Manchester Urban Sketching Symposium 2016

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It has been four weeks since I returned from my UK holiday and even longer since I attended the Urban Sketching Symposium in Manchester . I am still slowly scanning my sketches . I feel the need to catch up and share my experiences from the Symposium before it becomes a distant memory. To do this I plan to post a blog one day a week this week on the Workshops I attended.

What is the Urban Sketching Symposium

The Urban Sketching Symposium is a three-day event where people from around the world meet to draw and learn together in the host city. (This year it was Manchester). It includes on location sketching workshops, activities, lectures, panels, exhibits and artists demos. Symposium participants get one-on-one interaction with local and international workshop instructors. We got to choose urban sketching workshops out of a rich menu that covered a wide range of subject matter, including perspective and architecture, picture design, storytelling and reportage, colour techniques and more. This year there were 478 participants from 44 countries !!!!

Who are Urban Sketchers

Urban Sketchers, is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising the artistic, educational and storytelling value of on-location drawing, promoting its practice and helping sketchers around the world connect with each other.

USK in Manchester

In October 2015 when the location of Manchester was announced, I booked my flight. In January I successfully registered for a ticket and in March chose the workshops I wanted to attend. I registered for 4 workshops of 26 on offer and 3 activities of the 9 . I did not go to any Lectures or Demos , which was just as well, as I don’t think I would have had the time or energy. Today I am reliving the excitement of the event itself. Tomorrow the Workshop blogs begin.

Just some of the wonderful sponsor products in the Symposium goody bag.

My extraordinary experience

Registration .The Wednesday day before Symposium I joined other Urban Sketchers and collected my Symposium sponsor (ie goodies) bag and necktag with name in BIG LETTERS from the Manchester School of Arts Benzie Building. This building would be the starting and ending venue over the next few days. With the name tag on you could spot a USK-er in the street and chat to them. Once again, I really didn’t get a chance to look though the goody bag properly until I got home. I had decided to use my usual Moleskine watercolor sketchbook everyday and my watercolour pencils (the known) while learning the unknown. I did not want to challenge myself too much at once !

The Opening Reception at Manchester Town Hall . Sketching from the back of the room.

The string quartet were surrounded by about 20 people sketching them

The Opening Reception was held on Wednesday evening in the magnificent 19th century Neo Gothic Manchester Town Hall with its crystal chandeliers, mural walls and organ . An grand venue to start our four day adventure. We were met by waiters bearing trays of wine glasses. There was an amazing buzz in the room as people met, chatted, mingled and talked (and sketched too). I felt that this set the scene for the collegiate and welcoming feel of Symposium.

Each morning would begin at 9am with a half hour morning meeting, which was a lovely way to bring people together, continuing that ‘buzz’ as well as providing any practical updates.

It is exhilarating to be with so many like minded people and to see sketchers everywhere – and for those of us who had travelled (the majority of us) it was all in a new exciting city .
Over the next three days I drew the grand Midland Hotel (where I was staying) each morning from 8.00 for about 15 – 30 minutes. I sketched at the morning USK meeting, ending the day with another Symposium event (Peveril of the Peak or the Closing Ceremony). There were morning and afternoon Symposium Workshops and Activities which were challenging as I tried to absorb new and different concepts or techniques in just three hours. During this time I was also meeting new people and seeing friends. All of this time I was carried along my the excitement and energy of the people and the event.

If you are curious about what actually happens, there are a number of videos online
A five minute video by Urban Sketchers

or 5 , 15 minute videos by Parka as he travels with his camera around various events. Capturing snippets of the day.

Day Before USK Symposium in Manchester (26 Jul 2016)

USK Manchester Day 1 (27 Jul 2016)

USK Manchester Day 2 (28 Jul 2016)

USK Manchester Day 3 (29 July 2016)

USK Manchester Day 4 (30 July 2016)

Over the next week I will be sharing my experiences of the following Urban Sketching Symposium events

Cars in the City Workshop
Hunting and Gathering : Sketching Vignettes and lists Workshop
From Macro to Micro- a visual story of building Workshop
Soaring Spaces Workshop
Recording a musical city Activity
Making time for postcards Activity
Pub crawl- Draw if you’re sober Activity
Lettering, Line and Balance Activity

my UK holiday sketching journey begins

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I am not sure where to begin sharing my sketches and stories from my recent three week holiday to England from Australia, which included the Manchester Urban Sketching Symposium, a week in Manchester, York and London. I have so many wonderful memories associated with each sketch.

I have started scanning the first of three sketchbooks.

My sketching for holidays always begins months in advance. I like the excitement of the countdown to a holiday, the research it involves and the little things that need to be purchased that let you now you are going on a holiday . I have already written about these:

and that is before the plane leaves the ground !

