Those in Urban Sketchers/Tacoma know me as a person who is trying to improve my skills. I am willing to hear helpful criticism and often ask other members for their input on topics from values to perspective. I'm currently taking a life drawing class that is helping me with proportions and physical body characteristics.
You can image my excitement when I read one day on our website that Gabi Campanario https://www.facebook.com/seattlesketcher/ was going to teach all these things, in a workshop at the end of March, that I need to learn. So I thought I'd sign up. I called the number listed and asked if there was room... yes, there were 3 places left. Oh, my I thought. Only 3 and it's only 4 hours after sign up began. I was desperate to get in and asked her if I could pay in two increments... no. So when I hung up I didn't know what I was going to do... then my dear husband asked if I'd like to attend as a Valentine Present? Oh, yes! I said and called right back and got in. I didn't ask how many spots were open... I got in!!!
I received an email this past week asking me to send samples of my work. I looked thorough my sketchbooks until my eyes were blurry. I was to send in samples of my work so Gabi could see my abilities. Every now and again one has a sketch that is really great, but mostly mine are rather ordinary and a bit primitive. Thus my interest in the class. So I decided on the following three images…
I want the people I draw to look like the people I’m sketching. These kids do have black hair, but not sure that they look like the kids themselves. The scale of the stanchions and the perspective of them isn’t right they should get smaller the further away they are… so that’s why I chose this one.
This one I put in because it needs more difference in values. It’s too dark… and again my people look like paperdolls rather than people. I’m not all negative about my work… I like the glass in the windows, the detail and the composition. I’m not saying none of that couldn’t be improved, but I’m not dissatisfied with it.
This one had a lot of architectural features and two ladies talking… again there’s detail, which I really enjoy drawing, but my ladies are too flat to me, and some of my building angles may not be correct…. My scanner isn’t working so this is a photo of my sketches, which adds distortion from the pages bowing.
All of these are more recent, so he see my current work. (Less than a year old) So we will see what he says and hope that I can step up my game…
I’ll report back when the class is over and post my work from the class (on site sketches) and how I felt about it. The way I feel now is excited and hopeful that I will be able to assimilate what he teaches. Wish me luck.
*************************************WEEKEND IS OVER AND I'M BACK HOME**************************************************************
I was not disappointed. Gabi is a congenial person with warm Spanish accent. He is concerned that each person in his workshop is getting what they signed up to learn. So from day one he asked what we each wanted to take away from the workshop. I do not have fine art training so when everyone holds up there thumb or a pencil I knew that they were measuring, but I wasn't sure just how to do it. I learned what I had not know ... you must stay facing the same way, in the same place and keep yourself as grounded as possible. You need to close one eye and keep the paper as close to the plane of your view as possible, which meant sketching with the book more vertical. All of this was new to me. So I now am armed with new knowledge to help my work be more relational.
Next we talked about shading... light, medium and dark. A sketch needs to have all three. One can use a pen and shade the sketch; one can use colors that have light, medium and dark values. One needs to keep in mind what they are seeing. It wasn't enough to look; but to look more than you sketch. He stressed this often in our time together.
Last, but most important, of the three Keys to Urban Sketching... or I suppose any sketching is composition. Lining up what you will be drawing. Without a good composition it won't matter how good your line work and tones/colors are... you need a compelling "view" for your viewers.
You can see there was a lot to get my head around in one weekend, so I will be absorbing these tips over time... probably weeks... but without this knowledge I'd still be where I was before the workshop. And few of us want to stand still. I've put in a few images from the weekend and would give it 5 out of 5 for meeting my expectations. Part of that score is the owner of Cloud 9, where the workshop was held, went all out. Her space was clean, large, light and warm. She had arranged for two members of the Bothell Historic Society to come with photos, maps and stories to acquaint us with the area we would be sketching. It was a brilliant idea. We all felt more like we knew how the area was changing, and who preceded us.
My sketch is the small book on the right above the tea service.
*************************************WEEKEND IS OVER AND I'M BACK HOME**************************************************************
I was not disappointed. Gabi is a congenial person with warm Spanish accent. He is concerned that each person in his workshop is getting what they signed up to learn. So from day one he asked what we each wanted to take away from the workshop. I do not have fine art training so when everyone holds up there thumb or a pencil I knew that they were measuring, but I wasn't sure just how to do it. I learned what I had not know ... you must stay facing the same way, in the same place and keep yourself as grounded as possible. You need to close one eye and keep the paper as close to the plane of your view as possible, which meant sketching with the book more vertical. All of this was new to me. So I now am armed with new knowledge to help my work be more relational.
Next we talked about shading... light, medium and dark. A sketch needs to have all three. One can use a pen and shade the sketch; one can use colors that have light, medium and dark values. One needs to keep in mind what they are seeing. It wasn't enough to look; but to look more than you sketch. He stressed this often in our time together.
Last, but most important, of the three Keys to Urban Sketching... or I suppose any sketching is composition. Lining up what you will be drawing. Without a good composition it won't matter how good your line work and tones/colors are... you need a compelling "view" for your viewers.
You can see there was a lot to get my head around in one weekend, so I will be absorbing these tips over time... probably weeks... but without this knowledge I'd still be where I was before the workshop. And few of us want to stand still. I've put in a few images from the weekend and would give it 5 out of 5 for meeting my expectations. Part of that score is the owner of Cloud 9, where the workshop was held, went all out. Her space was clean, large, light and warm. She had arranged for two members of the Bothell Historic Society to come with photos, maps and stories to acquaint us with the area we would be sketching. It was a brilliant idea. We all felt more like we knew how the area was changing, and who preceded us.
Sunday before we left we came to this site. A joyful place with ducks, chickens, and odd buildings. It is known as Bothell Country Village. If you'd like a unique experience go soon, as rumor has it that developers with build on the site soon.
I am standing where Gabi's hand is over my face. I had forgotten my hearing aids and needed to be close or I couldn't hear. )Note to self: Remember you hearing aids!!!
This was Gabi's demo image. He shared perspective, color, and composition.
I am at the bottom of this photo and sketched the people sketching.
My sketch is the small book on the right above the tea service.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Due to the number of spam comments, moderation has been turned on. If this is a legitimate comment, it will be allowed within 24 hours.