and mix up short poses with longer ones. I also like to take into consideration what props I can use and this time I had the full compliment of Cluedo weapons! With this in mind I tried out different poses in front of a mirror and jotted down the ones I thought worked well. When posing I like to keep things interesting and think about shapes and angles as well as staying in character to give the drawers something different each time.

On the day I took some time to do my hair and makeup then packed my case, traveled to the venue and got changed there. Changing rooms for this type of thing are usually a back room or toilet as can be seen in this ever so glamorous toilet selfie at the Cluedo night.

It was a really fun evening with my posing accompanied by a playlist of jazz classics to help further set the mood. The participants really got into the spirit of things and created some brilliant drawings. I love to check out what everyone has captured and thought this night's work was especially good.

I'll be modeling again THIS Thursday (5th Dec) at Bloom Coffee Co in Bury for a special Christmas themed drawing event with Ale and Arty. There'll be an amazing playlist of cool seasonal music as well as prizes to be won and some fun costumes to draw. Hope to see you there!

Rise Up Women!

Last week I was restrained by a policeman as I wielded a bat ready to damage the nearest object. I was proudly wearing a purple green and white sash that said 'Rise Up Women', while the likes of L7 and Pussy Riot blasted the air. I did this dressed as a respectable Edwardian woman in front of a crowd of onlookers who did nothing to stop me. In fact they cheered me on.

The onlookers were enthusiastic artists and I was their model for a very special drink and draw night held in Bury to celebrate the Suffragette movement with Riot Grrrl spirit!

The night consisted of a great DJ set by artist and collaborator Lee Crocker all themed around female empowerment and struggle. There were prizes for outstanding drawings and of course a beer or three downed throughout the evening. 

 The poses for the night took on a loose narrative following me as I plotted deeds, not words, including the vandalism of art work at Manchester Art Gallery in order to draw attention to the suffragette cause. In reality the three women who carried out this act used tiny toffee hammers which could be easily concealed, but for visual purposes I went with a regular hammer and swung it like a baseball player!

This was inevitably followed by my arrest

There were some great images created and it was hard to pick the winning drawings at the end of each section

Posing as a Suffragette was so much fun, and coincidentally, it was only recently I visited the Pankhurst Centre in Manchester to see for myself where the Suffragette movement was born. 

Walking through the heavy built up hospital complex off Oxford Road I was sure I was heading in the wrong direction, that is until I spotted what looked like a mirage. A single Edwardian house complete with cherry blossom and picket fence standing defiant to its steel and glass surroundings.

Looking around the tiny yet comprehensive museum area and reconstructed parlour it was really moving to be in the very surroundings that Emmeline Pankhurst had lived and campaigned. I am happy to say my Manchester Suffragette temporary tattoos are currently available at the Pankhurst Centre's shop and in buying them you will be helping to support not only the museum but the important work the centre does to aid women today running Manchester Women's Aid, Manchester's largest specialist provider of domestic abuse services

I couldn't believe the centre receives no major funding even as a site of national significance and is still waiting to be recognised for a brown sign. It seems women's history and continuing stories are rarely given the platform they deserve.

With this in mind, I felt incredibly proud to honour those women who'd come before and risked everything for liberty and equality. Even with the laughs and party atmosphere at the Riot Grrrl drawing event, it felt poignant to be representing the Suffragettes, especially as a Mancunian. I can't lie, at times I felt quite emotional and with lyrics like those of Change by Mavis Staples setting the tone how could I not?

What good is freedom
If we haven't learned to be free
(If we haven't learned to be free?)
What good is freedom
If we haven't learned to be free?
If we haven't learned to be free
Day after day, year after year
We're gonna change around here

X is the letter
Blue is the color
One is the number
Now is the time
Can we change around here
Gotta change around here
Say it loud, say it clear
We gotta change around here

Our Riot Grrrl night was really uplifting and bursting with creativity. I'm pleased to say we got some brilliant feedback from the attendees and you can see more photos and drawings from the event on my facebook page HERE

Rise up women!

 

What does a life model think about?

Hi everyone!

This is me last Saturday modelling at Bury Art Gallery for a drawing class. 

As a former burlesque performer I still have a great collection of costumes and accessories, in fact they even have their own wardrobe! This is my Bavarian Goat Herder look. You can see where this costume originated from in one of my performance videos HERE. 

From time to time I get asked to model for art classes and Manchester's Dr Sketchy's events, which are a fab combination of burlesque and life drawing. I love doing these kind of things, because it gives me a chance to still dress up and act out a fun character in front of an audience.

But it also requires the ability to hold a pose, and sometimes hold it for up to 30 minutes or more, which gives you quite some time to think! 

What does a life model think about as a room full of eyes study her and commit her to paper? Is it something profound and deeply creative? Well, not really. Here's some of the things I thought about while I was posing at Bury last weekend:

Gosh it's nice to not have to DO anything for a while!

