USK Day 2 From Macro to Micro NINA JOHANSSON

From Macro to Micro – a Visual Story of a Building

Confession . I would have signed up for any Symposium event that went to the beautiful and historic John Rylands Library. I am a librarian, I work in a historic (for Australia) 1886 Court Library and have an interest in old books. When the workshop list was released I was so excited to see that Nina Johannson’s Workshop, From Macro to Micro – a Visual Story of a Building was going to be held there. It was just the sort of workshop I wanted to attend – one that assists me to build a narrative on my sketching pages. My daily sketchbook is a visual journal of my life and I want to build on that. Also, I had met Nina at the 2013 Barcelona Urban Sketching Symposium and enjoy her sketching style.

Part One – Macro

First – Nina discussed the importance of composition and planning the pages. We had to think about how we would place images on the page and how much space they would take up, and draw squares and circles on the pages. We were sketching the outside of The John Rylands Library from across the road. Thankfully there was a bus stop we could sit under while it drizzled. The John Rylands Library is a very complex and detailed Neo Gothic building. Knowing how I was going to position it across a two page spread helped me reign in its size, which in turn stopped me getting caught up in detail. We had about an hour for the exterior.

Part Two – Micro

As the rain got heavier, we moved inside and looked the interior architectural details- arches, gargoyles, carvings… Because my page had been planned and I had penciled in squares on the pages, I could ‘fit’ the features onto the page . They were balanced vertically and horizontally.

We gathered together at the end to discuss our sketches and talked about composition, colour and line problems and how we overcame them.

The library, opened to the public in 1900, was founded by Enriqueta Augustina Rylands in memory of her husband, John Rylands. Today it is part of The University of Manchester Library. was designed to resemble a church in a decorated neo-Gothic style with Arts and Crafts details, The special collections, are amongst the largest in the United Kingdom include medieval I illuminated manuscripts and examples of early European printing, including a Gutenberg Bible, the second largest collection of printing by William Caxton and the most extensive collection of the editions of the Aldine Press of Venice.

MY TAKEAWAYS

thinking about and planning can create a balanced and visually pleasing page
planning assists to fit everything on the page
use colour to put focus on important parts of the page

I visited and sketched in this wonderful building three times during my week in Manchester and would have returned again if I had time!

USK Day 1 Hunting and Gathering FRED LYNCH

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Hunting & Gathering: Sketching Vignettes and Lists

Thursday afternoon with Fred Lynch . Have a look at this great short video of Fred describing his Workshop.

Day 1 – the afternoon.

As I write this I am recalling how I spent the time between morning and afternoon Workshops – I remember now – finding hot food and trying to get warm. After sitting out in the open in the morning on a carpark floor, I was pleased that Fred Lynch’s Workshop Hunting & Gathering: Sketching Vignettes and Lists was based indoors (although we did go outside at intervals)

I choose this workshop as I hoped it would assist me to capture the essence of a place without having to sketch the whole scene. It did this, but was also the most challenging Workshop I attended as I had think about technique and what I put on the page .

Vignettes

After an introduction to and discussion of vignettes , including examples of what they are, we were given 20 minutes to go out and sketch. We had to sketch a 4 thumbnail sketches of one object, from 4 different views or focus. I chose the facade of a nearby building, zooming in on some features, or stepping back to show more of the building.

vignette longer study

The second sketching session was a longer study of one of our initial thumbnail sketches. This challenged me as it involved the interaction of the white of the page and blocking out silhouetted shapes. In this case the image had to speak, to make a statement, to tell. My usual style is the ‘unfinished’ look where edges fade away,. That is the visual equivalent of the edge of the vignette saying ‘blah blah bl…” instead of telling a whole story . It was very difficult not to fall back into the familiar. I found it difficult to know where to find the hard edge to stop.

