Drawing Attention June 2025 by Drawing Attention

SKETCHING IN GOA, ANTARCTICA

BARCELONA,

CHICAGO

FLORENCE,

MALDIVES

SAN FRANCISCO

WELLINGTON

Attention DRAWING

The official zine of Urban Sketchers JUNE 2025

Drawing Attention Mandate

Drawing Attention, the official zine of the Urban Sketchers organization, communicates and promotes official USk workshops, symposiums, sketchwalks, news and events; shares news about USk chapters; and educates readers about the practice of on-location sketching.

Thanks to this month’s contributors:

Content P ubliC ation team: Anne Taylor, Suhita Shirodkar, Chiara Gomiselli

mailChimP layout: Chiara Gomiselli

i ssuu layout: Anne Taylor

Writers & Contributors: Parka, Suhita Shirodkar

Proofreaders: Mona Kwon

Cover image: Jenny Jing Zhang

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CirCulation: 14k+ r eadershiP: 16k+

Web: urbansketchers.org

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.

Kia ora, hello, everyone!

Last week at my local library I picked up Danny Gregory’s book, An Illustrated Journey — Inspiration from the private art journals of traveling artists, illustrators and Designers. There on page 217 was Suhita Shirodkar, a well known instructor living in San Jose, California, who is also a writer for DA. In the book, she describes how sketching has changed the way she travels — she’s now content to see “far less” on a trip, instead focusing on a few things deeply, through sketching. “Drawing has also broadened what I consider interesting,” she says, meaning she can find things in her own neighbourhood that call out to be studied. I think we all know what she means.

Still, nothing beats travel, and Suhita received a warm welcome from the local chapter when she visited fascinating Goa, India. She’s also coined the term “Extreme Sketching” and talks to three sketchers who like to push their comfort zones when sketching —both at home and overseas.

Travel is very much on the agenda as we get nearer to the Poznań Symposium and the local chapter there have put together a helpful guide to their historic

city. We’re looking forward to covering the Symposium next issue.

USk President Ronald Kurita reports back on the executive board’s planning session in Vancouver; we hear news from local chapters; and we welcome new USk Chapters, which now number 514 worldwide!

If you struggle with sketching buildings and city scenes, Jenny Jing Zhang shares a ‘fan’ technique that might make it easier, and we have another great review of materials from Parka.

Once again, thank you to all the team who helped put this issue together — Chiara, Suhita and Mona. And remeber, we are always keen to hear about what you and/or your chapter are doing so send us your news.

My trip to the library also led me to this quote from Lisa Sykes: “We don’t always need to set sail to navigate somewhere new.” (The Simple Things, July 2024). Wishing you happy sketching voyages wherever you happen to be.

Anne Taylor (NZ), Managing Editor E: drawingattention@urbansketchers.org

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE

BY RONALDO KURITA , PRESIDENT OF URBAN SKETCHERS

At Urban Sketchers, we believe in the power of building strong connections. That’s why our Executive Board meets in person twice a year for strategic planning sessions — once during the annual International Symposium, and again roughly six months later.

These meetings are essential for aligning our goals, evaluating our impact, and planning how we can continue to grow and support our global community. This year, we chose Vancouver, Canada as the location for our spring strategic meeting. The city had not yet hosted a major Urban Sketchers event, and our visit provided a unique opportunity to support and engage the local chapter while offering them valuable experience with larger-scale activities. From April 2 to 4, the board gathered for full-day planning sessions. We explored ways to improve outreach, aiming at reaching new audiences and strengthening the pride and engagement of our existing community. Among the key topics were census results, future symposiums, and essential financial strategies to keep the organization thriving and growing.

Being physically present allowed for a more focused and energizing exchange — fostering deeper discussions, spontaneous creativity, and stronger trust among board members. Stepping away from our daily routines and sharing the same space brought clarity and momentum to our planning, helping us think boldly about the future. Beyond the boardroom, we joined USk Vancouver for a special Sketch Weekend full of workshops, sketchwalks, artist talks, and time with friends.