I hope the trams are working on the journey back because I really want to go to Mum's for a brew this afternoon!

That lady over there has got a nice jumper on

That man over there has done a good drawing!

I wish Lee would take a bloody photo!

Ahhhh my arm is aching now!

Another 10 minutes! Come on arm, stop aching!

My hair turned out really well today

So as you can tell, not very deep or profound either! But posing and being drawn is one of my pleasures because I am part of a creative process and very much part of a shared moment.

Any other life models out there I'd love to know what you think about while you pose! 

Gemma ***

Grace the face!

Hi! Here's what I've been doing since the last post:

Grace Oni Smith visited the studio a few weeks back to pose for some sketches and photos that will help me in the run up to the painting I will be creating of her in a Pre Raphaelite inspired portrait.

I want to get used to drawing her face and I have really enjoyed putting down the lines and shapes that create her unique looks. In fact I can totally see how one person can become a muse; if they have that certain something which makes it a pleasure to draw them, and also sparks the imagination!

We used some well known images as points of reference, the object being to create poses that embodied a classicly feminine ideal. As a trans woman, Grace is still a challenge to the popular perception of femininty even in this day and age, and one of the things we want to achieve is a strong provocative/sensual image that will get people asking themselves questions. 

 The Rose leaf by Dante Gabriel Rossetti

 

It's easy to see what a strong resemblance Grace has to a Pre Rapheaelite stunner. It's this strength of features which first inspired me to work with her, and lends itself so well to the project.

Pre Raphaelite work brings to mind sumptuous images of women, romantic scenes and sensuality. I think using this style of art is a good way to translate Grace's story to a wider audience. In other art work exploring transgender issues there is little scope for celebrating femininity without going down the full on route on par with traditional drag. Or on the flipside being very serious about the issue. 

Amanda Lepore by David LaChapelle

 

With our Pre Raphaelite vision we get do the dressing up and extreme glamour (see my make up post 'Smoke and Mirrors' for more on this), but we also get a chance to talk about trans gender in style that allows for sensitivity and sensuality. 

As part of my research into the style and ideas behind creating a Pre Raphaelite portrait I went to visit the Edward Burne Jones exhibition at the Lady Lever Gallery in Port Sunlight last week. 

 

Burne Jones was one of the biggest names in the Pre Raphaelite circle and one of its most successful. It's probable that even if you don't know his name you will probably have seen one of his paintings at some point, or even one of his stained glass windows.

The show 'The Drawings of Edward Burne Jones' runs until January next year and showcases a selection of drawings too fragile for permanant display. 

Many of the models in this exhibition had a certain androgenous aspect. this blurred line of gender works well for our project

 

It was wonderful to get up close and personal to the delicate pencil work. His preparatory studies of his models are so complete and refined. They offer a sense of strength but are produced in the most sensitive way (a balance I hope to acheive with my work on Grace).

A preparatory study of a zephyr for the painting Sponsa di Libano, shows the soft detailed application of chalk. Something I later tried to emulate in my drawings of Grace...

I'd reccommend a visit to Port Sunlight any day and especially the Lady Lever Art Gallery. It is a hidden gem containing a multitude of goodies that you can easily spend a day getting lost in.

Next post; As we put together ideas for the narrative for the portrait I interview Grace to explore her daily life as a drag/burlesque performer and trans woman.

For more images from the photo session and examples of drawings check out my Facebook Page :)

InaGlo Photography

Due to a last mintue change of plan today I will have to post my full blog tomorrow. In the meantime please check out these fab photos of The Chantilly Belles performning our new act Chantillystein by InaGlo from Saturday's Dr Sketchy's in Birmingham. For more great photos by InaGlo go to her Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/inaglo/

Look out Doctor!

Dr Sketchy's last week

I got two nice suprises when I opened my inbox today. I got sent this link from BBC Stoke and Staffordshire about the Scarlet Fever portrait I did being unveiled at Stoke on Trent Burlesque last month.

I also got an email about the Dr Sketchy event held last week. It's a long story but it began with The Lowry holding a Nu-Burlesque weekend last week. I was asked if I would show some work and jumped at the oppertunity. I exhibited a selection of my paintings in The Quays bar and foyer. If that wasn't enough I also got asked if I could model for an impromptu Dr Sketchy being held in the same venue for the same event!

So me and Rene Le Rouge my burlesque partner from our double act The Chantilly Belles spent that Sunday afternoon posing and I got some of the photos today! Thanks to Adam from Air Photography, you can see more of his work at his website airadam.com

The zombie pose!


A winner for the adjective and verb pose competition


Having a break and joining in


Rene is a cute little goat

This was an especially fun afternoon as it combined two of my favourite things; performance and art. it was really interesting to see what people had come up with after standing there watching them draw us. I'd definately do it again!