The official zine of Urban Sketchers SEPT 2022 SKETCHING IN COLOMBIA • BARCELONAHOHENLOHECURAÇAO•LILLE•LANGUEDOCNEWZEALANDMONROVIAFLORIANÓPOLISSEATTLE Attention DRAWING
We are looking forward to the regional events we have happening later this year.
We say a fond farewell to outgoing USk Secretary, Uma Kelkar who has served with dedication, enthusiasm, and tireless energy. And we welcome the incoming secretary, Annette Morris, British artist and teacher, along with the new Communications Director Maria Regina Tuazon. Have you ever thought about using toned paper? New Zealand sketcher, Murray Dewhurst shows us how he does it quite effectively. Brazilian sketcher, Ivan Jerônimo, gives us a peek into the process he used to create his Illustrated Diary of the Isolation, 60 Dias dentro de casa about his time in lockdown. There’s a new Urban Sketcher Handout book, Spotlight on Nature: Tips and Techniques for Drawing and Painting Nature on Location. In July, authors, Gail Wong and Virginia Hein presented a workshop of the same name in Seattle, the first in-person sketching workshop there in over two years. They taught us how to make our own concertinas and shared their process for including nature in our sketches. The big news, of course is the 11th Annual USk Symposium in Auckland next April! In the coming months we hope to feature the local and international sketchers who will be teaching at the symposium. Stay tuned!
Jane Wingfield, DA Content Team, with Olga Surmacheva and Anne drawingattention@urbansketchers.orgTaylor
Genine
Each of the regional events has a member of the executive board attending so we can support our communities and get to know each other. I cannot wait to see everyone in Buenos Aires, Argentina in October! We are very excited that there are so many opportunities for everyone to gather together in person and we’d love to see your sketches from any USk event you’ve attended. Please share by using the hashtags #UrbanSketchers, #USkRegionalEvent and Take#uskchapters.careand happy sketching! Carvalheira, USk president@urbansketchers.orgPresident the Urban Whew! I don’t know about you, but the past few months have been a total whirlwind, and from the looks of this issue, I know I’m not alone. We meet Shafic Al Timani, featured sketcher from Monrovia, the capital city of Liberia. And we welcome nine new USk chapters that have been formed worldwide!
• 13 November: The second Indonesian Ciliwung Rhapsody Regional Event
To learn more and submit please visit our site. We can’t wait to see all your proposals! This year, we provided Regional Events Grants for five community-based events across the USk world. The first one of the two, Indonesian Ciliwung Rhapsody Regional Events, was a huge success in July 2022. In August, USk Poland along with USk Prague and the Świdnica Culture Center hosted their fantastic and free four day event in Świdnica, Poland.
• 30 September to 2 October 2022: San Diego, USA • 7-10 October: Buenos Aires, Argentina
authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the
Hello Urban Sketchers, Welcome! It has been an exciting July and August. We started by announcing that the 11th USk Symposium will be in Auckland, New Zealand and that Symposium excitement continues. We are in the midst of the open call for symposium programming, seeking proposals for workshops, lectures and Skit Sketch presentations.
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. Thanks to this month’s Drawing Attention contributors: Content P ubliC ation team: Olga Surmacheva, Anne Taylor, Jane Wingfield mailChim P layout: Jane Wingfield i ssuu layout: Anne Taylor Writers: Cathy Gutterman, Anne Taylor, Jane Wingfield CoPy e ditor: Leslie Akchurin Contributors: Genine Carvalheira, Murray Dewhust, Mark Leibowitz, Parka Cover image: Arthur Oster, USk Curaçao Subscribe to Drawing Attention. Read the June edition of Drawing Attention CirCulation: 14k+ r eadershiP: 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. © 2022 Urban Sketchers. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this publication, including accompanying artwork, are those of
Sketchers organization.
FOR EASIER READING ON SELECTISSUU.COM FULL SCREEN . CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD ISSUU APP FOR IOS DEVICES CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD ISSUU APP FOR ANDROID HOW TO READ DRAWING ATTENTION AS AN E-ZINE CONTENTS 12 USK CURAÇAO 31 FAVESINSTAGRAM SUBSCRIBE TO DRAWING ATTENTION – IT’S FREE 4 NEWS & EVENTS 18 DEMO 32 SPOTLIGHT ON NATURE 38 COOL GEAR & REVIEW 36 IVAN JERÔNIMO 6 NZ SYMPOSIUM2023 22 SHAFICTIMANIAL 11 NEW CHAPTERS
WELCOME NEW SECRETARY ANNETTE MORRIS
SUBSCRIBE TO DRAWING ATTENTION – IT’S FREE SUBSCRIBE TO THE USK YOUTUBE CHANNEL
usk
Genine Carvalheira, USk President UMA KELKAR
ANNETTE MORRIS MARIA REGINA TUAZON HI, I’M YOUR COMMUNICATIONSNEW
DIRECTOR Born in Manila, Philippines, I lived in Singapore for more than 13 years. It was with USk Singapore that I madly started urban sketching and experienced my first Symposium. It led me to volunteer with the Symposium Team thereafter. Currently based in Berlin, I am getting the hang of speaking a foreign language, working with diverse brands, having a love affair with nature, and sketching during different seasons. I am passionate about work and causes that delight, connect, and move people. With a demonstrated history of working in the global creative and digital media industry, I have enjoyed collaborating with teams and communities from different cultures and walks of life. Creative professional by day, I am a percussionist, roving photographer, storyteller, and urban sketching addict in between. My love for the arts, education and meaningful causes keeps me in perfect tune.
