A FREE Zoom session. And, why it's so hard to sketch people in action
Also: new in-person workshops and more!
Today’s sketching tip isn’t backed by research or expert studies. However, it’s something I have observed in my work, so I’m sharing my insights. I’d love to know if it resonates with you.
ps: Even if sketching action doesn’t interest you, read the rest of the newsletter for news on more workshops (including one in California this weekend and another in Utah next month) and a free zoom sketching session.
HACK YOUR THINKING TO SKETCH MORE DYNAMIC ACTION
Would this happen to you? You’re watching races where athletes charge out of the starting blocks at full tilt. You want to draw something like the sketch on the left to capture that explosion of speed and energy, but where you end up is more like the sketch on the right. It’s not bad, but that kind of sprinting doesn’t win races.
Here’s what I think happens. Our default mode is to keep a figure balanced. Balance prevents us from falling over. To be balanced your center of gravity (just above the pelvis when you stand straight) should fall within your base (your two feet on the ground- “oops” on the drawing below on the right: that back leg should be on the ground.).
In extreme action, the center of gravity often falls outside the figure: so much of very dynamic action is about being in a state of (inherently unstable) motion. But we tend to correct towards balance, which plays down the action.
While this insight doesn’t help me learn to draw people in action (that just takes lots of practice!) it explains why I often get dampened-down action and it makes me work at leaning into those off-balance, energetic poses for more dynamism in my sketches.
The first two workshops here are geared toward helping you draw people that look alive! Join me in San Jose (California) this weekend or in the Salt Lake City (a rare workshop in Utah) area.
WORKSHOPS
LAST CALL! (Happening this weekend)
People Alive (San Jose)
Date and Time: Sunday Sept. 10th, 9am to noon
Location: Princeton Plaza Farmers’ Market | 1375 Blossom Hill Rd, San Jose
Cost: $75 Limited Spaces, Register Here
About the Workshop: This workshop is designed to help you draw sketches with people full of life, capture the action of the market, and build interesting compositions on location.
More details and Registration HERE
NEW! (In Utah)
People Alive (Salt Lake City Area)
Date and Time: Saturday, October 21 · 10am - 1pm MDT
Location: Gardner Village, 1100 West 7800 South West Jordan, UT 84088
Cost: $75 Limited Spaces, Register Here
About the Workshop: This workshop is designed to help you draw sketches with people full of life, capture action, and build interesting compositions on location.
More details and Registration HERE
LAST SPOTS!
Sketching History: A workshop at History Park, San Jose
Date and Time: Sunday Sept. 24th, 1pm to 4 pm
Location: History Park | 635 Phelan Ave, San Jose
Cost: $60 Limited Spaces, Register Here
About the Workshop: In this all-level workshop, Suhita and History San José team up to bring you the rich history of transportation in the valley from early railroads up through the rise of the automobile. Whether you are a beginning sketcher or a more experienced one, there is something for you: from learning to use a flowing line to capture a complex object, to a working knowledge of perspective (no rulers and vanishing points, I promise!) to draw more complex structures. More details and registration are here.
A Gateway to India 2024
Grab the very last spot on the workshop in India in January 2024. Read about the workshop here and get in touch ASAP. We start pre-workshop online sessions in October, and you don’t want to miss out!
Spring Sketching in Mixed Media: A Celebration of Color in Santa Fe
Maru Godas and I both love color and we are teaching some of our favorite color-forward techniques in this workshop in Santa Fe in spring 2024. Learn to use color—regardless of media—more fearlessly, boldly, and vibrantly in your art. More details and signups are here.
Can’t make it to in-person workshops?
Mark your calendars for my 4-week intensive, zoom-based People Sketching class which I will run in Feb 2024. You’ll need 2 hours/week to join the zoom session (or watch the recordings) and another 2 hours to do the homework each week.
INTERESTING STUFF
Mark Your Calendars: Free Zoom Sketching Session
Last month, I asked how many of you would be willing to become paid subscribers for additional content each month. I want to thank you if you took the time to answer the poll. 20% of you said YES and a whopping 55% were a MAYBE.
So I’m running a live sketch-together session, open to everyone to join. It’ll give you a taste of what the paid-subscriber content will be like and you can decide if it is for you. So note these details on your calendar and join this one for free. Read on below for FAQs and details.
Details for Sketch-Together Session, September 2023
Date and Time: Friday, September 29th, 9am PDT
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81522824133?pwd=ZmRlbC9BWDQ0d1U4NithMzVhMytUQT09
What to bring: Sketchbook or loose paper and any art supplies
What we will sketch: You can always use the time to just be in the session and sketch what you like. But I find it’s fun to share a photo and then marvel at all the different approaches we take.
Here is the photo I will sketch from in this zoom session.
FAQS for this and following sessions
Format and Content: These zoom sessions are centered around quick sketching. The active drawing time in each session will not exceed 30 minutes. The short session is designed so that everyone can find time to attend or watch it. It is also designed to hone your quick sketching skills and let you experiment, and share your approaches and results. I will have a camera pointing at my sketchbook throughout the session, but this is not a teaching session.
Becoming a Paid Member: You can attend the free session above and decide whether to become a paid member. Or, if you’re sure you’d like to join in all year long, make me super happy by signing up right now!
Thank you for reading along. This monthly version of the newsletter will always remain free. I hope you find ideas to experiment with here. Your email address is never shared. If you have thoughts or input, share it with me in the Comments section below. Happy Sketching!
Thank you for the great zoom session. I will try a $5,- membership.
That zoom was so fun! Loved seeing you work...I just watched, didn't sketch, but now will and then will share.....hmmm but where would be the best place to share? Thanks, and it convinced me to become a paid subscriber! :-)