Sketches of sketchers sketching at the sketchers show.

At the Urban Sketchers show, that is, at the Ackland Museum of Art store.  

I, along with Amanda Hughes, Director of External Affairs at the Ackland Museum, gave a little talk yesterday about sketching to a group of 12-15 people, with the Urban Sketchers show as background and inspiration.

I brought a dozen or so completed sketchbooks, as well as lots of my favorite art supplies, to show and talk about. So did Amanda.  Our styles are diametrically opposed, so it was a good way for beginning sketchers to see the range of possibilities in approaching subjects to sketch. Of course the wide range of work exhibited amplified that point! We talked about the phenomenon of Urban Sketching and about the work on the walls around us. We answered questions about tools and technique.

And then we sketched.

 

Here are three I did, in between talking to the participants.

In this first sketch, I used all sorts of drawing materials, since I had them with me.

 

Here I used one of my beloved Portuguese laundry pencils, plus a brush pen filled with acrylic ink, and two Faber Castel colored pencils. It's fun to mix up your media. I too often forget to do that.

Here I used a big graphite stick and smudged the lines with my finger after, you know, spitting on it.  We sketchers do what we must to get the drawing right. That's Amanda Hughes seated on the right. She did a lovely, elegant sketch of the scene through the store window. SHE refrained from spitting. I told you our styles are different ;D.

It was a fun occasion and I think and hope it was helpful for the participants. Having to get out my art supplies to talk about them was GREAT preparation for my upcoming art trip to Iceland! I've rediscovered lots of cool things I have and I will take several of these long-forgotten things with me!

Comments

[Sue Pownall]

Great title, story (including the spitting), and sketches!

[Laura]

Thanks so much, Kate, Don, and Sandra. I THINK I thank you, Don ;D. Sandra, wouldn't that be fun??

[Sandra]

I would love to be able to do a sketching workshop with you! If only I lived in your neck of the woods! :0)

[Don West]

Great post! Tray a little chewing tobacco if you need earth tones in your spit darlin'. ;-)

[Cathy Johnson (Kate)]

LOVE this post and your sketches. I would so love to have been there!