Our past president Genine Carvalheira opened the weekend with a session about storytelling in sketching. Jenn Wibowo said, “She made me draw what I felt and heard, not just what I saw — it changed how I use my sketchbook.”

• Workshops continued with Education Director Annette Morris , who showed us how to use color in a more expressive way. Jacqueline Tiong shared, “Annette helped me see color differently — not just to fill space, but to express mood and emotion.”

USk news & events

• Vice President Mike Daikubara shared his “color first, ink later” method, which gave people confidence to try new things. Many participants said, “Mike made it simple and fun!”

• Local artists Becky Cao, Bob Altwein, Heather Souliere , and Zandro Tumaliuan also shared their inspiring work, connecting sketching to memory and personal stories.

Big thanks to the amazing Vancouver team — Deviva, Merlin, Momoko, and Nishant — who helped make this weekend so special.

PHOTOS: RAY CUI & MERLIN

GENINE CARVALHEIRA’S WORKSHOP

WORKSHOP

USk WORKSHOP, OSLO – JUNE 13-15, 2025

Launched in 2011, the USk Education Program brings the spirit of our Symposiums to cities around the world. It supports sketchers eager to learn and artists ready to teach urban sketching under the USk umbrella. See what’s coming up this June!

CHECK OUT OUR GLOBAL EVENTS CALENDAR!

A special feature of our USk website is the Events Calendar. Using Clubexpress account credentials, official chapters can easily put their meetups or happenings on the calendar for everyone to see.

Think of it as a bulletin board for all Urban Sketchers activities across the globe!

Make sure to put yours in the calendar and take advantage of our platform’s global visibility!

URBAN SKETCHERS CELEBRATES 500 LOCAL CHAPTERS WORLDWIDE

Urban Sketchers has reached a major milestone: 500 officially recognized local chapters across the globe — a testament to the strength of this creative and inclusive community.

POWERED BY LOCAL LEADERSHIP

From Auckland to Buenos Aires, Paraty to Poland, local chapters are the heart of Urban Sketchers. These self-organized groups bring people together to observe, draw, and share their cities’ stories.

Each chapter is led by passionate chapter admins — volunteers who coordinate events, foster local engagement, and keep the sketching spirit alive. Supporting this global network is the Membership Committee, including a team of Regional Coordinators who guide new chapters, offer mentorship, and promote connections across regions and cultures.

A CITY’S IDENTITY IN A LOGO

Every chapter has the opportunity to customize the official USk logo with symbols that reflect their city—be it historic landmarks, street life, architecture, or natural features. These designs form a global gallery of visual identity, rooted in place and community.

MORE THAN A NUMBER

Reaching 500 chapters is not just about growth — it’s about people. It means thousands of sketchers finding inspiration, friendship, and purpose through shared experiences and creative exploration. We honor the dedication of our chapter admins, the support of our Membership Committee, and the energy of every urban sketcher who helps bring cities to life through drawing. Here’s to the next 500!

INTERNATIONAL URBAN SKETCHERS WEEK 2025

BY SHILPI GUPTA, USk SECRETARY

From May 1–7, we came together to celebrate the spirit of on-location sketching, showing the world what urban sketching means to each of us. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated, volunteered, planned, shared, and celebrated International Urban Sketchers Week!

Now in its second year, USk Week 2025 was filled with inspiring moments of connection and creativity. We were especially moved by the many cross-regional collaborations, like chapters in Canada, Argentina, Philippines coming together, forming partnerships from north to south, east to west. This global unity truly embodied the essence of our community.

Chapters celebrated in countless creative ways: with daily prompts, urban sketching workshops for seniors, shared sketcher stories, postcard swaps, reels, and more, we loved seeing it all! Throughout the week, we honored our roots and reaffirmed our mission, manifesto, and deep appreciation for our sponsors, donors, volunteers, and the global sketching community. If you missed any of the amazing stories, sketches, or celebrations, catch up by browsing #USkWeek2025 across social media or the urban sketchers website.