When I leave, I already have in mind some the opportunities I may have and the scenes I may draw although I do not know what some specifically look like. These are fairly controlled situations and usually involve a lot of waiting time.

on the bus to the airport
at the airport
on the plane
my hotel – the exterior and the room, breakfast if it is included

These are the sketches I that I am including today. They are only a selection. I am adding them all to flickr albums .

Each sketch is a specific memory of time and place, although some are contain generic shapes and objects (airplanes ). The more I draw these the better I get and the more comfortable I am with the process and limitations of time/space/equipment.

On the Skybus on the way to Melbourne airport.

It is a 20 minute bus journey to Melbourne airport . From previous experience, I know that I will have a view of the luggage racks or the back of someone’s head in front of me.

Melbourne airport . our plane !

At the airport there are always lots of planes to draw. It is great if I can draw the plan I am flying in (as in this case), but any plane will do. They involve lots of strange shapes (at the nose of the plane) and inconceivable foreshortening for the rest of it (lots of measuring and comparing size and angles). I usually end up with the wing going off the page . I wrote the notes on the page later to try and remember the process of customs and immigration and what we had to do when.

22 hours of flight provides lots of drawing time – the people, their shoes, the food and more. How often are you given time like this ! I can easily spend the time trying different techniques. However I am also distracted by the movies, reading, and discussing our upcoming travel adventure.

Midland Hotel . Manchester

We were staying in Manchester for a week. I thought that would be plenty of time to sketch the exterior of the stunning Midland Hotel, as well as the interior of the rooms. As usual there was not. Life was so busy and I was still completing the drawings on the day we were leaving. This drawing was completed in four sessions of between 15 and 30 minutes. I would leave the hotel at 8ish , walk across the road and sit on the same bench at the back of Central Library and add a few more lines and colour. My new best friends are Venetian red and Dark Sepia Faber Castell watercolour pencils. But more about that later…..

I hope you enjoy joining me on my sketching journey . Please let me know if there is anything you would like me to talk about. I could talk on and on about travel sketching .

a weekend in Brisbane

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A flying visit to Brisbane from Melbourne (2 hours) for the weekend to go on a fun run with my family.

A few sketches on the way in my spare time. I made the most of opportunities I had with my family and friends.

I had the most ‘spare’ time on my own at the airport in the early morning. I like to draw planes. They more I do them the better it gets !

After I arrived we spent the afternoon walking to and through Southbank , including a visit to the Museum. This sketch was done in the last few minutes . Tiredness levels were increasing for everyone by then. Time to go home.

The big day of the fun run “Bridge to Brisbane”
Sketching while (slowly) walking across Victoria Bridge into Brisbane city

At the end of the run or walk – the watermelon is a treat !

Return from UK holiday – catching up

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I have just returned from 3 weeks holiday in England, which involved a lot of sketching. Slighty jet-legged, I am sorting out, catching up, reliving wonderful holiday memories and planning ahead. The sketches on this page are a few that I have scanned today.

I travelled to Manchester for the Urban Sketching Symposium and then to York and then to London.

The holiday was wonderful and very special. I was overwhelmed with the history that surrounded me and the architecture of these three cities. I travelled with my very very patient mother, who understood and accommodated my sketching as we travelled – it is so easy to get distracted and ‘need’ to sketch something as you pass by it.

I filled almost three sketchbooks (Moleskine 13 x 19 cm) with travel sketches in those three weeks. I now have the long task of scanning them. But before I can do that, many of the pages need to be ‘finished’ . This usually involves adding the date, heading, transcribing my scribbled pencil notes into the page in pen. Sometimes I want to find out more information about the place I have sketched and look online for details. I usually don’t add anymore to the sketch that I did on location, unless it is to add a bit more colour, or intensity to some areas.

Once scanned, I will add them all into an Album on my flickr site, and a few on this blog.

Many people have been sharing their sketches and summaries and videos of their Symposium experiences on facebook and their blogs. I am looking forward to spending time looking through these one day.

I had decided not to blog, scan or try and keep up with any social media while I was away. I wanted to spend my time experiencing the sights, meeting people and sketching. However I did end up posting one drawing a day to Instagram. I am alissaduke1 if you want to see them. I also shared these to my facebook page Alissa Duke Art.

MRBW Day 9

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Melbourne Rare Book “Week” actually goes for 11 days, culminating this weekend in the ANZAAB Australian Antiquarian Book Fair (Melbourne Rare Book Fair), held in the University of Melbourne’s historic Wilson Hall.

I am flying to Manchester for the Urban Sketching Symposium tomorrow and will miss the two days of the Rare Book Fair.

