SKETCHING IN KASUGAI • BERLIN HAY • SEATTLE ŚWIDNICA • ZURICH
DRAWING
Attention
The official zine of Urban Sketchers DEC 2023
Drawing Attention Mandate Drawing Attention, the official zine of the Urban Sketchers organization, communicates and promotes official USk workshops, symposiums, sketchcrawls, news and events; shares news about USk chapters; and educates readers about the practice of on-location sketching.
Welcome to another issue of Drawing Attention, the zine about urban sketching across the world.
to urban sketching: “‘You need three things for paintings: the hand, the eye, and the heart. Two won’t do.”
Thanks to this month’s Drawing Attention contributors: Content Publication Team: Anne Taylor, Jane Wingfield Mailchimp layout: Jane Wingfield Issuu layout: Anne Taylor Writers & Contributors: Tine Klein, Tina Koyama, Mark Leibowitz, Barbara Luel, Adam Michen, Parka, Nathalie Renotte, Alrun Schmidtke, Momoko Takada, Jane Wingfield Proofreader: Mona Kwon Cover Image: Hashima Island by Yohji Kato
I’ve sometimes wondered why I feel compelled to keep experimenting and trying new things with my sketching, instead of doing “one thing well”, which seems an admirable approach when I look around at other people’s work. I might be one of two types, according to Mark Leibowitz, who writes about this in his Cool Gear column. Which camp are you in – or maybe it is a spectrum?
Japanese urban sketcher Yohji Kato seems to have all three qualities. He came to this hobby in his 50s and, with simple materials and plenty of technical skill, he creates powerful evocative records of his extensive travels in Japan. Perhaps staying power should be added to the list?
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Tina Koyama bravely tried something new when she did some reportage on a local issue in Seattle that she felt passionate about. And Steph Thelwell’s networking in her home town resulted in a fun new opportunity for her. Tine Klein’s Sketch Demo could be your chance to experiment, showing us a clever way of using negative space with watercolour.
September edition of Drawing Attention Circulation: 14k+ Readership: 16k+ Web: urbansketchers.org Urban Sketchers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering the art of on-location drawing. Click here to make your tax-deductible contribution via Paypal. © 2023 Urban Sketchers. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this publication, including accompanying artwork, are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Urban Sketchers organization.
Something else that gave me pause for thought was a quote by David Hockney that could just as easily apply
We welcome a healthy batch of new chapters and update you on changing roles in the USk leadership; saying farewell to some dedicated team members and meeting our new Vice President. We thank all our wonderful writers, contributors, and volunteers, who have made this and all our 2023 issues possible. Wishing you health, peace and inspiration, at year’s end. Anne Taylor (NZ), with Jane Wingfield (USA) Content Publication Team drawingattentionurbansketchers. org
10 USK24 NICE
27 USk PEOPLE
SKETCHER DEMO
4 NEWS & EVENTS
14 YOHJI KATO 36
TINA KOYAMA
CONTENTS 30
STEPH THELWELL
43 REVIEW 40
NEW BOOKS
41
NEW CHAPTERS
42
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USk news & events
Community-building in Ohio More than 100 artists met from 11-13 August for the Ohio Regional Urban Sketchers Summit in Columbus, Ohio. This is the second year that USk chapters from Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, and Dayton have sold out their event. The Ohio Summit was one of only five communities to receive a Regional Grant and the only one in North America. Other recipients include groups in Itú (Brazil), Johannesburg (South Africa), Namur (Belgium), and Firenze (Italy). “The goal of this summit was to continue building the community with firstrate instructors,” says Ana Lucía Araya, an avid sketcher and graphic designer from the Columbus chapter who organized the effort. “What makes urban sketching so enjoyable is that beginning artists and professionals come together, share their art, and learn from each other.” Eighty-eight attendees met mid-morning on Saturday at the Columbus Metro Library to receive grab bags filled with items from generous sponsors, then spread throughout the downtown area with seven instructors, including Robin Carnes, Mike Daikubara, Kay Bea Jones, David Rankin, Jeff Stahler, Jeff Suntala, and Christina Wald. When participants reconvened 4 drawing attention
for a catered lunch, Jeff Stahler spoke about his growth as an artist, and raffles were held for special door prizes before instructors and students left for another instructional session. In addition to Saturday’s workshops, attendees met Friday night to sketch along the Scioto River, and Sunday morning to sketch the centuries-old Ohio Statehouse. Attendees included four high school students who received scholarships to attend, and generous sketching kits donated by ArtToolKit and QoR. The Ohio Regional Urban Sketchers Summit’s organizing committee is already planning another event to be held in Dayton in 2024. Kenny Moore, an educator and member of the organizing committee, says that “these events have been great learning opportunities and chances to create camaraderie. The students and instructors bring a tremendous amount of skill. Mix that with the creativity and energy that exists within all artists, and the end result is truly memorable.”
