I just had the time of my life, drawing til my pens ran dry, at the Urban Sketching Symposium in Portland last weekend. I met some of my drawing heroes and many of them to signed my sketchbook with their favorite drawing pen.
I learned how to draw with my pen upside down from Frank Ching and was reminded of the value of thumbnail sketches by Veronica Lawlor. Tia Boon Sim taught me a technique to pre-stain the page with random color before starting a sketch and Isabel Fiadeiro led us to Powells on a people drawing safari.
Being with people who are at least as addicted to drawing as I am was such fun. Everyone was drawing all the time. During the presentations, people were drawing, during dinner people were drawing. It was kind of ridiculous but I loved it.
Drawing on the paper table cloth at Eleni's after the last day of the symposium.
I learned how to draw with my pen upside down from Frank Ching and was reminded of the value of thumbnail sketches by Veronica Lawlor. Tia Boon Sim taught me a technique to pre-stain the page with random color before starting a sketch and Isabel Fiadeiro led us to Powells on a people drawing safari.
Being with people who are at least as addicted to drawing as I am was such fun. Everyone was drawing all the time. During the presentations, people were drawing, during dinner people were drawing. It was kind of ridiculous but I loved it.
Drawing on the paper table cloth at Eleni's after the last day of the symposium.
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Fabulous post; I wanted to be there so badly. The next best thing is going to blogs of Urban Sketchers,where you feel like you're there right along with them! Your drawings are fantastic! I'm very interested in the upside-down pen technique of Frank Ching. (We used some of his books as textbooks back in college. I still have them!)
ReplyDeleteloved to meet you, Bill and I think that the fact that we all sketch made us even sketch more than usual. It was a great week and gave us plenty of inspiration. hope to be able to meet you again next year.
ReplyDeleteHi Raena. Sorry you couldn't join us. Next year's symposium is supposed to be in Lisbon.
ReplyDeleteFrank drew with the back of the nib of his fountain pen to get a finer line. This is cool because it allows more variety of line with the pen. Upside down for fine lines and normally for thicker lines.
Tia and Gabi both had calligraphy fountain pens, Tia's was a Hero brand and Gabi's was Sailor. They allow and even broader range of lines. Check out Tia's drawing on the symposium flickr site for examples.
Isabel, I loved meeting you too. I agree that any inhibitions anyone had about drawing fell away quickly in that environment. I'm hoping to see you again next year.
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