Category: Moleskin

Jimmy

6/12/2014

Jimmy drawing. Pencil in moleskin sketchbook.

On a cold, grey, drizzly Thursday, Jimmy had his lunch at Sanctus then sat in my art class. Jimmy was refered to by the others as being a "Diddycoy", which is an old, often derogatory term, for someone who's parentage is not full gypsy. He is a lovely, cheerful, uneducated, old man speaking a dialect that I only understood one in three words. I gave him some paper and a pencil and he drew me drawings of the wagons (horse drawn carts and gypsy caravans) his dad used to make. He's had a hard life, if I understood half of the stories he told, and it is compounded now by his love of drink (he was sober) and health problems. He is very trusting, asking me to check his perscriptions for him, and loves talking. I don't know if I'm allowed to have him sit in with us, but I hope he comes back at least to stay out of the cold.

A proud man with his drawing. Photo taken/used with his permission.

You can help people like Jimmy get a meal by donating to Sanctus here: sanctus-home.com

Down but not out.

28/11/2014

Dave. Pencil in moleskin.

I have been taken on as an art tutor for the charity WEA (wea.org.uk). My first course started on Thursday and I'm working at the charity Sanctus (sanctus-home.com) in their cafe. All the participants are homeless, destitute or have fallen on hard times. As Sanctus say, "We are not here to judge, but to help and act as a resource for the community" and my course is both a gentle way into education and also, hopefully, aids the participants' health and wellbeing (confidence building, social engagement etc).

From Class 1: working on contour portraits.

On Thursday, I have to confess, apart from nerves of running a new course for a new employer AND it was the first time the WEA and Sanctus have worked together, I was nervous as I have only interacted with this community in a limited way (buying The Big Issue) and stereotypes were running around my head. After just 2 sessions, I am so pleased the stereotypes are wrong. I feel I am learning more than the guys.

Sweep joins the 2nd class.

There's not much time to draw when you are the class tutor, but above top is a incomplete sketch of Dave, who's very sweet and also a good drawer.

Waiting

25/11/2014

Café at National Gallery. Ink in Moleskin sketchbook

On Saturday, I went to London to see some of the exhibitions. Whilst waiting for my friend to arrive, I sketched in the National Gallery's café.

I didn't have any more time to sketch as my friend and I saw
three exhibitions starting with Rembrandt: The Late Works at the National. Then it was round the corner to the NPG to see Grayson Perry's, Who Are You? and finally the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2014. All worth seeing!

I'm a total Grayson Perry convert after seeing his exhibition and then watching the backstory documentaries.

What exhibitions have you seen recently?

AEDM week 2 and the end.

16/11/2014

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9th November

I was doing quite well with AEDM, but have now stopped. Luckily, I have an art teaching contract to prepare for, which has moved its start date early January to 10 days away eek

Here are my week 2 results.

9th again (missed 8th)

A second submission for the 9th - Degas eating a bone. Coloured pencil in moleskin sketchbook.

A tired girl for the 10th. Super5 pen in moleskin

Photo taken at sunrise 11th November.

Martinmas Day (11th November) The Feast of St Martin, Martinmas was a time for celebrations with great feasts and hiring fairs, at which farm labourers would seek new posts. Since 1918 the 11th has been commemorated as Armistice Day, and all remnants of the old Martinmas celebrations have disappeared.

12th. Ink in A6 Laloran sketchbook

I had to take my mum to the hygienist on the 12th and I sketched this whilst I waited. I have to say it's not somewhere I ever expected to sketch in and was disappointed when they finished as I hadn't got the details in I wanted to.

Finally, I drew my sketching kit for Liz Steel's course, SketchingNow Foundations Online Course. That's all my aedm for 2014. I hope you liked these week 2 results.

Super5 pen in A4 Daler sketchbook.

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At the ATP World Tour Finals

12/11/2014

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Loved sketching the tennis fans

As many of you know, I am a tennis fan and was able to go to the ATP World Tour finals in London yesterday. I took a few photos, watched lots of amazing tennis, and managed a few sketches between the afternoon and evening session. Hope you like them.

