Sketching Tips, a Free Zoom Demo and new workshops!
Sketching believable doors (and windows). And a free zoom demo coming up VERY soon
Last month, I was in Essaouira, Morocco, teaching a workshop. There are so many things to say about the beautiful town. But you’ll just have to read all of that on my blog when I get around to sharing it.
But for now, let’s take a closer look at what is a deceptively simple subject to sketch: doors.
( Also, later in this newsletter: details on a free Zoom demo I have coming up tomorrow. I hope to see you there! )
DRAWING CONVINCING DOORS
Doors look so simple at first glance: they’re panels set in a wall: what could be so hard about that? The trouble is, it’s easy to end up with something that looks flat and one-dimensional.
I love “collecting” interesting doors and windows everywhere I go. This spread of sketches is from Santa Fe.
This blue door is such a classic Moroccan door. One of the challenges of drawing a door is capturing the relationship between the facade of the building and an inset door. I think of this line (in red, blue, and yellow) as the backbone of the door: If I can portray this convincingly, then half my job is done.
The other important bit is capturing the depth and the cast shadow.
After that, it’s all the fun stuff: decoration, texture and detail. I like to suggest it instead of drawing it all. I sketched only two doors on my trip to Morocco but took photos of so many of them. We’ll sketch some of those doors at this month’s Sketch-Together session on Zoom. (See details in the WORKSHOPS section below.)
WORKSHOPS
NEW WORKSHOP!
People Alive: Sketching People-Centric Stories in Los Angeles
Date and Time: Saturday November 18th, 9am – noon
Location: Original Farmers’ Market, 3rd and Fairfax, Los Angeles (exact location for meetup TBD)
Cost $75 for a 3-hour 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.
There’s something for everyone, whether you are afraid to draw people, looking for a fresh way to see and draw, or if you love the idea of drawing people but are intimidated by action.
Spaces Limited.
To Register, email suhita@gmail.com
Title your email: Sign me up for the People Alive (Los Angeles workshop)
Content of email: Your Name and a line letting me know you want to sign up for the in-person LA workshop and if you prefer to pay through Venmo or by Check.
I will write back to let you know if spaces are still available and let you know how to send in a payment to confirm your seat.
Wondering why this roundabout process of registration? I used Eventbrite for a long time but their fees are exorbitant, especially for low-cost workshops, so I’m using this slightly cumbersome manual process to avoid fees. In return, I’ll send in 10% of the workshop ticket cost as a year-end donation to Urban Sketchers.
Spring Sketching in Mixed Media: A Celebration of Color in Santa Fe
Maru Godas and I are excited that this workshop is filling up so quickly! And we’re even more excited to teach some of our favorite color-forward techniques. Join us in Spring 2024 in Santa Fe. Learn to use color—regardless of media—more fearlessly, boldly, and vibrantly in your art. More details and signups are here.
Last Space: A Gateway to India 2024
We have a last-minute spot open up for the workshop in India in January 2024. Read about the workshop here and get in touch ASAP if you are interested!
Free Demo this Thursday: Sketch View World Tour
I'm doing a short demo on "Street View World Tour" this Thursday. Bring your supplies and come join us. This really fun online sketching session is always free. Register at this link.
https://www.mixily.com/event/1675896115828759132
INTERESTING STUFF
• Wendy MacNaughton made this little infographic that seems to apply to everything in my artmaking and my life. Maybe it resonates with you too? Wendy has also removed the paywall from this post that does a simple breakdown of 2-point perspective.
• For a thought-provoking read about the dissonance between the art we love and the makers of that art, read Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma. A Book Club I am a part of just read it and we’re reading The Story of Art Without Men next.
• Here is a beautiful piece on Ruth Asawa’s drawings and practice.
Do you need a little nudge to try new techniques and sketch regularly? Or are you working on trying to sketch more quickly, so you can sketch more on location?
Upgrade to be a paid subscriber and join our Sketch-Together-Club once a month on Zoom. (Our next sketching session is coming VERY soon!)