Sketching Nirvana

Words and, I'm afraid, even pictures can't really describe what an amazing event the Urban Sketching Symposium was, for me.

The first amazing thing was to finally meet some of the people I've admired for so long in the virtual world. First and foremost Gabi. I think Gabi has 2 twin brothers who where there as well because everywhere I turned, he was there documenting or facilitating or leading a sketch group and always sketching. Gabi, thank you so much for everything you've done to create this amazing Urban Sketching thing.

Quick sketch of Veronica and Frank Ching on the morning of day 3. I love the color of Frank's shirt.

The next thing was seeing all those sketchbooks in the room. I'd seen a lot of the work in them online but to see them laid out there and, in some cases to hold them and page through them was, (and I'm revealing myself as the true sketch nerd that I am), almost a religious experience. Jason's small Brooklyn cityscapes are incredibly intimate in person and Isabel's beautiful scenes of Mauritanian life ... I'll stop myself there but I was really moved by seeing everyone's work in person.

This was done as part of Tia's Urban Color group using her Urban Splasher's technique of pre-staining the page with random color and working the composition around it.

The most wonderful thing, though was being around so much enthusiasm for drawing. It was truly contagious and I think the entire city felt it, I know the Mayor did!

I regret that I wasn't able to join all of the instructors for their presentations or join them all for sketching sessions but that's why there's going to be another one next year, right?