[Updated: February 21, 2026]
Come draw!
Otherworldly Arts Collective and I will be hosting a Costumed Figure Drawing Co-Op at ALTR Gallery.
We’ll have a costumed figure model each month.
18+ to attend.
This is an opportunity to hang out with other arty folks and get some fun drawing practice in of people in costume.
This isn’t a class but I’m hoping shop talk and arty conversations will pop up on breaks.
There will be poses of different time lengths, ranging from 5 minutes to whatever the model is comfortable holding.
What kind of costumes and what kind of models? To start with, we’re asking friends to raid their Renaissance Festival and fantasy costume collections.
New to drawing and want to try it out? Scroll for tips or contact me with questions.
Location
ALTR GALLERY
451 Taft St NE #22 Minneapolis, MN 55413
612-205-9532
www.oacmn.com
Winter 2025 and first quarter 2026 dates
December 17, 2025
January 28, 2026
February 25 (Note added 02/21/2026: The co-op takes place in ALTR Gallery. They gallery currently has the Safeword show, presented by Otherworldly Arts Collective, up on display which features erotic art (you can learn more about the show on their website https://www.oacmn.com/ or their Instagram profile. Poses during the co-op will be within the G-PG rating range).
March 25
Cost
General: $20
Student: $15 (with proof)
Scholarship available for those who need it.
Currently no preregistration is required BUT you CAN pay in advance. The Otherworldly has set up a way on their website to pay online. Check it out here.
Got questions? Contact me.
Time
6:30 – 9:30 pm
Doors open at 6:15 pm
Drawing 6:30 – 9:15 pm.
9:15 – 9:30pm Opportunity to share what we did (or not if you don’t want to.)
Supplies and gear
- No oil paint and no strong scented art supplies (stinky markers, turpentine, lavender spike oil, etc.)
- Supplies are not included. Please bring your own drawing materials.
- The gallery has folding chairs, some tables, and some podiums to stand at.
- No easels at this time. You’re welcome to bring your own portable easel.
New to drawing?
- A pencil (or if you’re not in to erasing, give a pen a try!)
A regular yellow school pencil will work. If you feel like you’re fighting it to get a dark enough shadow, I recommend you get a softer art pencil.
Soft graphite drawing pencils range from B to 8B. Any pencil with a B is soft. The higher the number, the softer the pencil lead.
F is somewhere between B and H.
Any pencil with an H is hard. The higher the number, the harder it is. They’re great for light and tight lines.
Note: the lead is usually made of graphite, clay, and water (according to “The Painter’s Handbook”, Gottsegen, p. 26-27)
You could also just pick something you think might be fun. Sometimes I draw with crayons, markers, colored pencils, or pens. -
A vinyl eraser
- A pencil sharpener, or a blade and a piece of fine grit sanding paper (just file and sand over a garbage bucket).
- 8.5″x11″ paper plus a clipboard (I’ve found clipboards at thrift stores).
or - 11″x17″ paper, a piece of hardboard about 12″x18″, and a binder clip or two
The hardboard cut to 12″x18″. If you’re able, or know someone handy, you can cut your own piece of MDF.The binder cilps I bought from Office Depot.
- Printer paper on a clip board works great.
Currently I draw on one of these acid-free printer papers, or in a sketchbook. I like this smooth letter size paper.
Office Depot® Inkjet And Laser Paper, 1 Ream, White, Letter Size (8 1/2″ x 11″), Ream Of 500 Sheets, 28 Lb, 98 Brightness
I use this acid-free 11″x17″ paper for figure drawing practice. It isn’t as smooth as the letter size listed above, and is a little thinner.
Xerox® Vitality™ Multi-Use Printer & Copy Paper, 1 Ream, White, Ledger (11″ x 17″), 500 Sheets Per Ream, 20 Lb, 92 Brightness, FSC® Certified
Drawing pointers:
- For the actual drawing part, just start. Observe. What shapes are you seeing? Try holding your pencil with an overhand grip, as well as how you’d hold it if you were writing. Try drawing from your shoulder, not just your wrist and fingers. There are many resources for learning to draw out in the world: library books, online videos, in-person classes and workshops. You’ll be drawn to what interests you (should I apologize for that pun?). Follow what interests you. If you’re interested in learning realism, I would of course recommend The Atelier Studio Program of Fine Arts (There are other options too. That’s where I learned how to paint and draw realistic looking pictures, and I also teach there now).
- I try to set an intention for myself either for the full time or maybe with each pose. Am I there to loose up and explore shapes or drawing tools? Am I there to practice drawing a specific thing: fabric folds? Gesture? Portrait? Hands? Shoes?