You can also support Urban Sketchers year-round by donating to the Small Strokes, Big Impact campaign or by purchasing

merchandise from the USk Shop. Every dollar helps fund educational programs and community events around the world. Let’s keep sketching, connecting, and sharing our love for the places where we live and travel — one drawing at a time.

Mark your calendars for International Urban Sketchers Week next year: May 1–7, 2026. If you’re interested in helping coordinate USk Week 2026, we’re currently seeking an Outreach Coordinator, reach out and get involved!

EXPLORE OUR GLOBAL SKETCHBOOK

Julia Majewska got into urban sketching in 2020, between high school and university. “What began as a solo hobby quickly turned into so much more: a way to make new friends, boost my wellbeing, and see my city Gdańsk (Poland) with fresh eyes,” she says. See more of Julia’s work, and sketches from around the world in the USk Global Sketchbook .

JULIA MAJEWSKA

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH USk EVENTS

USk YOUTUBE

USk INSTAGRAM

The Poznań Symposium is only two months away and USk Poland has compiled a useful guide to getting around in Poznań — from visas and money to public transport and general safety. Check out the guide here .

The Poznań guide also gives you some highlights of the city, including great food and drink and local landmarks to see. Thanks USk Poland!

Fun things to do in Poznań:

• Stroll the beautiful Royal-Imperial Route , past Cathedral Island, the castle and Old Market Square.

• Relax by the Warta River, taking in the picturesque bridges and green spaces.

• Try a ‘St Martin’s croissant’, a local delicacy with protected status!

Symposium Poznań

USk POZNAN2025 w

SYMPOSIUM HUB f

USk SYMPOSIUM

Congratulations to our three multi-talented Symposium Correspondents who will be recording events at Poznań in August!

Rapha Pinheiro is an architect, illustrator, and comic artist in Brazil who brings a visual storytelling perspective to capture “slices of life” in urban environments.

Symposium goal: “An idea I have for covering the USk Symposium is to focus on the reactions of people who encounter urban sketchers at work. I want to explore how passersby respond to seeing artists sketching in public spaces.”

Roger Klaassen is a multilingual professional illustrator, living in Culemborg, the Netherlands, who describes himself as a fast worker who enjoys doing “short interview sketches” with the people he draws.

Symposium goal: “I want to show people working behind the scenes.” Roger knows volunteers are vital as he’s helped organize at the Amsterdam Symposium and many other events.

Anna Ziętkiewicz lives in Poland and worked as a storyboard artist before becoming a digitalization specialist in publishing house, and was the one of the instructors at the Urban Sketchers Festival in Świdnica in 2024.

Symposium goal: “Every day I would like to make two complex symposium sketches. If possible, I’d like to sketch of every workshop instructor in action.”

A SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM

IRISH URBAN SKETCHER RÓISÍN CURÉ SHARES THE STORY OF HER VERY PRACTICAL INVENTION.

The SketchPocket means indulging your passion for sketching anywhere, anytime.

“I had to turn away from so many sketching opportunities because there was nowhere to sit,” says Róisín. “I wanted to draw and paint start to finish, standing up, without fiddling or having to bend down. None of the many sketching bags I had tried did the trick. But I can sew, so I decided to solve my own problem.

“After nine versions, improving each time, people suggested making them commercially. But I had no idea how to go about that, and I knew my sewing skills weren’t up to the job. Then I had a lucky break: one of my students knew an industrial designer. With his help, the SketchPocket was born. I considered making the bag from canvas, but it had to be weatherproof, so I decided to make it out of leather. I started researching vegan leather, as animal leather isn’t great for the environment. Cactus leather had the look and feel I wanted. It’s soft and supple and gives my SketchPockets exactly the stylish look I was aiming for.”

