Tag Archives: portraiture

Dr. Sketchy’s Weimar Berlin – Bridge Markland as Anita Berber!

Bridge Markland at Cafe Kalwil reclining drawn by Suzanne Forbes Aug 6 2017What a fabulous Dr. Sketchy’s! Dr. Sketchy’s Berlin is SO FUCKING GOOD.

The atmosphere, the models, the music – always on lock. This session’s theme was Anita Berber and her Weimar Berlin life of decadence, debauchery and artistic fervor.

Bridge Markland as Anita Berber drawn by Suzanne Forbes at Dr Sketchys Berlin Aug 6 2017Bridge Markland, an incredible performer, portrayed Anita Berber late in life, bitter and caustic.

As well as a Drag King, actor and puppeteer, Bridge is an artist’s model with decades of experience. She imbued her characterization with such wickedness and sensuality, such louche elegance.

Bridge Markland as Anita Berber drawn by Suzanne Forbes at Dr Sketchys Berlin Aug 6 2017We also enjoyed legendary Berlin model and performer Le Pustra posing – portraying Anita’s husband and betrayer, genderqueer icon Sebastian Droste.

Bridge Markland as Anita Berber drawn by Suzanne Forbes at Dr Sketchys Berlin Aug 6 2017You can see the post of my drawings of him here!

Both Le Pustra and Bridge have made a deep dive into the Berlin of the 20s and 30s.

They captured the feel of the time so beautifully, lounging in their silk robes on devore velvet furniture and sniping at each other. When they fought over a fox stole I almost died of happiness!

Since we were working in a very elegant salon setting, we used only graphite and pencils. I added some pastel and ink later, at home.

The exquisite setting was queer space Cafe Kalwil on Berlin’s historic gay boulevard Motzstraße.

So much gratitude and thanks to LaLaVox and Le Pustra for organizing such a dream event for artists! Thanks so much to Bridge Markland for bringing Anita to life in all her rage, sensitivity and passion! More drawings here! You can see my drawings from the previous Dr. Sketchy’s Berlin here, and here’s the Instagram for Dr Sketchy’s Berlin.

Playing with pastels, drawing loved ones.

l in berlin by Suzanne Forbes Aug 1 2017When you live in Berlin, everyone comes to visit!

Many Patrons will know the beautiful face of this loved one, visiting Berlin for a week or two. L. and I got to spend some sweet quality time visiting in my Berlin kitchen while I took it slow making this drawing.

As I continue to experiment with pastels, they become more integrated into the drawing as a whole. I really considered their usage and merits for the first time as I worked on this, trying to actually work with the medium a little. As opposed to riding roughshod over it and entirely imposing my comic-book aesthetic and technique, the way I usually do.

Maybe someday I’ll even make a traditional style, true pastel painting, with no ink at all!

Like I used to do at the Art Students League as a ten-year-old.

But that day is not today, as you can see from this drawing of the hubbin sleepin. I was so fired up from drawing L. that later that night I snuck in and drew my husband in the dim light of our bedroom. Hub is so used to me sneakin in and drawing him, he just opened his eyes, shrugged, and went back to sleep, being careful not to change his pose!D sleeping August 1 2017 by Suzanne Forbes