Maria Regina Tuazon 4 drawing attention news
We would like to welcome Annette Morris, a British artist living in southern France. She is the founder of USk Languedoc, a multinational, multilingual chapter within the USk family. In addition to exhibiting her work, Annette runs online sketch classes plus workshops and sketching holidays in France. “I’m passionate about bringing people together who share a common interest. Becoming an active member of USk means I’ve finally ‘found my tribe’.” We wish Annette all the best in her new role.
THANK YOU, UMA I want to take the opportunity to extend a huge thank you to Uma Kelkar for her time and dedication to the Urban Sketchers organization and our community. She has been a part of our community since 2010 and had served as our Executive Board Secretary since 2019. Working with Uma these past few years has been inspiring and educational. The amazing mix of her artistic and engineering mind would raise thought-provoking questions and create unique suggestions enveloped in honesty and compassion. Uma has been an outstanding colleague –and an amazing friend. From the entire EB, thank you for all of your heart and effort.
USk Languedoc and USk Barcelona held a sketch swap during April and May, in which members volunteered to exchange a sketch by snail mail and correspond with their partner from the other group. Recipients posted images to social media once they arrived. Sketching friendships were made and many reported how fun it was to receive a piece of original art in the post! They put together a gallery where all the sketches can be viewed.
It’s summertime, at least in the northern hemisphere, and sketchers have been busy around the world!
RENCONTRES NATIONALES USK FRANCE
SKETCH
On 18 June, following the postal exchange, the groups arranged a Sketch crawl in Narbonne, and over 60 sketchers participated. Everyone had a great time, even if the languages were sometimes a little challenging.
Urban Sketchers Hohenlohe, in southwest Germany, have been getting together regularly, often joining with other groups in the region. Last May Betina Ruppert (@bettina_draws) organized a weekend sketch outing at the Kirchberg Castle, inviting sketchers she has met from her travels. Sketchers came from Germany, Czech Republic, Israel, Russia, USA, UK, Ukraine and Brazil to draw the sights all day and into the night. They shared some meals and created work in watercolor, acrylic, crayon, pencil and ink. Some of the Kirchberg sketches can be seen on Instagram @urbansketchershohenlohe. The Urban Sketchers Hohenlohe Group meets at least once a month and more often in summer. You can find them on Facebook and Instagram.
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SKETCHTOUR KIRCHBERG – May 2022
SKETCHTOUR KIRCHBERG USK SKETCH SWAP FRANCE/SPAIN
USK SKETCH SWAP FRANCE/SPAIN
Four hundred sketchers participated in France’s Annual National meet-up in Lille from the 3rd to the 6th of June. Hahnemuhle sponsored the event and distributed free watercolor kits. The organizers set up sketching routes (circuits) beginning Friday afternoon, but the official gathering began on Saturday morning with a group photo. Afterwards, participants swarmed the city for the next three days, spreading out to sketch the city. The event was free and required no registration. Check out the Instagram hashtag: #usklille2022 BY GWEN SCHARLIPP
ABOVE: SKETCH BY MURRAY DEWHURST 6 drawing attention “WE’VE BEEN HOLDING THIS SECRET FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS,” SAYS ERIC NGAN, USK EVENTS DIRECTOR: AUCKLAND, THE LARGEST CITY IN THE OCEANIA REGION, AT THE TOP OF THE NORTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND, IS HOSTING THE 11TH USK SYMPOSIUM IN 2023. ELEVENTH USK SYMPOSIUM 2023 •
This Symposium will likely reflect the new ways that USk has been using social media during the pandemic.
It’s a familiar rollercoaster of emotions for Auckland-based Eric Ngan, USk’s Events Director, who has been organising large-scale events fopr 25 years, including New Zealand’s largest – the Auckland Lantern Festival.
“Zoom just wasn’t a thing three years ago,” says Eric, “While our primary focus will still be on in-person engagement, we are brainstorming other approaches –live streaming events, for example – to reach those who can’t be here in person.”
“We have a big team working on it,” says Eric. “There’s an events subcommittee with an international membership, and we are also developing the capabilities of a large group of volunteers here in New Zealand.”
MOVING WITH THE TIMES
MEMBERS OF USK
AUCKLAND
Auckland was confirmed as a Symposium location in 2020 but COVID lockdowns saw the much-loved event cancelled twice. Now local sketchers are feeling a mixture of relief, excitement and anticipation of the large amount of work ahead to create the best possible Symposium.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE NZ SYMPOSIUM
9 • 2022 7 ERIC NGAN AUCKLAND, NZ • 19-22 April 2023
HOW TO BOOK Bookings will be done via urbansketchers.org, with public registrations open in early or mid-September. There will also be free events and opportunities for non-registered sketchers to join.
Pretty bloody excited and slightly terrified.....