Today I sketched at two events.

ARTISTS BOOKS: A ‘QUINTESSENTIAL’ ART FORM

State Library Victoria

Des Cowley

Despite there being no agreed definition of what an artist book is, it is generally defined as a book made by an artist and intended as a work of art. This session looked at a selection of books made by artists, drawing from State Library Victoria’s collection of over one thousand artists’ books

LEGAL LUMINARIES AND THEIR BOOKS

Law Library of Victoria

The Law Library of Victoria brought together eminent members of the legal community to share their passion for books. Held in the iconic Supreme Court Library, the session celebrated the importance of the written word and the beauty of the book in people’s lives.

It seemed very fitting for my final sketching session documenting Melbourne Rare Book Week events was held in my workplace, the Supreme Court Library. I have sketched in the library in the past. But they are more detailed studied drawings of the books, shelves and ladders of this beautiful space. They are available as Greeting cards from my Esty online store (I am away until 17 August and will take orders after then) or at stockists around Melbourne

The past 9 days have been a wonderful experience for me, as a sketcher and book lover. I have met an amazing array of people who are passionate and generous in sharing their knowledge of their specialist area of books. Thanks to everyone who has discovered and followed my blog, some who have introduced themselves to me at events. A special thank you to Kay Craddock, Chris Browne and the people who worked so hard to produce this event. It was humbling and exciting to be involved. See you all next year.

MRBW Day 8

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CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF ROALD DAHL ( the centenary of his birth)

Melbourne Library Service

A whole day of events for all ages at Southbank Library. There is a display for Roald Dahl books including first editions and other interesting Dahl books. In the evening Chris Browne gave a talk on the publishing history and the important landmarks in Dahl’s output for children and adults. There is also a guest speaker reading from books.

I attended and sketched at the daytime sessions for children. They clearly loved their visits to the library and the interaction with the staff and the love of the books there. There were about 35 children from 2 – 5 years (and their parents and some babies) at the Dahl-themed stories, short film and other rhymes and songs. A new generation of book lovers in the making.

Below are some of my sketches in watercolor pencil. It was a fun and challenging event.

Everyone was on the go, or sitting (but not still) for short amounts of time.

Some reading time, film watching and dancing.

MRBW Day 7

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I could only attend two of the nine Melbourne Rare Book Week events today – but gosh they were good !

A NOSE FOR OLD WINE BOOKS

Hince on Wine

Michael Hince

I had used Google Street view to see what the building looked like and knew that I wanted to draw it ! I arrived over an hour early and stood across the road , leant up against a tree and drew the building. I put some pencil lines down first, (I usually do for buildings so that they fit on the page) and then built up layers of watercolour pencil.

In the cellars of the beautiful Armadale Cellars , fourteen of us were entertained and informed by Michael Hince, wine writer, broadcaster and historian. Over a glass of wine and some food we listened as he talked about wine in print in Australia from the late 1950’s to today . A lovely way to spend a Wednesday morning.

A RARE ART FORM: POP-UP BOOKS

Melbourne Athenaeum Library

Anne Kucera

Melbourne-based artist Anne Kucera talked about the world of the Moveable Pop-Up Book. Her own amazingly complex and inventive books are on display at the Athenaeum Library. And Anne has created one of the Athenaeum.

We learnt that he audience for early movable books were adults, not children. The first known movable in a book was created in 1240. Throughout the centuries they have been used for such diverse purposes as teaching anatomy, making astronomical predictions, creating secret code, and telling fortunes. It was not until the very late 18th century that these techniques were applied to books designed for entertainment, particularly for children.

MRBW Day 6

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The sixth day of Melbourne Rare Book Week and a truly diverse range of talks to attend and sketch at.
JOHN LEWIN: COLONIAL BIRDMAN

State Library Victoria Alisa Bunbury

A few fortunate people gathered around a table to view John Lewin’s Birds of New South Wales, published in 1813, was the first natural history book and the first illustrated book printed in Australia. We heard about the story of Lewin’s early natural history illustrations and this rare publication and viewed other amazing illustrated bird, animal and insect books from Lewin and early Australian illustrators.

I did not feel like drawing with my Lamy Safari Joy ink pen, and wanted something a little softer so I used my watercolour pencils taking the colour off the tip of the pencil with the waterbrush and painting on the page.

ILLUSTRATED BOOKS

Monash University Library

Stephen Herrin

Illustrated books delight children and adults alike. Pictures can often affect how the reader reacts intellectually and emotionally with the book. This talk was a whirlwind tour through the history of illustrated books, showing highlights in various genres and some of the techniques involved.

