Symposium lectures: The artist as storyteller, by Gabi Campanario

This is a brief summary of Gabi Campanario's lecture, which is scheduled for Thursday, July 29, at 5 p.m. and Friday, July 30, at 1 p.m.


From "The artist as reporter." © Paul Hogarth, 1967

We are living in the information age. Thanks to the internet we can get live news reports from around the world anytime, anywhere. The constant flow of stories, photos and video can feel overwhelming sometimes and even become white noise. But in the middle of all the cacophony of messages, a sketch seems to grab our attention in a unique way. If that's true, why aren't we drawing the news more often, instead of just taking photos or video? That's what I'm trying to do with Seattle Sketcher, a print and online feature at The Seattle Times that I started in April of 2009. In this talk, I'll share how what started as a personal blog and pastime has become part of my job as an illustrator at the newspaper and how the the idea of Urban Sketchers started. For sketchers interested in adding a storytelling dimension to their sketches, I'll share tips on story selection, developing a voice for your blog and connecting with your readers. I'll also highlight the work of illustrators who are leading a renaissance of illustration reportage.