The end

Another strange shell. Inktense 21/3/14

Of another sketchbook.

Unusually, I've been using a lot of coloured pencils recently. Maybe because they give me the flexibility of graphite but without the option to rub out errors, as with ink.

Next, I am moving out of my normal comfort zone and not starting another Daler Ebony A5, but the A5 Stillman & Birn I got given at last year's Urban Sketchers' Symposium. I'll let you know how I get on.

Mine 14.3.14

Degas' 14.3.14

 ******

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Coffee shops

Location shot through car window

On Saturday, I started the concertina Moleskin that we got at the symposium before Sketch Muscat 8. I've decided to record Muscat coffee shops in it. The Muscat Gate Coffee Shop is past the airport behind a garage (filling station). All the business I observed was of people driving up, a waiter passing a bag of food through the car window, and them driving off to eat/drink at a different location. Many just tooted their horn and a waiter scuttled over with a bag, so I assume they had phoned in their order prior to collection.

I found the Moleskin a little problematic for a couple of reasons. First, a mental struggle with myself as I do not use the first page of a sketchbook and had to force myself to start there. Next, I found it a little difficult due to the concertina of the pages behind. However, as I already know which coffee shop is going on the next page, I will continue with this mini-project.

Next, it was onto Sketch Muscat 8, a sketching event I had organised. Although I'd arranged the Muscat Sketchers to meet in Costa's, I didn't add any more drawings to the moleskin. Eight people turned up to sketch plus Pari's daughter and we had a good mix of nationalities: Omani, English, Indian, German, Kenyan and Filipino. I took the opportunity of eating some cheesecake as it looked a great subject to draw - that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. I also did a café scene sketch, but didn't get very far with it.

Almost finished.

Thanks Aziz Al Hahdhami for the cheesecake photos.

Continuing the momentum

La Sagrada Familia, ©Sue Pownall

 Several of us wanted to see the Sketching Barcelona exhibition (by Miguel Herranz, Lapin, Sagar Fornies, Òscar Julve, and others) and to sketch in Bari Gòtic or El Born and so met up the next morning. After the exhibition, which was amazing and inspiring, we went to Granja Dulcinea a xocolateria. Shantele and her partner ordered churros with their chocolate. Kindly they didn't eat them whilst I drew them. I couldn't draw my chocolate as I drank it. I was very impressed as Shantele didn't have her sketchbook with her but soon adopted the suggestion of drawing on a serviette.

Churros. A5 sketchbook ink & watercolour

The above photo was taken by Chris, the only non-sketcher whilst he was waiting to eat the churros. It shows Alissa, Chris H, Shantele with napkin, myself, Dave Black, & Yvonne sketching.

Reflections. Watercolour moleskin ©Sue Pownall

 Afterwards, Chris, Alissa & I walked into El Born district looking for subjects. I left Alissa sketching a door and Chris found an alley she wanted to do. I wandered around a while longer before I saw a distinctive window in a plaza. Luckily, there was a bench across the way and I took out my new watercolour moleskin (given on Virginia Hein's workshop) and tried to capture it. I'm quite pleased with the results and it is not as wonky as the scan implies - my bad photoshop stitching is partially to blame. I can't believe I tackled something so challenging; I think it's partially due to confidence gained from the symposium and a big improvement on how I felt at La Sagrada at the beginning of the trip. Unfortunately, intimidation reset-in later in the day when a lot of us met at CCCB'd cafe and everyone was drawing everyone else. It did make me smile when I asked to see the amazing Luis Ruiz's sketchbook and he said "it's only workshop drawings", just like I had done moments earlier to someone else.

Tapas. A5 sketchbook. Ink & watercolour

When I finished the window it was lunchtime, so I went to a tapas bar I have visited before. It's slightly expensive but very tasty. I sat at the counter and ate a tapas whilst drawing another. Not liking stuffed peppers, I was able to draw that from the plate near me.

La Sagrada Familia moleskin sketchbook.