USk OHIO SUMMIT
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USk news & events
Namur regional event This summer was an exciting summer for Belgian Urban Sketchers: we held a USk Regional Event, Sketching Namur 2023 on 8-9 July. Some 250 sketchers met in Namur, including many visitors from abroad. By Barbara Luel, with help from Nathalie Renotte. The Namur USk Group is well known, inside the USk Belgium Chapter, for collaborating with the local community. This time we knocked on many doors, and got so many responses it was actually difficult to squeeze the resulting program into one weekend! Sketchers met the Molons (Namur’s beloved singing charity society), the Stiltwalkers (Unesco Intangible Heritage), the Malemort re-enactment company, and the local Old Timers club. There were many other sketching opportunities, all in their special locations in the old city, the Citadel or the river banks. We enjoyed the hospitality of an ideal hub at Delta, where we met, shared our sketchbooks and stamped them with wonderful stamps! (everyone says this was a must!) Guest sketchers offered inspiring demos at selected spots: Valérie Guitter-Orst, Sylvain Cnudde, Vincent Andrieu, Anne Rose Oosterbaan, Jeroen Janssen, Arnaud De Meyer,
LEFT: SERGE DEHAES ABOVE: SKETCH BY HALWIJN GEERT Julien Englebert and myself (Barbara Luel). I had the pleasure of doing my demo of the city view from above the citadel, and I participated in the demo organized by Valérie GuitterOrst, where we sketched boats. The weather was stifling hot. And then came a major thunderstorm alert. We kept cool, activated Plan B “Rain” and sketched on! Participants, members of the public and the local partners enjoyed the opportunity to sketch authentic folklore in unique surroundings. Landmark locations opened their doors to sketchers. There were many discoveries and a lot of stories to tell with our sketches. All of this was free of charge for registered sketchers, thanks to our partners’ support: the USk Regional Grant, the Province of Namur, the Delta Cultural Center, the Citadel, the HEAJ College and the City of Namur.
USk news & events
PHOTO: ROMINA BECKER
PHOTO: ROMINA BECKER
PHOTO: DAVID DAMM
Back to the roots: #USkBerlin2023 BY ALRUN SCHMIDTKE AT THE FAIRY TALE FOUNTAIN PHOTO: DAVID DAMM
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USk news & events
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hen Berlin hosted the 7th annual Urban Sketchers Germany meeting this year, the organizing committee showed a taste for revolution: no registration fee, no workshops, no goodie bags, no limits on registration. Back to the roots – everyone was welcome to join. More than 700 sketchers from 20 countries descended upon Germany’s capital to attend #USkBerlin2023 on the first weekend of September. Plenty of generous volunteers from Berlin’s urban sketching community helped organize the three-day event, its website, registration, legal advice, program, sketch walks, communication with partners, printers as well as attendees, and – last, not least – the setup at their main location, Kulturforum. Forty-eight local urban sketchers offered a total of 69 sketch walks all over town on Friday and Saturday, with all registered attendees being allotted two spots each. Sketch walk destinations included classics such as the Berlin Wall, Museum Island, Brandenburg Gate, and both city centers of the formerly divided ‘capital of the Cold War’. Other guided tours connected visitors with local curiosities, such as a power plant close to a grand
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castle, historic octagonal city toilets, market halls, breweries, and Berlin’s many viaducts for metro lines. Three so-called “sketchpoints” acted as common meeting places all throughout Saturday, and attracted many a sketcher looking to find like-minded people in between scheduled events. The team chose scenic meet-up locations: HumboldtForum on Museum Island with its fantastic rooftop terrace; the so-called Palace of Tears at the transportation hub Friedrichstraße (a former border checkpoint between East and West); and Kulturbrauerei with its beautifully restored industrial courtyard architecture seemingly made for sketchers to settle down on their folding chairs and enjoy a sketch or two in the warm September sun. Sunday saw the sketching event coincide with a huge outdoor party at Kulturforum, celebrating the end of summer. Live music, beach chairs, and free ice cream bade #USkBerlin2023’s guests farewell. Meanwhile, a pop-up exhibition in Kulturforum’s ample foyer displayed the amazing outcome of three days’ worth of sunny Berlin, all reflecting on the great decision made by Urban Sketchers Berlin to try out a somewhat revolutionary concept.
erlin war in diesem Jahr Austragungsort des 7. Jahrestreffens der Urban Sketchers Deutschland und das Organisationskomitee übte sich in einer revolutionären Geste: keine Anmeldegebühr, keine Workshops, keine Goodie Bags, keine Anmeldebeschränkung. Zurück zu den Ursprüngen – alle waren willkommen.
lige aus der Berliner Urban-Sketching-Community halfen bei der Organisation der dreitägigen Veranstaltung, mit der Website, der Anmeldung, der Rechtsberatung, dem Programm, den Sketchwalks, der Kommunikation mit Partnerinstitutionen, Druckereien sowie Teilnehmern und – nicht zuletzt – beim Aufbau am Hauptstandort, dem Kulturforum.
Mehr als 700 Urban Sketchers aus 20 Ländern kamen am ersten Septemberwochenende in die deutsche Hauptstadt, um an #USkBerlin2023 teilzunehmen. Viele großzügige Freiwil-
48 ortsansässige Urban Sketchers boten am Freitag und Samstag insgesamt 69 Sketchwalks in der gesamten Stadt an, wobei allen Angemeldeten jeweils zwei Plätze zugelost 12 • 2023 7
USk news & events
wurden. Zu den Zielen der Sketchwalks gehörten Klassiker wie die Berliner Mauer, die Museumsinsel, das Brandenburger Tor und die beiden Stadtzentren der ehemals geteilten “Hauptstadt des Kalten Krieges”. Andere Touren führten die Besucher zu lokalen Kuriositäten wie einem Kraftwerk in der Nähe eines Schlosses, zu den historischen achteckigen Toilettenhäuschen, zu Markthallen, Brauereien und Berlins zahlreichen Hochbahnviadukten. Drei sogenannte „Sketchpoints“ dienten den ganzen Samstag über als gemeinsame Treffpunkte und zogen so manche Urban Sketchers auf der Suche nach Gleichgesinnten an. Dafür wählte das Team pittoreske Treffpunkte: Das Humboldt-Forum auf der Museumsinsel mit seiner atemberaubenden Dachterrasse, den Tränenpalast am Verkehrsknotenpunkt Friedrichstraße (ein ehemaliger Grenzübergang zwischen Ost und West) und die Kulturbrauerei mit ihrer wunderschön restaurierten Industriearchitektur, die wie geschaffen dafür war, dass sich die Sketch-Gäste auf ihren Klappstühlen niederließen, um in der warmen Septembersonne zu malen und zu zeichnen.
