Singapore

I just returned from the 6th Urban Sketchers Symposium in Singapore.  Hundreds of sketchers from around the world converged in Singapore for four days of workshops, activities, demos, food, and sketchcrawls.  Singapore has a lot of interesting modern architecture, as well as a lot of tasty food and a diverse population, so there was a lot to sketch. One thing I found particularly interesting was the many religions represented: one street had a church, a mosque, a Hindu temple, a Buddhist temple, and a synagogue - all on the same street.

I got a lot of energy from spending the week with so many other sketchers, and I feel like I learned a lot from them.  Getting feedback and ideas from the instructors and the other sketchers can be valuable for improving your work.  The time between the organized sketching activities is a big part of the fun as well - I spent a good part of the week hanging out with a group of Australians who "adopted" me, and of course we continued the Symposium tradition of drawing each other over dinner.  I filled several sketchbooks there - too many to post here, but you can see the rest on my flickr album for the trip.
If you ever get a chance to go to one of the Symposiums, I highly recommend it - it is worth the jet lag.  Next year the Symposium will be in Manchester, U.K., and I hope to be able to go.

USk Barcelona

I just returned from the 4th International Urban Sketching Symposium in Barcelona. I had a really wonderful time there: I got to meet (and learn from) many artists whose work I'd been following online for years, and got to sketch in a beautiful city. I filled several sketchbooks, and this is only just a small sample: the curious can find the rest on Flickr.
While the city has some amazing architecture, and I learned a lot from the workshops, I think my favorite sketches were the informal ones where we sketched each other between (and during) sessions.

And now that I'm back home, I'm looking forward to going out and practicing what I learned here in my own city.

Roma, Madrid, & Morocco Part III

Part III Morocco

I spent the final two weeks touring Morocco. It was my first time visiting a Muslim country and I found their art, customs and way of life fascinating. We covered most of the country and saw almost every type of landscape imaginable from deserts to beaches.

Sketch done while walking the streets late one night in Casablanca. It was a very eerie night with a full moon.

Bab Bou Jeloud in Fez. This Bab (gate) was packed with people at sundown rushing into the Medina after the call to prayer.

Landscape view done while driving where minarets are seen scattered throughout.

Color landscape view done while driving. Many olive trees.

Woman with hat

Midelt. One of my favorite drawings that really captures rural life.

Ouarzazate City Center Square. As I walked around images just kept piling up on top of each other altering perspective.

Women in City Center Square. Despite the head wraps many women wore western clothes. Chuck Taylor All Stars were very popular sneakers.

Composition from City Center Square


Erg Chebbi is much larger then it appears. I made the mistake of attempting to climb it at sundown. By the time I got to the top it was dark and I had one hell of a time finding my way back to the guide. Getting lost in the desert is not fun.

Gnawa musicians. This was awesome. All of the songs tell a story and for a few songs we were all dancing.

Palm valley and canyon . The rivers were irrigated to sustain small villages all along the canyon which looked similar to the Grand Canyon in AZ just much smaller in scale.

Palm


High Atlas Mountains. Unbelievable sunsets and the most relaxing night of my trip. The hotel was on an orange grove where we could pick at will. The pyramid shaped ceramics in the photo are tops of cookware called Tajines.

Essaouira. This was one of my favorite cities. I could have spent a month doing drawings and exploring.

Hashish Cafe. After being approached numerous times I decided to take a chance. It was a little shady but the experience was well worth it.

Essaouira street. I was drawing and talking to some of the local kids when all of a sudden some old man pushed me from behind. He had a large stick and was swinging it at me and the kids yelling at us to get away from his shop. The kids (and I) thought it was hilarious and we kept saying "Crazy Man, Crazy Man." This got him even more angry so we all decided to leave.

Looking down on people walking the street from my Riad Hotel.

Jardin Majorelle

Roma, Madrid, & Morocco Part II

Part II Madrid

After a week in Rome I was off to Madrid for two days. Our hostel was in Plaza de Jacinto Benavente. I went to the Prado and Reina Sofia Museums during the day and ate pulpo (octopus) and churro's until I felt sick. :P

Plaza de Jacinto Benavente
I can't wait to read some of his work.

Dome of San Sebastian Church
view from hostel

Imagery from out front of the Reina Sofia Museum
Home of Picasso's Guernica

Drawing from sculpture installation inside the museum

Detail drawing of sculpture

A Gallery Pesterer

Claudel

I wish I had more time in Madrid.

hotel art - the secret lives of drawer bottoms

so... this is a little bit of a different type of location sketching, if ever there was one. for the last 15 odd years, whenever i stay somewhere, i try to leave my mark... on the bottoms of the drawers in the room i'm staying in. sometimes i have more time than others, which is why some of the designs are detailed and others look rushed. i do not harm the drawer in any way, and most times no one ever knows this artwork exists. but anyway, this is what i do!

some of the designs are from my imagination, but sometimes i am actually drawing something that i see in life. it could be something in my room, or something i see in the view out my window.  back in the day i used to use more paint, but since 2001 carrying paint onto an airplane is not as easy as it once was. so these days i generally stick to crayons, colored pencils, and sharpies.

the ones i've posted here are all drawn from life.  to see the entire collection of drawer drawings that i have online, you can visit my flickr album HERE.