“We know that if people are travelling the considerable distance to New Zealand, they will need information on long-haul flights, visas and tips on other places to see in New Zealand while they are here,” says Eric. The team has just set up the Usk Travel Hub Facebook page to meet this need. “There will be lots of solo travellers, for example, so they will be able to connect with others here.”
ABOVE: SKETCH BY MURRAY DEWHURST RIGHT: SKETCH BY ERIC NGAN
WHAT’S SPECIAL ABOUT NEW ZEALAND?
These were the first feelings that came to mind back when we first won the event in 2020, but they didn’t last too long because of COVID-19. That excitement definitely came back though this year when Eric confirmed that it was back on. Probably the most unique feature will be a taste of Māori culture – we will build in some content, looking at traditional Māori protocols of welcoming and hosting visitors. I think visitors will find Auckland a very relaxed and easy destination with lots of interesting destinations to see nearby while they are here — from wild west coast beaches and Waitakere bush to mellow east coast beaches, a walk up Rangitoto or a vineyard visit on Waiheke Island.
“Every time I talk about indigenous Māori and Pacific culture to the sketching community, there is always a lot of interest and excitement,” says Eric, “so we will definitely feature local culture and unique shareable experiences for people.” Eric is currently liaising with Māori and Pacific arts and crafts practitioners ahead of the Symposium.
usk news & events f 8 drawing attention
– MurrayUSkDewhurst,Auckland
NZ Symposium 2023 USK INSTAGRAM SEE YOU IN AUCKLAND! CALL FOR PROPOSALS We are looking for proposals for workshops, lectures and skit sketch presentations. If you would like to teach or present, make sure you send us your proposal by 11 September 2022. Here is more information on how to prepare your proposal. You can submit your proposal online. SKETCH BY ERIC NGAN
10 drawing attention usk news & events You can contact us to share your chapter’s news, special events, joint meetups, and exhibitions with our readers. Contact us at: drawingattention@urbansketchers.org SHARE YOUR CHAPTER’S NEWS WITH OUR READERS
9 • 2022 11 new chapters USK CAMPO GRANDE, BRAZIL We welcome the following new chapters. We are very grateful to see that our family is continually growing! Thank you all for being part of the USk Community!! USk Bremen, Germany USk Erlangen, Germany USk Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom USk Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, France USk Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada USk Concepción, Chile USk Campo Grande, Brazil USk Ahmedabad, India USk Maryborough, Qld, Australia USk Bremen, Germany WELCOME NEW CHAPTERS USK BREMEN USK CARDIFF USK EN-COTENTINCHERBOURGUSK CCONCEPCIÓN, CHILE USK AHMEDABADUSKMEDICINE HAT
12 drawing attention Welcome Urban Sketchers Curaçao CURAÇAO (SAY ‘CURA-SOW’) IS A SMALL DUTCH CARIBBEAN ISLAND IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE CARIBBEAN SEA, CLOSE TO VENEZUELA – ONE OF THE ‘ABC’ ISLANDS. KNOWN FOR ITS BEACHES TUCKED INTO COVES AND ITS EXPANSIVE CORAL REEFS RICH WITH MARINE LIFE, IT NOW HAS ITS OWN URBAN SKETCHING CHAPTER WHICH GREW FROM A LONG TRADITION OF PLEIN AIR PAINTING. BY CATHY GUTTERMAN new chapter
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USk
Curaçao
Urban Sketchers Curaçao was founded by Arthur Oster in 2021 with co-founders Tanja Hummel and Mo nique Harbers. Recently, Johanna Huisman accepted a board position. While it has a new name, the group has been ‘plein air’ painting and drawing group “since the last century,” meeting every Friday morning at a different location on the island. During the pandemic, some members of the plein air group discovered urban sketching. The majority of the group feels that there is a very fine line between plein air painting, sketching in general, and plein air urban sketchOftening. referred to as the Caribbean’s ‘Hidden Treasure,’ Curaçao offers the perfect combination of stunning geogra phy, rich culture, and colorful architecture. The small size of the island doesn’t limit USk Curaçao, as they have so many scenic spots to choose from. The greatest challenge for them is to find a place where they can sit in the shade! On a tropical island, the sun is not just your friend but can also be a barrier to conveniently painting and drawing outdoors. The sun can be dangerously hot, though the trade wind provides some Knowncooling.asan active and fun group, USk Curaçao’s member ship consists of people of all ages with different levels and skill, from all cultural and racial groups. Absolutely no form of discrimination exists among their members, and they believe this can be an example for many other countries. While
Designed by Tanja Hummel, the USk Curaçao logo was inspired by the Curaçao flag. The larger star represents Curaçao and the small star is a tourist island known as (little) Klein Curaçao, with the five points on each star symbolizing the five continents from which the people of Curaçao descend. The strip of houses along the waterfront represents the Dutch Colonial buildings of Willemstad’s Handel skade, a well-known historic spot.
VIADUCT BYOTROBANDABREEDSTRAATCHARLOTTEPUYLAERT
the group has more than 425 followers on Facebook, the number of members who actively participate is estimated to be around 70. Every week the group’s Facebook page is updated with information about the exact place they will meet on Friday morning. Most of the time they have between 10 and 15 in attendance. Members post their recent work on the Facebook page. Their members use various materials. Some sketchers simply draw with a pencil; others use acrylic, watercolors, or oil paint. Most draw or paint recognizable things in the visible world, while others have a more abstract approach to the landscape and cityscapes. When they get together at 11am to discuss their newly made artwork, they are mindful to honor the positive aspects while also discussing the weaker points.