Am Sonntag fiel das Sketching-Event mit einer großen Outdoor-Party am Kulturforum zusammen, die das Ende des Sommers feierte. So wurden die Teilnehmer von #USkBerlin2023 mit Live-Musik, Strandkörben und kostenlosem Eis verabschiedet. Nach drei Tagen voller Sonnenschein in Berlin zeigte eine Pop-up-Ausstellung im großzügigen Foyer des Kulturforums die beeindruckenden Ergebnisse aller Sketcher. Die Anzahl und Bandbreite an Sketches unterstrichen am Ende eindrücklich, wie schön es ist, dass die Urban Sketchers Berlin mit dem Motto “Zurück zu den Ursprüngen” ein etwas revolutionäres Konzept umsetzten.
OPENING RECEPTION | DAGMAR KORBACHER
BERLIN CATHEDRAL BY ROMINA BECKER
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USk news & events USk news
ROMINA BECKER
OPENING RECEPTION | SILKE MASSCHINGER
USk YOUTUBE
USk INSTAGRAM
USk INSTAGRAM 12 • 2023 9
USk news & events
Drawing a Festival - one day at a time SKETCH REPORTER ADAM MICHEN DOCUMENTED THE SECOND URBAN SKETCHING FESTIVAL IN ŚWIDNICA, POLAND, AUG 12-15. HERE ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS. DRUGI FESTIWAL MIEJSKIEGO SZKICOWANIA W ŚWIDNICY 12-15.08.2023 | AUTOR SZKICÓW: ADAM MICHEN
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n August 12-15, 2023, the second Urban Sketching Festival took place in Świdnica, Poland, attended by over 150 people from several countries. The event included 10 workshops, two exhibitions, watercolor demos, lectures, an art supplies fair, sketch-walks, drink and draw meetings, and even a flea market. W dniach 12-15 sierpnia 2023 w Świdnicy odbył się drugi Festiwal Miejskiego Szkicowania, w którym wzięło udział ponad 150 osób z kilkunastu krajów. W ramach imprezy odbyło się 10 warsztatów, 2 wystawy, pokazy akwareli, prezentacje, targi artykułów plastycznych, sketch-walki, spotkania drink and draw, a nawet pchli targ. Zdjęcia i filmy z festiwalu można znaleźć na stronie na Facebooku: https://www.facebook.com/ urbansketchingfestival, ale całe wydarzenie dokumentował też w szkicowniku nasz rysunkowy reporter Adam Michen. Chcemy podzielić się jego relacją ze sketcherami na całym świecie. Zobaczcie festiwal jego oczami, po jednym rysunku na raz!
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GALERIA FOTOGRAFII | REJESTRACJA UCZESTNIKÓW
Zwracam uwagę na “urbansketcherski kontekst” bogate wnętrze zabytkowej sali w której kiedyś mieściła się apteka. PHOTO GALLERY | REGISTRATION OF PARTICIPANTS
I want to draw your attention to the “urban sketching context”, the rich interior of the historic room that once housed a pharmacy. ADAM MICHEN
USk news & events
DRINK&DRAW AT ALFAMA PUB & GARDEN
Zakończenie pierwszego dnia, wspólne rysowanie i posiłek, okazja do odpoczynku i poznania uczestników. ABOVE: DRINK&DRAW AT ALFAMA PUB & GARDEN
End of the first day, drawing and eating together, an opportunity to rest and get to know the participants.
WARSZTATY Z TINE KLEIN PT. “AKROBACJE Z PĘDZLEM”
Galeria, uczestnicy i prowadząca siedzą w koło, jest niezwykle gorąco; w tle wystawa USk Barwna i charyzmatyczna prowadząca, tłumaczy Alenka Gramatyk ABOVE: WORKSHOP – “BRUSH ACROBATICS” WITH TINE KLEIN
The gallery, the participants and the instructor are sitting around and it’s extremely hot; in the background the USk exhibition. Colorful and charismatic host, translated by Alenka Gramatyk
PREZENTACJA W SALI TEATRALNEJ PT. “URBAN SKETCHING W KATALONII”, PROWADZĄCA – IWONA FLASZCZYŃSKA
Ciekawe informacje, inspirujące.
LEFT: PRESENTATION IN THE THEATER HALL – “URBAN SKETCHING IN CATALONIA” WITH IWONA FLASZCZYŃSK
Interesting, inspiring information.
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USk news & events
RYNEK, POD KOLUMNĄ ŚWIĘTEJ TRÓJCY, OBOK FONTANNY NEPTUNA; WARSZTATY - DORA PINDUR “KREDKI DLA DOROSŁYCH”
Duże zainteresowanie nie tylko dorosłych. Lśni bruk, jest trochę cienia. Sam stałem się tematem do rysowania dla Magdaleny Turek-Staniuchy.
MARKET SQUARE, UNDER THE HOLY TRINITY COLUMN, NEXT TO THE NEPTUNE FOUNTAIN. “COLORED PENCILS FOR ADULTS” WORKSHOP WITH DORA PINDUR Great
interest not only among adults. The pavement shines, there is some shade. I myself became a subject for Magdalena Turek-Staniucha to draw.
