Marrakech and the Random Buildings of Washington, DC

This is the Marrakech restaurant, located in the trendy DuPont Circle neighborhood here in Washington, DC. It's a unique building, and looks nothing like the buildings next to it, which look nothing like the buildings surrounding them. Outside of the granite-columned federal government buildings such as the Capital or the White House, Washington's architecture is best described as a truly wonderful assortment of random aesthetics.

This sketch was done with Sakura Pigma Micron pens and an assortment of Pantone Tria and Prismacolor Design markers into a 4" x 6" hardcover sketchbook. It was fully pre-sketched in pencil and inked onsite, as was 95% of the coloring. Thankfully, the whole process was pretty much undisturbed; no surrounding police activity, no delivery people dropping and spilling a keg of beer in front of me, no being questioned by a federal agent, and no being surrounded by homeless people looking to collect change because they're sitting next to an artist (yes; all of this has happened to me while sketching in Washington, DC!)

Galata Morente

I'll add my Gaul too...

Ricardo pointed out to our sketchcrawl FB group that The Dying Gaul was on temporary loan to the NGA, and gathered a bunch of us to go sketch it.  While the crowd around the sculpture was deep, everyone found a decent unobstructed view or two to draw from. My only regret is that I didn't truly represent his wicked mustache and mullet.

It is pretty interesting how unaware people can be of themselves as the step directly in front of another person looking at the same artwork.  I don't mean just those of us sketching (though I will admit it didn't help) but people who will stand so close to the sculpture itself that the 30 visitors behind them can't see a thing. Whatever. At least no one knocked him over...

THE DYING GAUL

The Dying Gaul, Roman sculpture 1st or 2nd C.E. This masterpiece from the Capitoline Museum in Rome is here in Washington DC National Gallery of Art from Oct 15, 2013 - Jan 26,2014. The Dying Gaul was found in Rome during excavations of the Villa Ludovisi in 1621. This sculpture depicts a warrior in his final moments, his face contorted in pain just before he collapses from the mortal wound to his chest. As an image of a vanquished enemy, the sculpture embodies courage in defeat, self-possession in the face of death, and the recognition of nobility in an alien race. The Dying Gaul is a deeply moving celebration of the human spirit. It took me 3 hrs and I used black ink on white paper.

2014 Urban Sketchers Symposium

You can now find more information about the Symposium and subscribe to the mailing list at paraty2014.urbansketchers.org. I'm jealous of anyone who makes it to Paraty, Aug. 27-30, 2014!