With less than two weeks til we fly from Australia to the UK, trip preparation is down to specifics. I am spending two weeks in London and also a week in Barcelona to attend the Urban Sketchers Symposium
We had a Barcelona meeting Tuesday night in Sydney – Liz, Chris, Shantele (who especially travelled from Lismore) and I are all going. We talked travel, paints, and asked Liz questions about previous USK Symposiums that she had been to, and what we can expect.
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| me, Chris, Liz and Shantele |
Over the three days of Symposium we have to opportunity to enrol in five workshops from a long and exciting list. The workshops take place in emblematic Barcelona squares, streets and other public spaces and each workshop takes 3 hours. From the descriptions supplied , I enrolled in workshops that seemed to offer me the most to learn and grow in what I already do. Although I am also looking forward to being pushed outside of my comfort zone. And I fully expect it!
Most of the workshop I am going do not require me to buy any special equipment – except Marc Taro Holmes Drawing People in Action I have most on the list apart from paints(which are being kindly lent to me) and the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen. I could not find in Sydney, ordered it online from the USA and mailed FedEx Express International, so that I would receive it in a few days. I wanted to actually test it out it before I arrived ! I am glad I did as it will require getting used to and be fun too.
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| Pentel Pocket Brush pen |
It has cartridges of ink that flow through the brush tip, which is harder than a paintbrush, but still has give in it to be able to make the variety of thick and fine lines. These are my first test marks at the side of the page. My trip preparation included drawing my pen – lots of black !
When the pen arrived, it was highly over packaged (for a pen) – and all the packaging was not for protection as the pen was placed on top of all the padding ! I then found where to buy them in Sydney city. At least I will know where to get refills!
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| an overpackaged pen |
This week in the mail I also received my business cards and postcards that I had ordered through www.moo.com.
The Symposium organisers (and Liz) advised us to bring some to the Barcelona to be able to exchange with all those many many sketchers we meet.They suggested business cards with our work on it, postcards, bookmarks (with our contact details) . Some bring their self published Blurb books, zines and stickers and buttons were also suggested as a popular giveaway to all our new friends
I choose to have some of my gumleaf drawings printed on postcards and a few of the Sydney Harbour Bridge too – very Australian ! And I have many business cards which have my pencils drawn on them .I am so pleased with how these look – so professional !
I love the designs on the postcards and the business cards. They are colorful and very professional-looking. Have fun! Wendy
Thanks Wendy ! I am amazed at how professional they look. It is hard to believe it is my art work !
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Alissa, your cards are fantastic! The cards so eloquently reflect your style and will soon be ‘traveling’ to all parts of the world by new friends you’ll meet! Wishing you a fun and safe trip to London and Barcelona!
Thanks Becky! It will be exciting to really meet some of the art community I have met online. And to be able to exchange cards. I felt very professional ordering the . It is funny to call them “business cards” , but there is no other term I can think of.
I’m jealous of your little Aus contingent being able to help each other with the trip prep.
I’ve order more of my regular business cards and got some postcards ordered too – but looking at yours they are rather boring being of my drawings rather than sketches. ho hum
I need a pen for Norburto’s workshop and hope to buy it in UK when I arrive, so no time to test-drive it 🙁 Assuming I am going to symposium.
I am very greatful of the advice that Liz steel has been able to give us from previous Symposium attendances as both participant and instructor. And we have also been asking each other some inane travel questions “where are you packing this” “what are you doing with that”. This is my first overseas journey in five years, so I feel like it is my first !
(I was concerned that my postcards were not “urban sketching”. Your drawings are not boring to the rest of us !)
I immediately wanted to sign up for Norburtos workshop – I love his work. But I didn’t want to go in the direction of non-soluble ink. It will be wonderful to meet him anyway !
I like your attitude that you will be attending Symposium! I have my fingers crossed for you that no hiccups happens with your family’s health.
Oh Alissa, I actually laughed out loud when I saw the picture of the over-packaged pen. Perhaps the extra cost was not for speed of delivery, but packaging! How ridiculous! At least it arrived safely 🙂 I have been looking for one of these for ages…will look forward to your assessment of it as you use it more.
Your postcards look absolutely amazing! So you were obviously happy with the result from Moo. I have only heard good things from other too so I might have to look into this option for myself.
I feel so excited for you and your upcoming trip. Not long to go now!!
I am still amazed at that packaging. It did cost twice the price of the pen !I felt like send the photo to DickBlick (the Art Supply shop I bought it from) to ask if they knew about their packaging !
I am immensely pleased with MOO. I have had successful Christmas cards and business cards printed. I did have one bad experience, but that was due to lack of my technical knowledge, not their processes. There are probably local companies that are cheaper. But for the moment they are great for me.