MARITIM MUSEUM BY JEANNE
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During the COVID crisis, Curaçao, like most of the rest of the world, had to deal with a number of restrictions and logistical problems. Often they did not meet at all or in very small groups where they could sit at a safe distance while sketching. In 2021 Tanja Hummel, Monique Harbers and Arthur Oster decided to apply for official recognition of Urban Sketchers Curaçao. They liked the idea of being part of a worldwide group and receiving more international attention, which could benefit tourism on the island. From their own experience, they learnt how wonderful it is to meet MARIE CELESTINA
9 • 2022 15
USk Curaçao BY ARTHUR OSTER f
members of other USk chapters in different countries. The group members have established very good relationships with other USk members in other countries, such as Italy and the Netherlands, and they have welcomed visitors from Holland and the United States. The application process was not too complicated, but it took a very long time. Sometimes it was frustrating not to hear back from the international organization, but in the end everything turned out well.
To celebrate the recognition of the group by the International Urban Sketchers Organization, USk Curaçao held a group exhibition of urban sketches by local artists at the Art Foun dation Curaçao Gallery in Willemstad. The Art Foundation Curaçao is a non-profit organization founded on the idea that Curaçao’s people are creative and talented and that the is land has all the ingredients to become an art destination. The Foundation supports USk Curacao whenever it can.
MAMBO BEACH BONITA
BOCA SIMON BY TANJA HUMMEL
LEFT: FLEUR DE MARIE BY LIES BRUENS ABOVE: TEATRO LUNA BLOU BY LIES BRUENS PLEIN AIR FESTIVAL 23CURAÇAOFEB-4MARCH 2023
Next February, the Art Foundation Curaçao will present the Plein Air Festival Curaçao, a 10day international art festival that takes place bi-annually. Most of the festival activities will take place in the capital city of Willemstad, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage City. Many local and international participants will attend the festival, and work shops will be given by top urban sketchers from Holland. Save the dates and plan to visit: 23 February to 4 March 2023. Contact: arthuroster2@gmail. com or info@art-tanja.NL SKETCH BY JEANNE CELESTINA
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RIGHT:
BELOW RIGHT: USK PRESIDENT GENINE CAVALHEIRA WITH MEMBERS. HER SKETCH, ABOVE RIGHT “Curacao is a wonderful island filled with warm welcoming people. It’s an amazing feeling to be standing amongst the vibrant architecture with a backdrop of the teal blue Caribbean sea. I look forward to getting back some day soon!” GENINE CAVALHEIRA 6 • 2022 17
JOHNSONDIANEBYPHOTO
18 drawing attention sketcher demo Sketching architecture – ‘backwards’ MURRAY DEWHURST – A STALWART OF USK AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND AND SYMPOSIUM 2023 COMMITTEE MEMBER – SHARES HOW YOU CAN QUICKLY AND BOLDLY SKETCHSKETCHERARCHITECTURE.DEMO
his is a technique I’ve been working on for four or five years. I’ve spent almost all of my sketching life sketching in pencil, inking over and then adding water colour – it was so time consuming! I have very limited time to sketch so was looking for a process to supercharge my work. I had stumbled upon the Hahnemühle Grey Book and had a few Posca pens left over from a mural commission so I started experimenting with them on those smooth grey pages. I discovered that pushing and pulling images out of a coloured ground is a lot of fun. In this example I’m sketching a beautifully delapidated old Victorian villa – these wooden houses make up most of my neighbourhood here in Auckland.…
LEFT: PHOTO BY DIANE JOHNSON
T
4. Pick out the basic white shapes – these will push forward in the final piece. In the case of this old house the bargeboard, spouting, decorative fretwork and fence pickets. The sketch is still very loose –but don’t panic. It will come together eventually!
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3. Think about the negative and positive spaces in the image. In this case the bright sky cuts a simple shape around my subject. I use an 8mm chisel tip Posca to block out the sky quickly. Posca pens are opaque so cover anything unwanted beneath.
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5. Start adding some detail with your fineliner. I use a Pilot 3mm calligraphy pen as it allows variation in line width from fine to wide. 6. This is the stage where it all comes together. Use shadow to push things back. Use the full width of the pen to add deep window shadows. Work backwards and forwards, adding watercolour and fine line where needed to pick out the detail. This is your chance to sharpen up the details. The trick is to only add enough detail to pull it all together.
1. Load your waterbrush with diluted colour – I’m using the slurry left over in my palette to quickly scope out shapes. No pencil needed!
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2 3
2. Add some diluted colour here and there. You are not only colouring your subject but also plotting your subject a bit more accurately. I’ve added the veranda shape and fence structure. Keep it really loose – this will add to the character of your final sketch.