The first SketchPockets went on sale in late 2024, and were soon snapped up by sketchers all over the world. “The feedback has been amazing,” says Róisín. “People say how unique it is,

and how thoughtfully designed, with a place for everything. Some say their sketching output has soared, because the SketchPocket makes it all so easy.” The bag comes in black or white, and fits your phone, wallet and glasses. It also has a pocket at the back, to keep your cards and travel documents safe and accessible. The SketchPocket is available pre-filled with Róisín’s favorite sketching kit from top brands (top right), or unfilled with space for your own kit.

DA readers can use the discount code DA10 when purchasing your SketchPocket online.

CBS News story

San Francisco Bay Area Urban Sketchers

80 + sketchers

Feb 2025

Eileen P. Goldenberg sent a story idea about urban sketching to CBS News and they loved the idea. She then put out the call for sketchers in the SF Bay Area to attend this event at the fabulous Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco on Feb 23, 2025. Reporter Itay Hob and an assistant filmed for over two hours.

The throwdown was massive and the story aired on CBS National News as well as the local SF KPIX station. It has been shared and liked by USk Chapters all over the world. So great to see some good news and happy sketchers!

SHARON WELSH

MATT WILLS

EILEEN P. GOLDENBERG

SUSAN PALOQUIN

Florence Urban Sketchers’ Spring Festival

Urban Sketchers Firenze | 250+ sketchers 21-23 March 2025

The second edition of the Urban Sketchers’ Spring Festival took place in March 2025, organized by the local chapter Urban Sketchers Firenze together with the AcquaFirenze association.

Sketchers — mainly from Italy, France and Croatia — took part to the scheduled initiatives: a full-day workshop held by Alex Hillkurtz, open-air workshops held by Daniel Pagans, Cendrine Bonami Redler, Ekaterina Maltseva, Geremia Cerri and Alex Hillkurtz, a mixed media workshop by Carlo Monopoli, and a workshop for children by Valerio Mirannalti.

The watercolor demos held by Natus Rodriguez, Nicola Donato, Luciano Cisi, Simon Schmidt, Miquel Bruno, Geremia Cerri were also very successful. On each of the three days, a collective meeting was held to allow participants to draw together in the center of Florence: on Friday in Piazza Santo Spirito, on Saturday between the neighborhoods of Santa Croce and Piazza della Ss. Annunziata, to end with a convivial evening at the Conventino Caffè Letterario in Oltrarno, and on Sunday near the Ponte Vecchio.

This year we also had the chance to use the Oblate Library with its spectacular view of the Dome of Santa Maria del Fiore. Three unforgettable days of enthusiasm and friendship increased the desire to draw for everyone!

WORKSHOP WITH

USk FIRENZE

ALEX HILLKURTZ

SILVIA PERUZZI

FULVIA SABATINI

8th Annual USk Catalunya Meeting | April 5, 2025

Arenys de Mar (Barcelona)

850 sketchers & 250 companions

By Montse Sanchiz

USk Catalunya brings together 49 urban sketching groups (16 of them official). Every year, we organize a large meeting in a different town, hosted by a local group and volunteers.

This year, on April 5th, the event took place in Arenys de Mar, with 850 sketchers and 250 companions, organized by @ DibuixemMaresme with the support of the town council. From January to March, we launched the #TempsUSkCat25 campaign: 23 free workshops, illustrated posters, weekly sketching meetups, and a strong focus on sustainability, promoting the use of public transport and reducing plastic waste.

During the event, we distributed four adhesive maps featuring four sketching routes around Arenys. The day began with accreditations and a photocall, followed by free sketching sessions and guided tours, speeches, and a group photo. In the afternoon, we continued sketching and ended the day with a traditional havaneres (sea shanties) concert.

An unforgettable experience. Next year: Barcelona!