I sketched with a 2B pencil

THE TYRANNY OF DISTANCE – 50 YEARS

Graeme Davison and Geoffrey Blainey

Professor Geoffrey Blainey has been described as the “most prolific, wide-ranging, inventive, and, in the 1980s and 1990s, most controversial of Australia’s living historians”. It is 50 years since the publication of his most famous book The Tyranny of Distance by Sun Books in 1966. The book was a bestseller and its title entered the language. It provoked a vigorous debate among historians on the origins of Australian settlement. Yet it also deserves to be remembered as a landmark in Australian publishing, for it was then unusual for a serious study of history to be first published as a paperback by a relatively new and unknown Australian publishing house.In this session, Professor Blainey recalled the genesis of the book and Graeme Davison, Emeritus Professor of History at Monash University, assessed its impact on the writing and publishing of Australian history

ink pen used here !

THE MACABRE BROTHERS GRIMM : THE DARK SIDE OF FAIRYTALES

Melbourne Library Service staff

A storytelling session of some of the more macabre Grimm Brothers fairly tales. We discovered the original versions of some of the stories that we thought we knew well. We heard about the history and meaning behind the stories, while enjoying some delicious cheese and wine.

I was drawing in the dark here, a challenging thing to do. I have been challenged during this week to include the person giving the talk in my sketch. I have achieved a slight likeness very few times. When I attend an event, I introduce myself to the organisers (and sometimes the speaker) before they begin. I explain who I am and that I will be sketching the event. I show the previous days and let them see that I am not drawing portraits, but capturing the feeling of the event and being there. For this final event I went back to watercolour pencil.

MRBW Day 5

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Today there were five Melbourne Rare Books Week events on. I attended three and sketched at two . Ii was a BIG day for me as the last event of the day was my talk and through my exhibition “You Can’t Draw in Books?”

700 YEARS OF DANTE

State Library Victoria Dr Anna Welch

Italian poet Dante Alighieri wrote one of the medieval world’s most famous poems, La commedia divina between 1308 and 1320. Seven hundred years on, readers and artists continue to draw inspiration from it. This talk explored Dante’s masterpiece using the State Library of Victoria collection, from early 16th-century printed editions to 21st-century artist’s books. We were fortunate to have the opportunity to view some amazing books.

‘MARVELLOUS MELBOURNE’ AND ITS PUBLISHERS

Dr Lucy Sussex

In the 1880s Melbourne was termed ‘Marvellous’, a boom-town. It was one of the wealthiest andlargest cities, world-wide and was the book trade centre of Australasia, supporting outposts of Imperial English publishing, But the great majority of publishing in Melbourne was what we would call independent, usually around a nexus of bookselling, imports, with associated printing plants, leading to local publishing. A fascinating insight !

YOU CAN’T DRAW IN BOOKS?

Melbourne Library Service

Alissa Duke and Chris Browne

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The talk explored aspects of drawing in books, from early manuscript illustrations and the presentation of pictures on the printed page to some examples of formal and informal book illustrations in more modern times. We then walked through the four library spaces displaying the books drawn in by me. It was a one hour talk and tour for 25 people through the exhibition. They all seem interested and asked questions during and after.

The exhibition will be open for viewing from 14 July until 24 July in the City library during its normal opening hours.

MRBW Day 4

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A quiet Sunday, with only two Melbourne Rare Book Week events on today.

REMINISCENCES OF SECOND HAND BOOKSHOPS IN MELBOURNE: 1970-2015

John Arnold is an Associate Professor at Monash University lecturing in publishing and communications. He has been involved in the second-hand book trade as a dealer and collector for over forty years. In this talk he reminisced on bookshops past and present. Lots of people in the room nodding their heads as he mentioned various people and businesses. This talk was held in beautiful room in the Old Treasury Building, so I decided to colour the room in this sketch.

PENGUINS ON PARADE

Melbourne book collector, Professor Chris Browne, presented an entertaining illustrated talk about Penguin Books, focusing on their interest to book collectors, particularly looking at early Penguins from 1935 to 1970. He pointed out the important role of Penguin books during the Second World War and show how important innovations in book design were introduced by Penguin, He outlined the history of Penguin Books, both in the UK and Australia, illustrated the talk with examples from his personal collection of around 2000 Penguins.

alissa duke

watercolour pencil artist

Manchester Urban Sketching Symposium 2016

What is the Urban Sketching Symposium

Who are Urban Sketchers

USK in Manchester

my UK holiday sketching journey begins

a weekend in Brisbane

Return from UK holiday – catching up

MRBW Day 9

MRBW Day 8

MRBW Day 7

MRBW Day 6

MRBW Day 5

MRBW Day 4

What is the Urban Sketching Symposium

Who are Urban Sketchers

USK in Manchester

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