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PLAC PRZY KATEDRZE W ŚWIDNICY WARSZTATY - OKSANA MACKOWICZ “FOKUS PRZY MALOWANIU SZKICÓW” SQUARE NEXT TO THE CATHEDRAL IN ŚWIDNICA. “FOCUS IN SKETCHING” WORKSHOP WITH OKSANA MACKOWICZ
USk news & events
To ostatni rysunek na festiwalu. Grupa organizatorów i ostatnich uczestników, którzy nie wyjechali ze Świdnicy, szkicuje na schodach przed Apteką pod Bykami. Prace, które powstały, pokazują różne strony. Rysuję dość długo, spokojnie, zaczyna się ściemniać. Betina wyciąga latarkę, Piotr fotografuje. ABOVE: This is the last drawing at the festival. A group of organizers and the
last participants who did not leave Świdnica is sketching on the stairs in front of the pharmacy “Pod Bykami”. The works created show different views. I draw for quite a long time, calmly, it’s getting darker. Betina takes out a flashlight, Piotr is taking photos. SKETCH FESTIVAL
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sketcher spotlight
Meet the ‘Traveling Painter’ sketcher spotlight
YOHJI KATO CAME LATE TO SKETCHING BUT HE IS MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME WITH HIS SENSITIVE AND DISCIPLINED APPROACH TO WHAT HE DOES, WHETHER AT HOME OR WHILE TRAVELING IN HIS NATIVE JAPAN. JANE WINGFIELD WITH MOMOKO TAKADA
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first saw his work in Stephanie Bower’s book, The World of Urban Sketching, and was struck by his refined yet natural linework and delicate color. I was able to contact him through Vancouver, B.C-based urban sketcher, Momoko Takada who communicated through email and faithfully translated our questions and answers. I was sad I was unable to “speak” directly to Yohji who strikes me as an authentic, unassuming artist who, after a long wait, has taken up his pens and shows us another part of the world, one sketch at a time.
Yohji Kato lives in Kasugai City, central Japan. “I think you can sketch anywhere, whether in the city or the countryside, whether it’s people, plants or bugs,” he says.
Yohji Kato might be a master of delayed gratification. As a child he enjoyed drawing and belonged to his school’s art club but he put down his pens at an early age out of respect for his mother. His family was related to Tokuro Kato, a revered Japanese ceramics artist who was more dedicated to his art than to his family. Witnessing the poverty of the potter’s family and knowing her son liked to draw, Yohji’s mother convinced her son to promise he wouldn’t pursue drawing. “After the second anniversary of her death, I thought no one would be sad anymore.” So, at age 50, after a career working in a computer-related job in the auto industry, Yohji picked up his ballpoint pens and started drawing again. His work is distinctive – sensitive, yet fresh and confident. He uses both ballpoint pens with oil-based ink and occasionally felt-tipped markers with oil-based ink. He says he applies a lot of pressure when he draws so ballpoint pens worked better for him than pencils. Yohji found Urban Sketchers through Facebook and is active there and on Instagram. He posts often, but, given that Japan has only one group for the whole country, he has not yet gone sketching with other urban sketchers. When I asked him about where he likes to sketch he replied, “It’s impossible to list favorite places in Japan because I have too many. I think you can sketch anywhere, whether in the city or the countryside, whether it’s people, plants or bugs.”
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Yohji Kato
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sketcher spotlight
Locals have dubbed Yohji the “wandering painter”. His response, “I don’t think I’m ‘wandering’, I just travel when I have time. I found myself sketching all the prefectures in Japan. I achieved that in 2017.” He has now focused his attention on the many Japanese islands and, to date, has drawn 118 of them. For visitors to Japan, Yohji suggests the 126 Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings. “I’d recommend looking up which locations you are interested in according to where you travel. Most of the districts are now tourist areas. There are some in historical cities such as Kyoto and Nara.”
Yohji’s home base
Yohji lives in Kasugai City, Aichi Prefecture, in central Japan. This is a commuter town feeding Nagoya, yet it still has rice paddies and nature at the base of the mountains in the east. The area where he was born is known for calligraphy. “We have our fireworks festival too. Seto City and Tajimi City are near Kasugai and known for their ceramics, calligraphy and cactus farming.”
REFLECTIONS 16 drawing attention
Yohji Kato
IBUKIJIMA ISLAND
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sketcher spotlight
SHISHIJIMA ISLAND
When Yohji travels he has a regular routine for his two to three-week trips. He likes to travel on his own, at his own pace, on his own schedule, still taking time to interact with people he meets.
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“When I travel I get up at five every morning, leave at six to go sketching all day, make plans for the next day, and then go to onsen, a hot spring or bathing facility at a traditional inn.” Such a civilized routine!
Yohji Kato
EGRET
Yohji particularly enjoys Japan’s many smaller islands which can be reached easily by liner from the mainland. “The fares are cheap and you can secure time for sketching on the island. Such islands are not touristy places, so you can expect communication with friendly local people.”
