Sundry Spanish sketches

La Sagrada Familia  A5 sketchbook

My penultimate Sunday in Barcelona, I met with a friend to go to the Picasso museum. Whilst waiting for her to arrive at the meeting point, I sketched the tourists around me in their various hats. Unfortunately, when we got to the museum the queue was about 3 days long, so we decided to go to the nearby Parc de la Ciutadella and then onto the Palau dela Música Catalana.

Hats, hats, hats A5 sketchbook.

Parc de la Ciutadella © Sue Pownall 2012

At the Palau de la Música, we had to join a tour to view the beautiful building - next time I'd like to go to a concert there. First we watched a short film on its history in the new auditorium, which is when I sketched the lady on the left of my sketchbook. Then, walking around the old auditorium I tried to quickly capture some of the flowing sculptural elements.

Palau de la Musica A5 sketchbook.

My last sketching outing in Barcelona was on 7th August when I met the animator Dave Coogan in Rambla de Catalunya. We met at the La girafa coqueta so I tried to capture its lines as my warmup, but my proportions are out. Then, we sat in the shade to sketch the various people.

On Rambla de Catalunya  A5 sketchbook.

From the Rambla, we went to join some of the Barcelona sketchers who were at La Sagrada Familia drawing with Nina Johansson who was over from Sweden. La Sagrada is dauntingly large. My view was chosen for me, as Dave and I sat on the only available empty bench, and I had this view through the trees (top and below).

Sketching at La Sagrada Familia

Drawing & dallying for Dalí

Whilst in Barcelona, I was lucky enough to have my mum and dad come over to visit. On the weekend, we caught the train up to Figueres to visit the Teatro Museo Dalí. The photo below was snapped by mum as I sketched the long, long queue (I forgot to pre-book oops) dad is stood next to me as we chatted & I drew whilst waiting. Of course, the museum was worth the wait but I have to confess I was hungry afterwards having queued through lunchtime.

Shakespeare & starlight

© Sue Pownall 2012

I have had the opportunity to go out with the Barcelona sketches twice more since the SketchCrawl.First, I met the group at Parc de l'Estacio del Nord for an outside performance of Love Labour's Lost. The play was performed by Parking Shakespeare www.parkingshakespeare.com who are very good.

Parking Shakespeare performing in the park.

© Sue Pownall 2012

Despite it being in Catalan, and understanding about 10 words, it was really enjoyable. Most of us sat together drawing whilst watching. I have to say the most impressive was the scene drawn by Sagar sagar but as always I like my new friend Cesar's drawing too, and can't wait to see it finished on his blog.

Barcelona from Hotel America © Sue Pownall 2012

Shot with my Galaxy I at midnight

Last Saturday, we met for a night sketching session. The amazing artist Miguel Herranz (Freekhand) freshly back from the Urban Sketchers Symposium was with us. It was amazing to look through his sketchbook and see his drawings and to hear the stories from the symposium. We started on the roof terrace of the Hotel America after a wander through Barcelona's streets.

More walking followed as we went for something to eat before going to our last locations. Some of us chose to draw La Pedreira (Casa Mila) whilst others another impressive building nearby. Cesar lent me his Sailor pen, which I now covet, which was perfect for the solid black lines. At midnight the main illumination was turned off, leaving the roofline lit, and I headed back to the apartment.

© Sue Pownall 2012

I think Barcelona is the place this nomad can finally settle, so am starting to see about returning after my contract finishes in Muscat. Watch this blog for more details.

*****

Sorry about the quality of the pics, I didn't pack my scanner.