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 !