Some of his favorites are: • Awashima Island, Kagawa, known for its Missing Post Office • Fukashima Island, Oita (also known as ‘Cat Island’) • Iwaishima, Yamaguchi, known for its unique stone walls • Okishima Island, Shiga, which is an island on Lake Biwa
• Okinoshima
Island, Shimane, known for the amazing views • Madarashima Island, Saga, which used to be a hideaway island for Christians • Azuchi Oshima Island, Nagasaki, a fishing village and Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings. 12 • 2023 19
sketcher spotlight
FUKASHIMA ISLAND
TEBAJIMA ISLAND
YOHJI KATO
USk JAPAN 20 drawing attention
OMIJIMA ISLAND
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Yohji Kato
LEFT: INNOSHIMA ISLAND ABOVE: KASHIWAJIMA ISLAND 12 • 2023 21
sketcher spotlight
Yohji in his own words 今号の特集スケッチャーは、加藤要治さんです。要治さ んが住む春日井市は、日本中部に位置する愛知県にあ ります。名古屋市のベッドタウンとして機能する一方、東 部地域の山の裾野には今も田んぼや自然が残る土地で す。私はStephanie Bower著の『The World of Urban Sketching』で初めて要治さんの作品を知り、その洗練 されつつも飾らない線画と繊細な着色に目を奪われま した。今回、バンクーバー在住のスケッチャー・高田桃子 さんを介して要治さんにコンタクトし、彼女が翻訳した メールでの質疑応答を基にインタビューを構成していま す。長年の空白期間を経てペンをとり、スケッチ一枚一枚 を通して、世界の新たな一面を私たちに示してくれる要治 さん。気取らない真のスケッチャーという印象の彼と、実 際にZoomなどで「話す」ことができなかったのは、やは り心残りです。 要治さんは自制を極めた人と言えるでしょう。子ども時代 は絵を描くのが好きで、学校の美術部にも所属していま したが、その後母の望みにしたがって、若き日にペンを一 度置いています。彼の親戚には著名な陶芸家・加藤唐九 郎がいますが、唐九郎は家庭を顧みず作陶に没頭してい ました。それにより困窮していた唐九郎の家族を知る要 治さんの母は、息子に「絵が好きなようだか、どうか描か ないでほしい」と訴え、要治さんは絵を描かないことを誓 ったのです。 「しかし、母の三回忌を終えた時、もう悲しま せる人は誰もいないと思いました。」そして、自動車業界 のコンピュータ関連の仕事に従事した後、要治さんは50 歳にしてボールペンを手にとり、再び描き始めました。彼 の作品はとてもユニークで、緻密でありながら、フレッシ ュで大胆です。油性ボールペン、また時には油性サイン ペンを使って描いています。 「筆圧が強いので、鉛筆だと 芯がボキボキ折れてしまうのです。」 22 drawing attention
スケッチするのに好きな場所を尋ねると、要治さんから は「日本国内では多すぎて、ここでは説明できません。私 は、スケッチはどこでもできると思っています。町でも田 舎でも。人でも植物でも虫でも」と返ってきました。 要治さんは「放浪スケッチャー」と呼ばれています。そ れに対して、要治さんは「放浪という感覚は私にはなく て、時間があるときに旅に出るというだけです。そのうち に、日本の全県でスケッチしていることに気がつきまし た。2017年5月に達成しています」とお話ししてくれまし た。それから日本の多くの離島も訪ねるようになり、現在 まで118の離島でスケッチをしています。 要治さんは、いつも2～3週間の旅に出ると、決まったル ーティンで行動しているそうです。自分のペース、自分の スケジュールで一人旅をするのを好みますが、現地で出 会う人々との交流も大切にしています。 「旅では、毎朝5 時に起床、6時には出発 して一日中スケッチし、 夜に明日の計画を立て て、温泉に行くという のがパターンです。」な んと規則正しい旅でし ょう！
Yohji Kato
Artistry Unwrapped Blick Studio Artists’ Colored Pencils Shop in stores and online.
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SKETCHER DEMO
The power of Negative thinking TINE KLEIN SHOWS HOW LEAVING SOME CAREFULLY CHOSEN WHITE SPACE ON YOUR PAGE WILL HAVE A POSITIVE EFFECT ON YOUR WORK.
Urban Sketcher Tine Klein lives in Zurich and, in addition to sketching and teaching workshops, she is an art lecturer in the Herz der Kunst studio. “Art should be expressive. Art should be fun and so simple that you can always have it with you,” she says. Find more tips for sketchers on her blog.
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or those who love urban sketching, the quest is always on for techniques that make the creative process faster and more efficient while requiring minimal art supplies when we are on the move. I’ve discovered such a technique for myself: the Negative Technique. All you need for this is the courage to think outside the box. Let me inspire you to try it. Sometimes we forget that we can just leave white space and show a subject through its surroundings. In fact, subjects painted with the negative technique frequently appear more striking than those that are fully colored. Why? Because the artist preserves what’s essential: good shape and light! Painting from the ‘outside’ can also be quite simple and swift.
Tine Klein
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Step 1: The wild beginning. Starting with an initial abstract and ‘wild’ approach gets you off to an energetic start. How is this supposed to become a picture? Wait and see! This wild spot of color will give your sketch a lot of charm later. You can splatter and throw color onto the paper. Don’t worry, enjoy the fun of having started with gusto. The shape comes later! Start loose and tighten later. Think abstract when applying brushstrokes to the paper; free, expressive, colourful strokes make the final result more interesting.
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Step 2: Shaping. Now add color behind the shape, to define the motif. Pay attention to the edges; the rest can be done quickly and without details, creating beautiful color fields. Start with a slightly lighter initial layer, serving as a moist base for the darker colors. Apply very dark color with a relatively dry brush onto the light, moist color. Why? Dark colors won’t appear harsh this way and you avoid water stains this way of painting.
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sketcher demo
3 Step 3: Refining the Shapes The light colors begin to shine through the dark colors, bringing life to your artwork. Jazz up your painting with a variety of bright colors, contrasts, and interesting shapes. This can make even the simplest subjects entertaining.
“Subjects painted with the Negative Technique frequently appear more striking than those that are fully colored. Why? Because the artist preserves what’s essential: good shape and light!” − Tine Klein
The interplay between warm and cool colors makes the subject more appealing. Pairing a color with its complementary color acts like a brightness booster.
TIPS
CREATE A WELL-DEFINED SHAPE BY EMPHASIZING THE EDGES. THIS MAKES THE SUBJECT CRISP AND RECOGNIZABLE. BEAR IN MIND, THIS TECHNIQUE ONLY WORKS ON DRY PAPER, SO MAKE SURE YOUR PAPER DRIES BETWEEN STAGES.
