From a little art event in a dive bar in Brooklyn to a global alternative drawing movement, Dr. Sketchy's has now arrived in Shanghai.

Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School was started in 2005 by Molly Crabapple, an art school dropout, and now has over 100 branches in cities such as Los Angeles, London, Rome, Tokyo and Melbourne. The Shanghai branch is the first location in China.

Posters for Dr. Sketchy's Photos: Courtesy of the organizer

Posters for Dr. Sketchy's Photos: Courtesy of the organizer

Everyone is welcome at Dr. Sketchy's. It is not necessary to be an artist to take part but participants must draw. The concept is very simple. "Dr. Sketchy's is a three-hour life drawing party where the attendees draw models, drink, compete in silly contests and win prizes, while sharpening their artistic skills," said M.M. Plumm, a locally based artist who is the director of the Shanghai branch. "It's all about making art fun," she added. Participants sketch live models in a series of poses, each lasting a couple of minutes.

Plumm has already organized two sold-out events in Shanghai and her plan is to hold a session at least once every two months.

"Dr. Sketchy's aim is to create a body-positive, art-positive, and model-positive space where you can draw, drink and socialize," she said. "It is important to treat people who are professionally looked at with respect and unfortunately there is still a lot of sexual exploitation in this area," she added. Personal photography is prohibited out of respect for the models, who pose nearly nude.

"There's a big market for people who want to draw in Shanghai and I'm really excited to be able to organize this event here," she said.

Plumm said that about 70 percent of the participants are professional artists, architects or designers, and the remaining 30 percent are people who are just curious, want to try something different and have fun. Each event has a different theme.

"The entire spirit of the event is to have fun and it doesn't matter if you can draw or not. But it is a drawing event so at least you have to try to draw. You can't just come, drink and look at the models," she laughed.

The next Shanghai Dr. Sketchy's event will take place on February 15 and 16 at 390 Shanghai (390 Panyu Road, 6431-2353) with the theme Drag Love. The three-hour sketch event will feature November's drag competition winner Pearl Fauxnoir. Participants will also have the chance to submit their work for gallery exhibition during Pride week (June 13-21). Both nights will begin at 6 pm and participants are expected to bring their own art supplies. Presale tickets are 50 yuan ($8.26)(100 yuan at the door), and can be purchased at 390 Shanghai or by e-mailing to drsketchysshanghai@gmail.com.