20 drawing attention sketcher demo THE FINISHED SKETCH BLOCKING IN THE SKY WITH AN OPAQUE POSCA PEN THE VILLA
“People who are not architects do not like the words ‘vanishing point’’ – it makes them want to VANISH from the scene!” she laughs. “I call it the ‘Non-Architect Clock’.
your
9 • 2022 21 MURRAY’S MATERIALS: • HAHNEMÜHLE ‘THE GREY BOOK’ • COTMAN WATERCOLOUR KIT • WATERBRUSH • POSCA AND MOLOTOW 8 AND 1.8-2.5MM OPAQUE ACRYLIC PENS • JELLIROLL WHITE FINELINER FOR HIGHLIGHTS MURRAY’S TIPS: • LEAVE THE PENCIL BEHIND AND WORK ‘BACKWARDS’ WITH BLOCKS OF COLOUR, ADDING DETAIL LAST • TINTED PAGES CAN BE LESS INTIMIDATING THAN WHITE PAGES. • KEEP IT LOOSE, FAST AND FUN • LET THE WATERCOLOUR DRIP, AND GET YOUR FINGERS IN THERE TO SMUDGE AND SPREAD COLOUR AROUND • TRY TO IDENTIFY ‘POSITIVE’ OR ‘NEGATIVE SPACE’ TO PUSH YOUR SUBJECT FORWARD.
to
To make Clock, will need: The portion of the Non-Architect Clock is at 16:35 - 22:22 out how make
• Ruler • Protractor (optional) • Permanent marker • Sheet of Perspex • Circle form such as masking tape for tracing Click on the image above then Watch Full Video.
STRUGGLING Santos from USk Toronto and the USk Membership Committee, has created a simple tool that can help sketchers who are having trouble with drawing perspective.
PERSPECTIVE?WITH Isabel
This little tool, that any sketcher can create themselves at home, can help you find the angles of buildings.”
. Find
the clock here.
you
LANDSCAPEMONROVIAN
22 drawing attention
BERNARD BEACH MONROVIA DOE COMMUNITY STOCKTON CREEK
“ART IS A TOOL TO SPREAD HAPPINESS AND PEACE,” SAYS SHAFIC AL TIMANI , THE FOUNDER OF ONE OF OUR NEWEST OFFICIAL CHAPTERS – USK MONROVIA. HE LIVES IN THE CAPITAL OF THE MATERIALLY POOR BUT PEACEFUL COUNTRY OF LIBERIA, WEST AFRICA. BY CATHY GUTTERMAN
For the past three years, Shafic has worked as a freelance architect, which has afforded him more time to draw and paint. Depending on where he is and the projects he is working on, his daily routine varies but he always stops working at 5 PM in order to begin drawing and painting — often until 3 AM.
sketcher spotlight 9 • 2022 23
While Monrovia is highly populated, Liberia is a raw country with most of its areas untouched by man. If other sketchers were to visit Monrovia, Shafic would show them both the richness of the surrounding landscapes and the poor living conditions of the ghettos. Life in Liberia can be materially very difficult, but it is very peaceful. What Shafic most loves about Liberia is the kindness of its people.
Shafic was born and raised in Aitat, a village in the Lebanese governorate of Mount Lebanon. As the firstborn boy in his family, he is named after his grandfather, who was the chief of Aitat for 51 years. The president of Lebanon awarded his grandfather a certificate saying that he was the oldest chief ever to serve in the history of Lebanon. Growing up, Shafic’s grandfather was his hero and best friend. Currently, Shafic resides in Monrovia, Liberia with his wife Sally and their children Salah (age 7) and Dany (age 4). He returns to Lebanon to vacation.
Shafic received a degree in Architectural Studies from the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts (Académie libanaise des Beaux-Arts). He began urban sketching in 2016 with classmate Judy J. Abi Roustrom, one of the founders of USk Lebanon. While finishing his Master’s project, Shafic was offered an opportunity to start a construction company in Liberia. Now with 10 years of experience in the field, Shafic has designed, consulted on, and constructed over 200 projects in Liberia. He is very proud to have contributed to the modernization of Liberia through these various architectural projects. As Head Architect for the American International School of Monrovia, Shafic designed and constructed a new director’s house, a new high school, and a new library.
SHAFIC AL TIMANI: Architect by Day, Painter by Night
sketcher spotlight
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It was Shafic’s grandfather who encouraged him to draw when he was a child. He taught himself how to draw and paint by observing the world around him, and by copying paintings and drawings of master artists. He was most inspired by the work of Jan Vermeer and Leonardo DaVinci. At age 15, he made a copy of Vincent Rudolph Ernst’s oil painting titled Smoking the Hookah from a book called Ottomans and Orientalists. Owning only a Cotman watercolor kit, Shafic had to apply so many layers to resemble the original oil painting that it took him an entire school year to finish. While Shafic prefers not to sell any of his work, he did agree to sell his graphite copy of a painting by Persian realist artist Iman Maleki to the wife of the mayor of Bchamoun. He felt very bad after selling this piece, and it has affected him to this day.
drawing attention sketcher spotlight
interests, beginning with his training in the ‘Art of the Samurai’ at age 15. In his younger years, he also dabbled in bodybuilding and theater. He now enjoys snowboarding, writing art quotes, and playing a daily game of chess. Of course, he also draws or paints every day.
