PORTO - that well known corner of France?
As far as I know Porto has no strong connections with France - England yes via the Port wine business, but the French connection I'm using is 'Urban Sketching'. Tomorrow I will arrive in Porto for the 9th annual symposium of USk - urban sketchers, and it is rumoured there will be about 700 of us - nightmare!
So what is urban sketching? it is a drawing or painting of your surroundings, buildings, towns, the activity you see there, urban sketching groups from all around the world are usually based in cities - very urban, we do things a bit more small scale around these parts.
Since mid June I have been going out on a weekly basis with my sketching chum Anna (who is from Barcelona) and often Arnie who is a bit more local.
So what is urban sketching? it is a drawing or painting of your surroundings, buildings, towns, the activity you see there, urban sketching groups from all around the world are usually based in cities - very urban, we do things a bit more small scale around these parts.
Since mid June I have been going out on a weekly basis with my sketching chum Anna (who is from Barcelona) and often Arnie who is a bit more local.
Anna sketching in Cessenon sur Orb, hot! spent a lot of time searching for shade.
My sketch of the rooftops in progress - rather bright!
For me this sketch shows what urban sketching is important for - recording a moment in time - this was just as the world cup campaign started, and we now know the end - FANTASTIC. I really like sketching people, as long as they don't know you are doing it and they don't see it, as I'm not going for a true likeness, nor do I want a caricature , something in the middle is what I'm aiming for.
And it doesn't have to be a building or people, but as I said a recording of a moment, this was a lovely little garden with a beautifully coloured pool owned by friends of Anna. I will now always remember that this was a really windy day and we needed to find somewhere sheltered to paint up in the hameau of Maurol.
Another memory. I like really roughly sketching dogs in pencil or charcoal, this one, 'Fernand' ended up a bit twee when painted, but it was great to find some life in the hameau of Ceps to sketch - quickly before they disappeared inside for lunch. Its quite rare for anyone to disturb you whilst sketching, on this day a neighbouring Lady came and stood looking over our shoulders for some time, this doesn't usually bother me but as I said before when I'm drawing people in a not very flattering fashion it is a bit uncomfortable. Anyway she asked what was I going to call it? I said 'un coin de Ceps' to which she replied, 'Non, non c'est Mona et Fernand' so there it is.
2 pictures from Vilemagne L'Argentaire
And finally last week in Lamalou
To see finished article and all my sketches visit my Facebook page 'Artist Ramblings'
So from the sleepy sort of urban Haut Languedoc to Porto sketching madness here we go...…….
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