The next day, before checking out of my hotel, I went back to La Sagrada Familia. As it was only 9am, there were very few people about and I found a bench with a great view. There's a very heavy influence from Norberto Dorantes as I experimented more with non-waterproof ink. It's also inspired by the work of others on the symposium. I am very pleased with this sketch, so it was a good way to end. All too soon, it was time to head to the airport for a week in UK, and to start planning my return to Barcelona.

All over far too fast

Arc de Triomf. Pen & watercolour ©Sue Pownall

Waking up on Saturday morning, I couldn't believe it was the last day of the symposium already. After the panel, I gathered for my 5th and final workshop, Barcelona Perspectives with the architects Florian Afflerbach and Arno Hartmann. The group caught the metro out to the Mies van der Rohe Barcelona Pavilion, where, after a demonstration by Arno & with help from Florian, Alissa and I very carefully drew 4 lines in 25 minutes. 

Proud of my 4 lines!

I studied and used perspective back in college and still apply it to some drawings, BUT never with my urban sketches. It was enlightening! Alissa and I did get the basic 2-point perspective finished and I for one felt I'd achieved a lot.

Bottom: mine Above: Florian's 2 minute demo :)

Next, we moved into the building to draw it with 1-point perspective. This was new to me, or completely forgotten, and ended up as my favourite workshop drawing from the whole symposium. It was also the best workshop I attended and left me buzzing to try more. Thank you both Florian & Arno.

1-point perspective of Mies Van der Rohe's pavillion. ©Sue Pownall

 Back at CCCB, I attended Fred Lynch's fantastic talk, then headed for the metro to join WWSketchcrawl #40 and the end of the symposium. I have never seen so many sketchers in one place - it was amazing! The symposium participants and organisers were joined by the off-symposium attendies, and local sketchers. Numbers vary but the paper said there were 500 sketchers!

Urban sketcher Awesomeness! El Periódico 14 Julio

I couldn't wait to start drawing, so once the photos were taken, I attempted the Arc de Triomf itself. Thanks to James Richards, the crowds weren't daubting to draw and I am very pleased with my result (top). There was some great music nearby, so several of us drew the buskers as we enjoyed it. When we gave them some change as thanks (great subject & music), they asked to see our sketchbooks and clapped us as we had clapped them.

Gadjo playing at the Arc de Triomf.

Finally, we headed back to CCCB for the closing ceremony sniff sniff. I'd managed to get a copy of Nina Johansson's book and she kindly signed it for me, which is a fabulous souvenir of both the symposium and last year's trip. Another fabulous souvenir was Florian's drawing of the Mie's Pavilion, drawn whilst I was sat next to him, which I got in the silent auction.

and then the rain came...

From Panaramas in light and shade.

In the afternoon of the 1st day, I attended the workshop of an illustrator I admire, Melanie Reim. Sitting in CCB's patio she talked about Picasso making marks as an introduction to Channelling Picasso; the theme of the workshop. Then the heavens opened and we took shelter under the umbrellas of CCCB's cafe and continued the workshop there.

Melanie talks about Picasso as we shelter from the rain. 11th July

The rain didn't abate all afternoon, and disappointingly for me we stayed at the café drawing each other in various Picasso like ways (or not as mine seem). I'd been looking forward to sketching in Pla de la Boqueria on the Rambla as I spend a lot of time drawing in cafés here in Oman due to the prohibitive heat.

One of my workshop spreads.

 I have to confess I felt disappointed with my drawings from this workshop, but as lovely Liz Steel said at the drink and draw, we don't know what we get from a workshop until we apply it at a later date.

Capoeira

Still feeling a bit out of my depth, despite the successful morning, I didn't do any sketches at the drink and draw, but chatted to a few people before heading off for dinner. On my way to the metro, I heard/saw a great capoeira troup and cheered myself up with a non directed sketch, my-style.

Me sketching in Plaça Catalunya 12 July

The following morning, after the panel discussion, it was off to Plaça Catalunya for James Richards' Life between the buildings workshop. This was a workshop I instantly recognised new information that I could use in my sketching, and did on subsequent days. The actual drawings I produced for the workshop aren't good, but I learnt so much that it doesn't matter!