Lists

This was great fun. In the ‘classroom’ we discussed things about Manchester that were different from home. Some unusual suggestions were made. We then went out to hunt for something to sketch a visual list. This was easy as I knew it would be a building feature. We do have chimneys in Melbourne (it was 12 degrees yesterday in our Spring) , but there were so many unusual chimneys in the one block that I wanted to draw them. I don’t know why I sketched them so small on the page ! I found these easier to give distinct hard edges to.

MY TAKEAWAYS

lists can reveal more than a whole scene
they are an alternative way of describing a place by and showing your interest and communicating it to people
it is hard to change your normal style in three hours

USK Day 1 Cars in the city LAPIN & GERARD MICHEL

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Cars in the city

Thursday morning with Lapin and Gerard Michel Read more About the instructors

This workshop was originally to be co-taught with Florian Afflerbach (Flaf) , well known as a sketcher of cars who sadly passed away earlier this year. A tribute wall of sketches of cars in fish eye style was at the Benzie Building at Symposium

Part 1 Car Portraits (quck sketch)

Gerard explained the elipse of wheels and axels – going through the axis of the wheels . Of course it all makes sense now !

The first part of the Workshop was to sketch a car from a distance of about a metre or so, maybe a little more. We sat on the sidewalk or near a car and sketched three quarter view. The instructors provided an example of how to work out the shape using simple boxes and we worked from that . I have no idea what I wrote here at the end of the page or what I was trying to make a note of. I think we had about 10 minutes each sketch.

and then the rain got heavier…so we moved

Part 2 (detailed sketch)

We found a nearby carpark and choose the car of our choice . I tried to find something interesting or obscure ( does nobody drive a gogomobile or a P1800S or Old Bentley to work ?) but a nice shiny black AUDI A5 was sporty enough for me. A hour here.

I sat at the far end of the carpark and was adding lines to the page. After a while, Lapin arrived and said no – move closer, move closer to the car. I was really close – but you can see how it changes the view of the car.

We were encouraged to start with the headlight and then draw organically through the reflections in the light (including your self if you were there). I found this very difficult without the context of the rest of the car, so sketched it in pencil. There is an immense amount of comparative measuring involved , as nothing your mind tells you is correct actually is!

I am so proud of this sketch, I cannot believed that I produced something so amazing that is outside my comfort zone. It is a character and almost a monster car. Each time I look at it I amaze myself .

We gathered to discuss what we had learned, but the parking attendant in charge of the car-park turned up and moved us on as it was a private carpark. oops .

Part 3 Cars in the City

We walked around the corner and found a sheltered area outside an office for the final part of the Workshop (and asked permission to use it). It had a row of parked cars and the city skyline (thanks to some building demolition). This final part was about drawing cars in context with the city around them. Gerard explained how to add depth by adding the foreground anchor to help understand the perspective of the scene. Cold and raining . an hour here.

I was more comfortable with this scene. I enjoy drawing cars. But the challenge here was how and what to emphasize. I decided where to add colour right at the end of the session.

MY TAKEAWAYS

The perspective of an object can dramatically change as you get closer to it or you change your angle or height.
Draw what you see and the perspective can figures itself out
Dress warmly as you are going to sit on the ground outside

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.

alissa duke

watercolour pencil artist

USK Day 2 From Macro to Micro NINA JOHANSSON

From Macro to Micro – a Visual Story of a Building

Part One – Macro

Part Two – Micro

USK Day 1 Hunting and Gathering FRED LYNCH

Hunting & Gathering: Sketching Vignettes and Lists

Vignettes

vignette longer study

Lists

USK Day 1 Cars in the city LAPIN & GERARD MICHEL

Cars in the city

Part 1 Car Portraits (quck sketch)

Part 2 (detailed sketch)

Part 3 Cars in the City

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

From Macro to Micro – a Visual Story of a Building

Part One – Macro

Part Two – Micro

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Hunting & Gathering: Sketching Vignettes and Lists

Vignettes

vignette longer study

Lists

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Cars in the city

Part 1 Car Portraits (quck sketch)

Part 2 (detailed sketch)

Part 3 Cars in the City

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What is the Urban Sketching Symposium

Who are Urban Sketchers

USK in Manchester

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