The city’s economy is primarily centered on its harbor and its role as the seat of Liberia’s government.
Currently, Shafic is working on a personal project to create 61 artworks expressing the Lebanese-Liberian relationship through trees. Thirty pieces will depict the majestic cotton tree, which represents Liberia, and 30 pieces will depict the old pine trees planted by the Lebanese people who lived and worked in Liberia over 100 years ago. Number 61 will be the only artwork to depict both trees in the same painting. It will symbolize the deep historical connection between Liberia and ShaficLebanon.hasmany
Although oil is his favorite, Shafic has acquired expertise in many mediums. He has developed his own drawing methods, such as sketching on sandpaper using oil, oil pastel, and colored pencils. In addition, he has developed a method he calls ‘extraction’ which he does by dusting graphite over the paper, then pressing the dust down with another piece of paper to reveal the final image. Using this technique, Shafic created his Beirut Explosion Extraction series. The strokes reflect the fragmentation of the city caused by the 2020 explosion that devastated the city. What he loves about this method is the little to no control he has over the final outcome. Effortlessly creating expressive and vigorous strokes, he can also create the same type of strokes with oil paint on different surfaces. Shafic relies on his feeling for the subject to determine the medium and technique, rather than following the same process over and over again.
About Monrovia Home to 29% of Liberia’s total population, Monrovia is the country’s most populous city and its economic, financial, and cultural center. It lies along the Cape Mesurado Peninsula, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mesurado River, whose mouth forms a large natural harbor.
ABOVE: CHESS TOURNAMENT BELOW: PAYSVILLE PARK 9 • 2022 25
As Head Architect for the Chimpanzee Rescue and Protection Project, which aims to protect chimpanzees in Liberia from being traded as bush meat, Shafic was interviewed and featured by BBC for a bydrawingdocumentarythree-partontheproject.AboveishisofJack,oneofthechimpssavedtheorganization,isfeaturedonawidelycirculatedbrochure.
Rescuing chimps
sketcher spotlight SHAFIC’S TIP: IN THE INFINITE WORLD OF ART, WHERE RULES ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN, SHAFIC’S ADVICE TO HIS FELLOW SKETCHERS IS “BE YOURSELF!”MAJESTIC COTTON TREE RAOUCHE ROCK, LEBANON KINIDJA BEACH RESORT f
9 • 2022 27 SIDON SEA CASTLE, LEBANON CHEVRON PARK SHAFIC WORKING. LEFT: A WORK SHOWING SHAFIC’S EXTRACTIONTECHNIQUE
While bicycling around Liberia with his watercolors, Shafic met several Liberian artists who showed interest in his work. The first was Cyrus Cooper. Shafic shared his idea to start an urban sketchers group in Monrovia with Cyrus, who was excited to invite others. Shafic created the Urban Sketchers Monrovia Facebook group on 30 January 2021. He led the group’s first meeting at Bernard Beach on 6 February 2021, sketching with Cyrus, Teddy Jackson, Sanoe Karamo, Brima Wolobah, and Goerah Zorbah. They remain friends to this day. Urban Sketchers Monrovia became an official chapter in April 2022. Delighted for Liberia to become part of an international art movement, members believe that art is a tool to spread happiness and peace. They hold weekly outdoor sketching events, and ‘Sketch where you are’ events to give artists who can’t make it to the events a chance to show their artworks, as some Liberian artists can’t afford transportation or don’t have enough free time. However, favorite sketching sites have been the Ducor Hotel, Providence Island, Chevron Park, ELWA Junction, and West Point.
‘ART IS A TOOL TO SPREAD HAPPINESS & PEACE’ - USK MONROVIA
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ABOVE: BRIMA WOLOBAH AND HIS SKETCH AT PROVIDENCE ISLAND
Brima (above right) is an artist and graphic designer who does many exhibitions with various organizations and embassies.
LEFT: CYRUS COOPER AND HIS SKETCH AT DOE COMMUNITY. Cyrus is coadmin for USk Monrovia, is a full-time artist whose work is mainly contemporary and abstract acrylic paintings. He also paints with acrylic on clothes and his pieces are being sold in Liberia and the United States.
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ABOVE: SKETCH BY GOERAH ZORBAH
Goerah (left) is an artist and an architect who works in a design and construction company.
SKETCHES BY TEDDY JACKSON
Teddy (left) is an artist who has an art gallery in Monrovia. For one of its events, USk Monrovia visited Teddy’s studio and art gallery. He is also a master karate coach and runs a Karate school.
30 drawing attention sketcher spotlight CONNECT WITH USK MONROVIA f SKETCHES AT OLD ROAD MARKETPLACE BY SANOE KARAMO Sanoe Karamo, co-admin for USk Monrovia, is an artist who mainly focuses on the art of portraiture for which he gets many commissions.
Anne Instagram:Taylorcamper_sketcher
The magic that Joao Catarino weaves with just black ink and a grey wash, or one or two marker colours, is astounding. His work reminds me to simplify down to seeing my subject in terms of just one or two tones plus negative space, or one colour and white. Joao’s work shows how powerful this approach is – less can definitely be more. He also has a deep affinity for the beaches and coasts of his hometown Carcavelos, Lisbon. I find his treatment of water, surfers, and swimmers – again with just a limited pallete – poetic and sublime.
