FAQ

If you have a question that is not already covered here, please leave a comment and we'll get to it as soon as possible.

Q. What will be the format of the Symposium?
A. The 3-day Symposium will consist of morning lectures and panels and afternoon practical sessions sketching around Portland in small groups led by each instructor. Right now we are looking at two tracks of classes and conferences in the morning and multiple field drawing sessions in the afternoon, as well as some options for evening and night sketch outings.

We are also planning a closing reception where participants will be able to exhibit sketches drawn during the course of the event. An exhibit of original work by each of the presenters will also be on display at PNCA.

In the coming weeks, we'll be announcing the schedule and program details here on the Symposium blog, including a summary of each lecture and field drawing sessions that participants will be able to sign up for.

>>MAY 14 UPDATE: Scheduled has been announced.

Q. What will the lectures be about?

A. Lectures will vary from drawing theory or how to become a successful sketchblogger to the experience of sketching in different cultures across the world. Practical sessions will take place in accessible locations throughout Portland, covering a wide range of drawing techniques, media and subject matter, from the basics of perspective and composition to sketching people in motion, use of color and sketching gear.

Q. Will each instructor do a lecture and take a group out sketching?
A. Yes, each instructor will teach one or more classes and conduct several field groups over the 3 days. Each field group will be small — about 10 people in each group — so everyone gets to experience a sense of camaraderie and has full access to the instructors.

Q. I want to make sure I have access to the instructors I'm most interested in. Is there going to be registration to work with specific instructors?
A. We'll be giving details on how to sign up for each field drawing session with each instructor as we finalize the schedule. Field drawing sessions where we anticipate high demand may be offered several times to ensure everyone has access to the instructor. In the event of a field drawing session being booked by more than 10 people and not being offered a second time, attendance would be decided based on earlier registration date.

Q. If I'm staying downtown, will I need a car to get to the Symposium events?
A. No, you won't need a car at all. Portland is known for its pedestrian-friendly setting along the river waterfront and a very efficient public transportation system that is free within downtown, the Rose Quarter and the Lloyd District. When not going on foot, we'll rely on the MAX light rail — which also reaches the airport — and the streetcar to get around.

If there's enough interest, we are also thinking of adding a bicycle sketch outing to the mix of field drawing sessions.

The two main Symposium locations, PNCA and the Mark Spencer Hotel, are centrally located in the heart of Pearl District within walking distance of each other. (See green flags on the interactive map.)

>>MAY 26 UPDATE: FIELD SKETCHING SESSIONS Q & A

Whether you have already registered for the Symposium or not, you may have questions about the process to sign-up for the field sketching sessions offered during the three-day conference. Here is an outline of the process.

How do I sign up for the field sketching sessions?

Within 48 business hours of your registration, you should receive a form via email from PNCA to select your preferred sessions. Consult the schedule to find out the instructors who are leading each session and to see availability. If you have already registered, you should have received the email by now or will be receiving it shortly — email forms are sent out in the order in which people registered.

Will I be able to change my choices?

Once we're all in Portland, face-to-face communication will make it easier to trade spots should you change your mind about a session. We'll make every effort to facilitate that.

What if a sketching session I want is full?

We'll look into ways to adjust the schedule and meet participant demand as the sign-up process continues. Some presenters may lead more than four sketching groups if demand warrants it.

You should also keep in mind that there will be more opportunities to interact with the presenters during the morning convocation hour and lecture times twice a day, not to mention the time before and after the daily program, when presenters will likely stick around to spend extra time with participants.