Queuing to enter the evening session.

Andy Murray has a warm up session.

I think the last sketch I did, which is of the fans (top) is the best, Do you agree?

A tennis fan at the O2 arena.

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Inktober 2014

31/10/2014

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5th #Inktober. Wilting sunflower. Soluble ink in Moleskin sketchbook.

On the 5th October, I heard about a drawing challenge called Inktober. It was created in 2009 by Jake Parker, the Inktober drawing challenge is to do one ink drawing a day the entire month of October. More info here: inktober.com

As I'm struggling with creativity and motivation, I thought I would participate. Here are a selection of the ink drawings I did.

You can see the whole set in a FB album here: Sue's Inktober

I love receiving comments, please leave your thoughts below.
Did you participate in #inktober? Why not leave a link with your comment?

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Brazil: o fim

25/10/2014

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The day after the symposium, the amazing Brazilian sketching group, Croquis Urbanos Curitiba, had a arranged a last sketch meet. I finished my concertina sketchbook at the meeting point then walked around the corner to sketch the largestest of Paraty's churches, Igreja Nossa Senhora do Remédios, which had been decked out in banners for its festival. Despite my wibbly perspective I'm pleased with the result.

More goodbyes as the Croquis Urbanos Curitiba left to catch their flights, and I went to sketch more of Paraty. First up the church, Capela Nossa Senhora das Dores, which I didn't draw on Norberto's workshop.

Capela Nossa Senhora das Dores

Next, I made a study of the low tide.

Mud. Super5 and watercolour in Moleskin

Finishing the day where I started, I drew the people gathering for mass in the church of Nossa Senhora do Remédios.

Sadly, I was leaving Paraty and Brazil the next day. I took a pre-breakfast walk, savouring the sunrise.

Adeus Paraty

After breakfast in the pousada, I finally got around to sketching their amazing entranceway full of plants as my last Paraty sketch.

Pousado do Sono

However, I made a last, last sketch whilst waiting for the Rio bus.

That brings me to the end of my Brazilian adventure.

Any thoughts or comments, please leave them below. Thank you.

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Brazil part 6. Saturday

24/10/2014

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Line flow tree

For the last workshop of the symposium, I took Norberto Durantes' workshop Line Flow/Live Spot as I really enjoyed, and learnt a lot, last year. A bonus was not only the sun was out but I got to draw with Kumi and Simone, so it was a great morning.

Line flow people.

Exercise 2 hmmm

The last exercise was to add a pop of colour to our line work. Everyone sat and drew the church, but I turned my back and tried to capture the sandbanks. A horse & cart literally trotted into my view so I grabbed a pencil and added it (minus the man loading sand). Out of time, I was undecided about the pop of colour and added the yellow back in the UK.

Great informal photo of our workshop crit. by Kumi

After lunch, I did Richard Alomar's activity Unfolding a sketching story, which was really inspiring and fun. I used the Laloran concertina sketchbook, but couldn't complete it in the allocated time, so did so on Sunday morning. Don't forget to click on the image to see it larger in lightbox.

Rua do Comercio

1st page detail. (more on flick www.flickr.com/photos/travelingsuep )

After the activity it was time to sketch and gather for the final group photo in Matriz Square. I'm guilty of not sketching, but chatting to everyone I could and taking photos with friends. There was just time for a Caipirinha before the closing reception, which in true Brazilian style ended up with dancing.

I don't think any of us wanted the symposium to end and I joined a group for icecreams, but didn't go on for the late night drinks.

Icecream. Photo by Liz

I was sad the symposium was over, but there was still more drawing to be done the next day... but that's for another post.

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Brazil!!! Part 5 Friday in Paraty

21/10/2014

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Reflections. Super5 pen & watercolour in moleskin

Friday had a different format this year, which I liked. A workshop in the morning then lots of activities or talks to choose from in the afternoon. I had chosen Matthew Brehm's workshop as I admire his watercolours and it was on Sketching Fundamentals. It started well, but I got off with the wrong attitude on the first exercise when we where sent to do something and I spied 2 boys up a tree... I quickly sketched them then tried to add in what I as supposed to do. (sorry can't get decent scan or photo but if you click on it, it opens in lightbox and is clearer)

We did a couple more exercises and then Matt gave a long demo. It was interesting, but I was itching to do more sketches and clock watched until the end of the workshop. I am pleased with my portrait of João drawn as he was listening.