Leslie Instagram:Akchurinnadia.samarina
Anna Nordvall journals about her travels in a vintage camper van around Sweden with lively, cartoon-like sketches and words. Her pages have a ‘rough and ready’ feel that only adds to the sense she’s a woman who doesn’t let life hold her back – someone embracing whatever the day throws at her, with energy and wit. I wish I knew Swedish so I could understand more but I can still enjoy this just through the pictures.
Anne Instagram:Taylorjoaocatarino65
There is a dedicated, regular drawing practice behind these posts, one that’s not hung up on ‘perfection’, and I find this inspiring.
I’ve been enjoying the colorful and witty digital sketches of Nadia Samarina, a graphic designer, illustrator and lecturer at the Autonomous University in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, where she is also involved in the local USk chapter. Similar to hiow I work, she seems to start her pictures with flat patches of background color; then she draws in details in thin black lines, coloring in some forms to create rhythmic patterning. Each sketch is full of interesting local specifics, and her quirky lines concisely express people’s attitudes and activities.
9 • 2022 31 instagram favourites Right now, we’re loving.... IN A NEW SERIES, THE DA CONTENT TEAM SHARES SOME OF THEIR FAVOURITE URBAN SKETCHERS FROM INSTAGRAM.
GAIL WONG AND VIRGINIA HEIN HAVE JUST CO-AUTHORED SPOTLIGHT ON NATURE, TIPS & TECHNIQUES FOR DRAWING & PAINTING NATURE ON LOCATION, THE NEWEST IN THE URBAN SKETCHING HANDBOOK SERIES. JANE WINGFIELD SIGNED UP FOR THEIR WORKSHOP OF THE SAME NAME. Spotlight on Nature – the Team, the Book, the Workshop 32 drawing attention sketcher spotlight VIRGINIA GAIL MONUMENT VALLERY BY VIRGINIA HEIN
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As an architect, and having taught drawing and design at the University of Washington, Gail has plenty of experience in drawing the built environment. But during the pandemic, she, like many urban sketchers, found herself focusing more on natural surroundings.
Virginia taught drawing in the Toy Design Department at Otis College in Los Angeles. She often chooses natural settings – the rocky terrain of Joshua Tree National Forest or the beloved Descanso Gardens near her home in the Los Angeles area, for her personal work and workshops. Her previous book, 5-Minute Sketching—Landscapes, focused solely on landscapes. The publisher of the USk Handbook series reached out to Gail about doing a book focused on nature and Gail proposed a collaboration with Virginia. “They agreed, provided we created something different from my first book. I think Spotlight on Nature really takes a broader view of nature.” What’s nature got to do with urban sketching? I asked. A lot, says Gail. “Nature is all around us, and we can find examples of being surrounded by nature even in an urban setting…It is part of your tool bag. You need to know how to sketch and paint nature on nature
What was the best thing about this project? “Getting to meet weekly on Zoom with Virginia and working with her on this project,” says Gail. “This was during the pandemic, so we were both stuck in our different studio locations but working on a project together. It made going through the pandemic more bearable.”
Gail and Virginia’s book got me thinking about:
1. How We See Nature: How do you set up a sketch to make it lively and interesting? Think about your viewpoint. What role does nature play: main character, setting or frame?
usk news & events 34 drawing attention JANE
3. Finding the Character of a Place: Be aware of the unique region and locale that you are sketching in. Terrain, trees and atmosphere give each place its character. Virginia shared how much fun it was to see these differences in sketches from all over the world.
On Sunday morning we gathered at the Ballard Locks and Botanical Gardens in Seattle. The location provided a combination of marine industry and nature. We used concertinas to record our own stories in sketches. Later that afternoon, Seattle Urban sketchers joined us for their monthly sketch outing. Altogether it was a delightful way to spend a weekend, absorb new ideas, learn new skills and beat the heat!
4. Finding Nature in the City: Where can you find nature in an urban setting and what role do you want to give it in your sketch? Even small bits of nature are integral to urban life. The pandemic, especially in the early days, aided our noticing and sketching nature close to home.
as much as how to draw a building.” Virginia added, “We considered nature not just as the trees and other spots of green you might see in an environment but also things like weather, seasons, and all the natural elements that give character and color to a city or region.”
2. How We Draw Nature: Overall structure, shape, volume and depth lay the groundwork for a sketch. This is where quick thumbnails are really useful.
The next two days of the workshop were filled with lessons, tips, demos, questions, and answers…and sweat. Virginia and Gail put together a curriculum to dovetail with the key points of the book. We got to experiment with putting the ideas on paper with lots of water and color. One of the takeaways for me was remembering how much fun it was to sketch in a concertina sketchbook. Gail and Virginia had brought some of theirs for us to see. We all got instructions on how to make our own concertina books.
What was it like to work together? They both enthusiastically piped in with “Great!” Gail: “We were like-minded on this book in many ways but also not afraid to share thoughts that might differ. It was a real collaboration and very fun opportunity to work with someone I admire.
