The past couple of years there has been an increase in opportunities for sketch out opportunities in the Twin Cities. These opportunities include a growing number of life-drawing opportunities, but also other sketch out possibilities. There are so many in fact, to keep track of, that it's necessary for me to make this page to list contact information for these events so that you can come here and find the links to the information straight from the source.
I encourage you, whatever your drawing skill level, to attend as many of these events as possible so that you can work on those skills.
MCBA Visual Journal Collective
Meets every THIRD Monday of EACH MONTH, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts. I am the volunteer coordinator for this group, and because of that you'll most likely see reminder posts and after the fact write ups for the various meetings on this blog. The link is to its page on this blog. That's where I update the topics for the meetings most frequently, in case you want to remind yourself of the details or the month's topic. I try to encourage sketching at each meeting, but sometimes the topics and presentations don't leave time for sketching. We do however share our visual journal work. You also get a chance to meet other visual journal keepers and organize your own personal sketch outs.
Besides our regular meetings we also have sketch outs during the year. The Annual Minnesota State Fair Sketch Out is one example. Each January our meeting is a portrait party where you'll sketch a partner from life and then we make a book containing all the portraits. Upon occasion we even have live models of the non-human variety. You can find related MCBA Visual Journal Collective posts by using the search engine of this blog.
Life Drawing Co-ops
This link takes you to my page on this blog which lists the life drawing co-ops I'm aware of. If you know of additional information about such opportunities (groups open to the public), please send me details at rozjournalrat@gmail.com and I will update the list.
Metro Sketchers
Meets the FIRST SUNDAY of EACH MONTH, from noon to 3 p.m. (Location and times may vary depending on other factors.) This group is run by Liz Carlson and Tim Jennen. You can contact them at MetroSketchers@yahoo.com. There is a Facebook group of the same name that you can join where you can learn of any updates to meeting locations or date changes. (The Yahoo list provides the same function for folks not on Facebook.)
Bell Museum Sketch Night
Meets the first Thursday of the month (October through May), from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Bell Museum of Natural History. See my page link for information about the group and related links.
Dr. Sketchy's
Meets the FOURTH SUNDAY of EACH MONTH, from 2 to 4 p.m. Life-drawing of burlesque models, roller derby girls, belly dancers—varies; models may be clothed or undressed. $10.
Altered Aesthetics
This local group sponsors a monthly life-drawing session of costumed models as well as other sketch out events upon ocassion. See their website for details.
If you know of additional sketch out and drawing from life groups that are open to the public please send me a note at rozjournalrat@gmail.com and I'll update the list.