TINE KLEIN 26 drawing attention
Ronaldo Kurita
Meet our new Vice President
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT RONALDO KURITA IS USk’S NEW VICE PRESIDENT. HE SHARES HIS JOURNEY HERE.
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started my journey with Urban Sketchers in 2013 without knowing the destination. Shortly after, I applied to be a volunteer at the 5th Urban Sketching Symposium in Paraty. It was my first time meeting some of the artists that I only knew online and who were an inspiration to me. I was then invited to join the USk Membership Team on the last day of that symposium. I had a great experience working with an international team of leaders that mentored and helped new local chapters be created around the world. I became one of the USk São Paulo admins in 2015, and USk Brasil in 2018. I made so many friends that soon became family. I’m very proud and glad to have helped the Brazilian USk community grow, reaching the number of 34 groups. Brasil now has the second largest number of chapters in the world. This growth has allowed us to create a nationwide bond that connects us. I was involved in creating and organizing our national meetings. Our Brazilian volunteer chapter admins are amazing, and by joining forces, we could give a taste of what an international symposium is like for our members.
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I was taught and touched by many amazing people that have the same passion as myself: we love to tell stories through sketches and connect with other artists.”
I ended up meeting volunteers from other committees and joined the USk Social Media team in 2022. This journey taught me much more about the organization as we were involved in strategies to share our community stories, our members’ sketches, promote our events and education programs, and our missions and values as well. I was taught and touched by many amazing people that have the same passion as myself: we love to tell stories through sketches and connect with other artists. I’m honored to take the step of becoming USk Vice President now. I hope I can add all the knowledge and experience I gained on the ground to a higher level in my role on the Executive Board. I want to thank my family and friends who supported and contributed to my getting here. Cheers!
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USk people
Thank you, Patrick
OUR OUTGOING VICE PRESIDENT PATRICK NG
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can’t believe how quickly the last two years have whizzed by serving as VP. And what a whirlwind of an experience it has been! I am so super thankful for the opportunity and privilege to have been able to give back this way. I came into the role at a time when the world was just beginning to come out of two years of lockdowns and restricted on-location sketching activities, due to the global pandemic. People were hungry for in-person interaction and community, yet at the same time they were also cautious and guarded. As such, it was a challenging time to take on the task of growing our global USk community.
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Over the last two years, we have worked hard on strengthening membership infrastructure and procedures, and streamlining our new chapter vetting processes and so on in an attempt to make joining our global community as a local chapter easier. We came up with useful tools like the Chapter Admin Handbook to help chapter admins better run their local communities, and the Chapter Application Guide to guide aspiring groups in joining our global USk family. I am happy to report that in the past two years we have added 90 new chapters to our global community. This would not have been possible without the hard work of the amazing and dedicated Membership Team, with whom I have had the privilege to work. I am stepping down due to other priorities in my life that need my focused attention. I want to thank my most esteemed colleagues on the Executive Board, for the love, comradeship and camaraderie these past two years. You are hands down the best team I have ever worked with. Mad love and rest for each of you. Finally, please join me in welcoming our new VP, Ronaldo Kurita!
Four Years as Education Director BY RITA SABLER
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s my tenure as the Education Director is coming to an end I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the last four years leading USk Education. It has been a privilege working with my fellow board members and with the members of the Education committee, and my right hand Ludi VC, the workshop coordinator. I am grateful for the opportunity that allowed me to grow as a leader and as an educator. Coming into the job I didn’t know what to expect, but the mission became clear as world events unfolded. The global pandemic brought a lot of isolation to virtually everybody in the world. Lockdowns also made it difficult to be outside in public places. Without this, urban sketching became an exercise in techniques and tools. It felt important to show the strength of our community and reinforce the idea that makes urban sketching different from other art forms. We need to be telling stories, drawing what we witness directly, even if it is done from
Rita Sabller
our living room couches. USk Talks was born to battle the isolation and stagnation of the early pandemic. It kept the spirit of urban sketching alive and inspired many new sketchers to join the movement for the first time. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with a team dedicated to strengthening community and storytelling. We also felt it was vital to further foster and encourage storytelling potential with a project-driven grant program. The idea of a Reportage Grant was introduced by the Editorial team before the pandemic, but we were able to finally make it happen in 2021. This program distributed microgrants and gave aspiring artist-reporters a platform to showcase their projects. The grant also started to build a library of reportage projects that could serve as inspiration for others to go deeper than just a ‘postcard sketch’. By combining writing and sketching, reportage authors have to look for answers, talk to their subjects, conduct research, and think about what they want to say with their work. In 2023 we were finally able to restart our symposiums. It was challenging to get the engines running after a long break. Thanks to the efforts of our amazing volunteers, the symposium was a resounding success. In Auckland we also held our first ever Instructor Retreat, giving a vital point of connection for our community of instructors, giving ideas on how to move forward with some of our education initiatives. Finally, for the organization to continue to flourish we needed to invest effort and resources into fostering young peoples’ interest in the art of sketching on location. We are currently working on the USk Youth Initiative, a new program where educators form partnerships with local schools, targeting
young urban sketchers. In addition, our next symposium will also feature a day of activities designed exclusively for youth. I hope to continue my involvement with the organization. One of the ways is a training program for future instructors. Stay tuned and please extend a warm welcome to the new Education Director, (former USk Secretary) Annette Morris!
ANNETTE MORRIS 12 • 2023 29
sketcher spotlight
Sketching at ‘the Woodstock of the Mind’ STEPH THELWELL WORKED HARD TO CAPTURE THE ICONIC HAY LITERARY FESTIVAL ON PAPER, EXHIBITING HER WORK IN THE WINDOW OF PEN AND CRAFT SHOP BARTRUMS DURING THE TOWN’S FAMOUS FESTIVAL.