5. More Ways to Represent Nature: There are so many different ways to portray nature, and it’s so inspiring to see some wonderful examples from sketchers around the world. In this chapter I loved seeing the different ideas about color palettes, textures, notans, ands simple strokes. So impressive. WINGFIELD
Gail: “We realized that the concertina book was a great format to use to tell a story. It allows you to continue your scene without the interruption of a page break, flowing well from page to page. You can create sketch vignettes, serial views, and panoramic views of a location.”
SKETCH
One thing I loved was how the authors used the analogy of theatrical roles. Gail and Virginia say nature can play different roles in a sketch. “As urban sketchers we are telling a visual story: and can cast nature in the role of ‘main character’, as the setting for the story, or as a frame to a view beyond.”
BYCONCERTINAVIRGINIAHEIN BY GAIL WONG
I decided to self-publish, as it would have been difficult to find anyone interested in editing this, especially with bookstores closed and publishers delaying releases.
Sketching also stopped me from getting too anxious about the situation.
I thought I needed to release the book soon, because it’s my record of a period that, for most of us, isn’t over yet.
PANDEMIC,
I used watercolor, fountain pen and a tablet. The effect of the pandemic can be seen in ordinary things, such as the glass bottles that accumulated after the recyclable garbage pickup was suspended, the unusually quiet street in front of the building, and the new home office set up in a corner of my wife’s studio.
A UX SOFTWARE DESIGNER AND PARTICIPANT OF THE URBAN SKETCHERS FLORIANÓPOLIS, IN BRAZIL. IN
By Ivan Jerônimo I AM THE FIRST YEAR OF THE I MADE THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF LOCKDOWN IN MY CITY.
MY ISOLATION DIARY
DURING
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PUBLISHED A BOOK COLLECTING DRAWINGS AND TEXTS
In the first two months of COVID isolation, I accumulated more than 40 drawings of objects and spaces in my apartment. This was a big change from the urban architecture and human figures I usually draw. It’s curious how, in the simple activity of drawing objects, so much goes through your head. I realised the house is not only a deposit of things, but also of memories.
60 dias dentro de casa - Um diário ilustrado do isolamento (60 days inside home – An illustrated diary of the isolation) By Ivan Jerônimo 84 pages / 6.7 x 9.4 in Language: Portuguese w 9 • 2022 37
SKETCH BY ALYSSA ESTEBAN
38 drawing attention cool gear COOL GEAR BY MARK LEIBOWITZ
It could happen that I’d be the last person to learn about a new cool trick for urban sketching. Yes, I write the Cool Gear column and get suggestions from people all over the world. Sometimes an idea is so popular that no one thinks to point it out. And if you haven’t noticed, then it’s totally new. At least that’s what I thought when I learned this technique. Every sketch presents a series of decisions and challenges. How do you deal with the edges of the picture? You could go with the classical solution and paint/sketch right up to the edge of your paper. Or you could put a border around your picture. People draw those frames free handed for that carefree look, or use rulers. Then the challenge is to paint within the lines. Although slopping the paint over the lines has its appeal too. Lots of choices.
I’ve always loved the crisp look you get when you tape the edges of a watercolor. Lifting the tape is exciting. Paintings that had a carefree loose feel suddenly tighten up when the tape is lifted. Everything looks planned and contained by those edges. However, there is also a gut-wrenching tension when you lift the tape. If you are unlucky, the tape might also lift up the paper itself, ruining your sketch. We’ve shared tricks like weakening the adhesives by rubbing the tape on your shirt or pants several times before putting the tape on your paper. It helps, sometimes, and sometimes it doesn’t, and the sketch is ruined. I felt ambivalent about even trying. Recently we were on a rooftop in NYC, drawing an old Beaux Arts building across Fifth Avenue. When it came time for our Show and Tell, where we individually share our artwork, Alyssa Esteban realized she hadn’t removed the tape from her sketch. As we all watched - she removed the tape. Hardly a drum-roll event, but I think every experienced sketcher watched her with trepidation. There was cer tainly a chance she’d ruin her beautiful sketch. She didn’t. In fact the tape came up effortlessly; it was a slick thing of beauty, and I had to consider what I was seeing. She wasn’t using masking tape or artist tape. She had that junky tape you see crafters using. It had cute designs on it: Washi Tape. I always assumed that people used the tape as a design element. I’d never seen an Urban Sketcher using the stuff. When I asked about it, Alyssa seemed to think it was obvious. The impression I got was that every artist she knew had been using the Washi Tape for ages. I just accepted this and assumed I hadn’t been paying attention. I also went right out and pur chased some Washi Tape at a crafts store. It works like a charm. People noticed what I was doing and asked, and then I had the realization that I was not the last person on earth to learn this simple Urban Sketching trick. So, now I am sharing it with you. If you have a piece of Cool Gear you’d like to share with readers, please send a couple of photos or sketches with a description and how you use it to markleibowitz810@gmail.com. We’d love to hear from you!
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PARKA REVIEWS
Teoh Yi Chie is an infographics journalist who joined Urban Sketchers Singapore in 2009. He’s probably better known as Parka from Park ablogs.com, a website that reviews art books and art Thisproducts.monthParka video reviews Caran d’Ache Neocolor I wax pastels Check it out!
BY TEOH YI CHIE
© 2022 Urban Sketchers www.urbansketchers.org o ur 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.