My 1st sketch in Plaça Catalunya

After lunch I attended a talk by Miguel Gallardo, someone I had not heard about beforehand, but he left me in awe, inspired, and emotional afterwards. Then it was on to Virginia Hein's workshop Panoramas in light and shade. It was held down pass Colom at the Maremàgnum, an area I've not seen before. After the workshop, I went to the drink and draw and was immortalised by Pete Scully, which was flattering.

Kumi & I by Pete Scully

To be continued...

Barcelona Urban Sketchers' Symposium 1

My final drawing on Noberto Durantes' Dynamic ink workshop

 I have to start by writing a big THANK YOU to the organisers of this year's symposium. What an amazing event they achieved in Barcelona this month!  Also, I'd like to thank everyone involved from interpreters to instructors and especially everyone who participated. The symposium was an amazing experience! The best part, for me, were the participants: meeting face-to-face and sketching with people who have been bloggy friends and contacts for years; re-meeting the Barcelona sketchers I drew with last year, and making new friends.

Pre-symposium sketchcrawl. Watercolour & ink A5

I arrived in Barcelona the day before the event, very stressed by the events of the last few months,  dumped my bag at my hostel, and dashed to Sagrada Familia to join in the pre-symposium sketchcrawl. On arrival - I froze! I drew there last year with +Nina Johansson, and some of the Barcelona sketchers, so in theory the structure shouldn't have been terrifying but seeing the mass of sketchers and the quality of their sketches and paintings made me panic. I started chatting to +Simone Ridyard whose work I've recently started following and sat with her to do a bad watercolour sketch (see above).

Dynamic ink: Carrer Comtal for Norberto

The first morning, I was still really very nervous, especially seeing everyone (so it seemed) sketching all around me at registration, so my sketchbook stayed firmly in my bag. My first workshop was with +Norberto Dorantes whose work I really admire and was the first workshop I wanted to do when it was originally listed at the beginning of the year. Norberto was amazing, explaining everything very well. I had some pen issues - my non-waterproof ink was actually waterproof and the cartridge I tried still wouldn't bleed - but got lent one to use.

Dynamic ink people.

I enjoyed every minute of the workshop, once I had a pen that worked, and wanted it to be longer. I also wanted to experiment more with Norberto's non-waterproof ink technique.

To be continued...

Preparing for 4th International Urban Sketching Symposium

Forgotten sketch #1: Degas Pencil A5 sketchbook early June

 When I heard that the next Urban Sketching Symposium was going to be in Barcelona this year, I told myself I had to go. I set an alarm for when registration opened on March 25th and wooped with delight as I secured myself a place. I bounced around the room as I also got a place on my first choice workshop, conducted by Argentinian architect Norburto Durantes. (Check out his work here). I chose workshops that would complement my style and yet push me to develop further. I contacted friends in Barcelona, booked flights and accommodation, and started the countdown to the big event.

Forgotten sketch #2: A Quriyat lane pen in A5 from car

The Symposium starts in just under 3 weeks, 11th July, and the sketching world - flickr, blogs, facebook - is full of people's excitement and preparations. Unfortunately, I don't know if I can/should now attend as Mum remains in hospital. I fly to UK on 5th so I hope to decide then. Consequently, my preparation is minimal... I've reordered business cards to give out, and Moo is printing some postcards too. I need to buy a pen for Norburto's workshop, but unfortunately need to locate one in UK as I'm out of time for delivery to Oman.

My smoothie. Pencil & watercolour A5 sketchbook

Despite what I wrote in my last post, you will see I've posted 2 sketches from earlier this month...  I must have been subconsciously sketching... I found them in my new sketchbook when I met a friend on Friday to sketch. Unfortunately, whilst Friday's venue and company was great, the sketching was a struggle as the 2 sketches show.

A two-handed tea drinker. Direct with watercolour in A5 sketchbook.