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ay-on-Wye is a small but remarkable ‘big market village’ that sits astride the Welsh-English border. Every summer it draws over 100,000 eager readers to its world-famous Hay Literary Festival. Dubbed the ‘Woodstock of the Mind’ by Bill Clinton, this internationally revered celebration includes publishing, performing and creative art events. It’s awash with famous faces from around the world who bring with them lively, funny and serious debate and entertainment. So much of the festival is interactive, and there are many opportunities to meet authors and speakers. The festival, which began in 1988, has grown rapidly in popularity and is held in a large field on the edge of town, in the shadow of the Black Mountains which is part of the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. The atmosphere is colourful and uplifting, with a huge bookshop, foodhall, marquees, yoga and reading spaces, children’s workshops, and a sea of brightly colored iconic deck chairs that act as magnets to those of all ages, clutching books and picnics.
Steph Thelwell is an urban sketcher, painter and “maker of things”. She has worked previously as a book designer and medical illustrator, and devotes her time to sketching and creating stories.
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A golden opportunity
I’d visited Bartrums many times on my trips to Hay over the years, and I’d come to know the women who worked front-of-house. Once I moved to Hay, I visited them more, discussing urban sketching and the various pens, inks and other drawing materials that we sketchers use. Having seen my sketches on Instagram, Bartrums invited me to take part in their annual Literary Festival window exhibition. This inspired me to create a new collection of watercolors of the town.”
Steph Thelwell
LEFT: STEPH’S WORK IN THE BARTRUMS WINDOW
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sketcher spotlight
Rising to the challenge
The festival is on for 10 days, and I visited the site every day, though I didn’t draw every day. Finding a space to sketch was easy, every view begging to be captured, and there was a continual flow of people among makeshift architecture, trees, flags and bunting. Solitary sketching can make it hard to keep up the momentum over so many days as we can be distracted by meeting people, finding interesting food and getting sketcher’s cramp. I see these all as pebbles along the path of creativity.
I always feel I could have done so much more, been better organised and stayed more focused. With this in mind, I am starting to think about next year – how to be more productive, sketch faster, capture more and bring a fresh and vibrant narrative to my work. It is important for me to keep my drawings evolving whilst believing they can mean something to others by being truthful to the time and place.
“It is important for me to keep my drawings evolving and believing they can mean something to others by being truthful to the time and place.” – Steph Thelwell
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STEPH’S TIPS: One of the most
important things for me when out sketching is to watch what people are doing and where they are gathering, before I start sketching. Look at the surroundings, the light and how people are moving through the space. I find it too easy to rush into drawing and become overwhelmed, so I think back to art school and the instruction to look for 80% of the time and sketch for 20%. Give yourself time, be patient, enjoy being part of the event.
Steph Thelwell
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sketcher spotlight
STEPH THELWELL 34 drawing attention
USk news
Hello, fellow Urban Sketchers! We’ve got some great news to share with you. The Urban Sketchers Global Sketchbook project is on the move, and it’s growing and evolving to capture the incredible stories of our global community of sketchers. We’re thrilled to introduce our brand new submission guidelines, which now include examples, making it easier for you to ensure that your contributions align with the project’s spirit and find a place in the sketchbook. So, whether you’re sketching solo or with a group, we’re eager to hear from you! Head over to our contribute page, and together, we’ll keep building an amazing global sketchbook that tells the stories of our surroundings, the places we live, and where we travel. Genine Carvalheira, USk President
ABOVE: MARU GODÀS TEACHING AT THE AUCKLAND SYMPOSIUM
Teaching deadline THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT PROPOSALS TO TEACH AT THE 2024 URBAN SKETCHERS SYMPOSIUM IS 10 DECEMBER.
USk SYMPOSIUM
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sketcher spotlight
‘Quiet reportage’ highlights Seattle trees WE MAY THINK THAT SKETCH REPORTAGE INVOLVES BEING VIRTUALLY IN THE TRENCHES ON A BATTLEFIELD OR PARTICIPATING IN LARGE PUBLIC RALLIES. BUT IT CAN BE A QUIETER PROCESS, AS TINA KOYAMA DISCOVERED.
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abi Campanario, editor of the online publication On the Spot, gave me an opportunity to report on a tree that had captured the hearts of Seattle. Named ‘Luma’ by its supporters, this 200-year-old western red cedar was slated to be cut down to make room for the construction of a housing development.
An avid urban sketcher since 2011, Tina Koyama is an admin for USk Seattle and she recently found a story waiting to be told through sketch reportage.
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I’m fortunate to live in a city where trees are a prominent part of the urban landscape, and I always enjoy including trees in my urban sketches. Working on Luma’s story, however, gave me a much greater appreciation for the sketch reportage process. Sketching isn’t just fun, it can also be a powerful storytelling medium. When I’m sketching, I normally think only about what interests me – the subject, the way the light is shining, an interesting composition. But to cover Luma’s story, I looked at potential sketches through my readers’ eyes, not just my own. What kinds of sketches would tell the story best? I visited the site three times to make five sketches at different times of day, to catch the best light. I also used the visits to talk to activists and concerned neighbors. One of my favorite interview subjects was an elementary school student who was selling lemonade onsite to support Luma. My natural tendency is to be reserved
Tina Koyama
“My natural tendency is to be reserved while sketching in public, so it was a bit of a stretch to reach out to strangers but I knew it was important to hear their perspectives directly.” – Tina Koyama
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sketcher spotlight
while sketching in public, so it was a bit of a stretch to reach out to strangers but I knew it was important to hear their perspectives directly. At home, I researched the benefits that trees provide to the environment. I learned more about the term “climate justice” which I was only vaguely aware of before I wrote the article. Seattle’s mature trees, which provide critical services to humans and wildlife, are disappearing at an alarming rate, mostly due to new construction. Often the removal of trees is in less affluent neighborhoods, so the impact becomes socio-economic as well as environmental. As for my writing, Gabi gave me helpful feedback that made the narrative much stronger. In addition to being founder of Urban Sketchers, Gabi wrote his Seattle Sketcher column for The Seattle Times for many years. After all, sketching is only half the work of sketch reportage. The other half is compelling writing that gives context and meaning to the images. It was an honor and privilege to learn from a master storyteller. Working on this reportage has changed the way I think about trees. I feel a greater responsibility now to do my part to help save those that may be at risk. My goal is to sketch as many 38 drawing attention
endangered Seattle trees as I can. They fill a spreadsheet – I can’t sketch fast enough. Sometimes I’m too late. But every tree I sketch has become an opportunity to express gratitude to all trees that silently provide service to us every day.