Pencil in casa do artista sketchbook.

After a quick lunch break with the lovely Orling (drawingbythepound), I went to capture my own version of the King tide in the streets. (top) Next, it was back to the Casa do Cultura for talks by Simone Ridyard and then Gaby Campanario. I wish Gaby's talk had been longer as it was so informative - sketch reportage is something I want to get into - and he has a great story telling technique. Night fell quickly in Paraty, so then it was on to a demo by the brilliant Brazilian artist Ivonesyo Ramos. He is very charismatic and despite some drops of rain did an impressive nightime painting, which I bought in the silent auction.

Ivonesyo Ramos painting in the dark.

Finally, I went to a talk/demo by the sponsors PEN.UP where I did my first ever digital sketch on a tablet. it wasn't great, but I can see future experiments with this medium (when I buy a tablet).

All in all it wasn't the my most productive day on my part, but I got lots from it.
Next post is the final day of the symposium...

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Brazil!!! Pt 4 Thursday in Paraty

15/10/2014

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You can click on any image to see it larger.

Having attended last year's symposium, I was not as nervous before my first workshop, but still at little bit. It was with Paul Heaston, whose work I really admire. Paul had almost finished his demo when the heavens opened. We took over a nearby café/restaurant and got out our new sketchbooks given by the Brazilian sponsor: casa do artista

The workshop was on drawing wide-angle perspectives, and whilst I understood Paul's great handouts and explanations, unlike normal perspective I couldn't "see" it. Hence, among many errors my pad and and feet are too small in this first attempt.

With a break in the rain, I went outside for my 2nd drawing, and whilst I had to take cover twice from more showers, I am pleased with the result. (Top). I really enjoyed this workshop and (with cheat sheets in hand) shall try this method again.

After a too short lunch break, it was on to Liz Steel's workshop "Feeling the edges – a tactile approach to sketching architecture". Despite the freezing cold, the wind was icy cold, and being cut off by an amazing full-moon tide (I believe they are called King tides), which flood the streets of Paraty. It was very interesting and fun. We did lots of mark making and an exercise which involved careful measurement of proportions, before we could then take a more tactile approach.

Surrounded by the tide!

How many windows??? An exercise in Liz's workshop

The last exercise. Photos by Liz

In the brief Liz said "Trusting your own personal response to a building is far more important when sketching architecture than achieving absolutely accurate proportions or perfect perspective", but I seem to have lost the point when working on my final drawing. I'll blame the cold.

At the end of the workshop.

Looking at the sketch later in the Pousada, I added the sky, then colour in an attempt to get something nearer the aim of the workshop - should have left it alone, I think. Oh well, it's all about learning.

Heading back for more clothes prior to dinner, I heard drumming and went to investigate. There was a drum class in a building and I stood in the doorway and sketched - my own personal response :) I am starting to doubt using the urban sketcher title, as I do tend to draw people and objects without their setting. I guess that's something to think about as I always struggle with the situational part of people sketching.

By the time the drumming stopped, it was time to meet the others for dinner, but couldn't find them. Luckily I ran into Omar and joined him and Norberto at Quintal Verde. I started the sketch below, but a group of people came and sat blocking my view. Later, we were joined by Rita, which is one benefit of a smaller location in that you could normally find someone to eat or drink with.

Super5 pen

So that was all from the Thursday. Friday was another full day, which I will leave to my next post.

Please leave your comments below, as I love to hear your thoughts.

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Jimmy

Down but not out.

Waiting

AEDM week 2 and the end.

At the ATP World Tour Finals

Inktober 2014

Brazil: o fim

Brazil part 6. Saturday

Brazil!!! Part 5 Friday in Paraty

Brazil!!! Pt 4 Thursday in Paraty

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