“My goal is to sketch as many endangered Seattle trees as I can” – Tina Koyama
Tina Koyama
WHAT HAPPENED TO LUMA? In early August kuow.org reported that Luma will be preserved: “The owner of the property, the lender for the project, and the builder have begun work with the Snoqualmie Tribe to preserve the tree as a ‘culturally modified tree,’ a term Washington uses to note and preserve trees of significance.”
TINA KOYAMA
READ TINA KOYAMA’S FULL STORY HERE.
Visit On the Spot by Gabi Campanario for more sketch reportage from around the world.
ABOVE: KAY VAN BELLEN
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new books
new books JANE WINGFIELD BRINGS YOU HER PICKS FOR END-OF-YEAR READING
PORTRAITS ET SCÈNES DE VIE RENATA LAHALLE
BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO URBAN SKETCHING TARIA DAWSON
NOT JUST PARIS LIZ SCOTTA
OFF THE WALLS LEN GRANT
THE COLOR OF STAITHES JOHN HARRISON
MADE IN CHINA LAPIN
COMPOSTELLE PAS À PAS AGNES GOYET
CHATAEU D’ORQUEVAUX CHRISTINA WALD
new chapters
WELCOME NEW CHAPTERS! We are excited to announce these new chapters. Welcome to the global family of urban sketchers! JAVIER MAS PINTURAS NORTH AMERICA
EUROPE
USk Okanagan, Canada USk Palm Springs, CA. USk Racine, WI, USA USk Chihuahua, Mexico
USk Badajoz, Spain USk Parma, Italy USk Regensburg, Germany
OCEANIA
USk Newcastle, NSW, Australia
ASIA SOUTH AMERICA
USk São José dos Campos, Brazil USk Sorriso, Brazil
PERSPECTIVE MADE SIMPLE NIRAJ GUPTA
USk Kolkata, India USk Thiruvananthapuram, India USk Lucknow, India
USk Cheongju, South Korea USk Cheonan, South Korea USk Paju, South Korea USk Shanghai, China
LISTENING TO NEW ORLEANS RITA SABLER
PACK YOUR SKETCHES FULL OF LIFE OLIVER HOELLER
12 • 2023 41
cool gear
COOL GEAR: THE ART WINDOW BY MARK LEIBOWITZ mentally divide urban sketchers into two categories. First there are the people who are trying to perfect their drawings. They tend to work in one style and use the same palette, the same brushes and mainly the same approach to every sketch. Some of the best work that gets posted at our sites are from people who are pursuing this consistency strategy. It works. You get better and better using the same materials each time.
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Many sketchers draw a box around their artwork; it’s sort of a do-it-yourself instant frame. Some people draw the box lines free hand for a carefree look. Others use a ruler for the crisp lines it gives, or create a border of tape around their paper. The tape is waterproof which allows you to apply paint right up to the edge. When the tape is removed it gives the work a clean, finished edge that can be very attractive.
Then there is the second group who are more restless, who easily get bored. They are always trying new things. Many of these experiments fail, but the results are always interesting. It’s pretty obvious that if you write the Cool Gear column you are going to be fascinated by this second group. I’m always checking in to see what interesting new things this group is trying.
Leslie found a new way to get the same effect. We were sketching in front of the New York City Public Library, a beautiful Beaux Arts building on Fifth Avenue. As she was setting up for the first sketch of the day, I saw her slip a sheet of drawing paper into a cardboard contraption she created – basically a sandwich made out of cardboard. The top board had a precut window. The bottom board was solid with no window. The two boards were taped together. She wiggled the drawing paper around until it was positioned perfectly and then started to sketch. Upon completion she pulled out a finished drawing with a nice clean white border. Viola!
Which brings me to Leslie Sim. She’s been sketching with our group for years, and gets beautiful results. Her style is also dependably consistent, which is surprising because she is always trying new things.
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review
LESLIE SIM I wish I could go out sketching with every group so I could see all the different creative solutions we are using world-wide. Until I figure out a way to do that, please send me a note and some photos when you uncover that next brilliant thing. E: markleibowitz810@gmail.com
PARKA REVIEWS BY TEOH YI CHIE
Teoh Yi Chie is an infographics journalist who joined Urban Sketchers Singapore in 2009. He’s probably better known as Parka from Parkablogs.com, a website that reviews art books and art products. This month Parka reviews the Rembrandt Watercolour Brush Series 100. Check it out!
USk YOUTUBE
USk INSTAGRAM 12 • 2023 43
Our Manifesto • We draw on location, indoors or out, capturing what we see from direct observation • Our drawings tell the story of our surroundings, the places we live and where we travel • Our drawings are a record of time and place • We are truthful to the scenes we witness • We use any kind of media and cherish our individual styles • We support each other and draw together • We share our drawings online • We show the world, one drawing at a time.
© 2023 Urban Sketchers www.urbansketchers.org