MEETING AT FINCA EL PARAÍSO WITH THE STAMP BY @MONTSESANCHIZB

USk Catalunya reuneix 49 grups de dibuix urbà (16 d’oficials). Cada any organitzem una gran trobada en una localitat diferent, a càrrec d’un grup local i voluntaris. Enguany, el 5 d’abril, l’esdeveniment va tenir lloc a Arenys de Mar, amb 850 dibuixants i 250 acompanyants, organitzat per @DibuixemMaresme amb el suport de l’Ajuntament. De gener a març vam impulsar la campanya #TempsUSkCat25: 23 tallers gratuïts, cartells il·lustrats, trobades setmanals i un fort enfocament en la

SKETCHING DURING THE MUSICAL END OF THE 8TH MEETING | DIBUIXANT EL FINAL DE FESTA MUSICAL

sostenibilitat, promovent el transport públic i reduint residus plàstics. Durant la trobada vam repartir quatre mapes adhesius amb 4 rutes per dibuixar Arenys. La jornada va començar amb acreditacions i photocall, seguida de sessions de dibuix lliure i visites guiades, parlaments i fotografia de grup. A la tarda vam continuar dibuixant i ens vam acomiadar amb una cantada d’havaneres. Una experiència inoblidable. L’any vinent: Barcelona!

RESEARCH AND ARTISTIC COLLABORATION

Urban Sketchers Seville collaborated with Manuel Cid, a doctoral researcher in the Art and Heritage Program at the University of Seville, Spain. His doctoral thesis focused on extracting ink from the Catalpa bignonioides tree and exploring its artistic applications. By Isabel Santos.

Manuel’s project began after rain fell on the outdoor art installation made with pods from the Catalpa bignonioides tree at the Faculty of Fine Arts. Manuel noticed dark stains on the ground, which added an unexpected element to the installation.

Manuel contacted Urban Sketchers Seville to test the ink extracted from catalpa tree pods. Two meetups were organized, and the response from members was overwhelmingly positive. This enthusiasm resulted in an exhibition titled La Materia como Artefacto: Metalenguaje, which took place at the Biblioteca de Bellas Artes in Seville from May 26 to July 28, 2023. The exhibition showcased over 50 artworks created using the ink derived from the catalpa tree.

This collaboration not only showcased the potential of natural materials in art but also highlighted the synergy between scientific research and artistic practice.

ISOBEL SANTOS

MANUEL CID

USk SEVILLE

ABOVE: EXPOSICIÓN ANEXO FACULTAD BBAA SEVILLA

MANUEL MARTIN

EDU VÁZQUEZ. BELOW: INMA SERRANITO

ABOVE:

CATALPA BIGNONIOIDES

FOTO SKETCHERS

WELCOME NEW CHAPTERS!

We are excited to announce these new chapters. Welcome to the global family of urban sketchers! JAVIER MAS PINTURAS

LATIN AMERICA

USk Taxco, Mexico

USk Tunja, Colombia

EUROPE

USk Middelfart, Denmark

USk Wroclaw, Poland

USk Grenoble, France

USk Saint Nazaire, France

USk Asturias, Spain

USk Vigo, Spain

USk Tenerife, Spain

ASIA

USk Changsha, China

USk Klang, Malaysia

USk Jaipur, India

USk Gwangju, South Korea

USk Batangas City, Philippines

OCEANIA

USk Dunedin, New Zealand

USk DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND

USk BATANGAS CITY, PHILIPPINES

USk SAINT NAZAIRE, FRANCE

USk TAXCO, MEXICO

USk JAIPUR, INDIA

USk KLANG, MALAYSIA

featured chapter

US k G oa : Sketchers in Paradise

ENDLESS WHITE SAND BEACHES, QUAINT VILLAGES, AMAZING SEAFOOD, MUSIC, LAUGHTER, AND A UNIQUE BLEND OF INDIAN AND PORTUGUESE ARCHITECTURE. WELCOME TO GOA, INDIA, HOME TO USk GOA. BY SUHITA SHIRODKAR (FRONT ROW, RIGHT)

Turn up at one of USk Goa’s sketching events on Sunday evenings and you will meet a mix of students, artists, architects, and professionals who work in IT, medicine, teaching, and more. You might spot the gentleman who took up sketching in his 80s, or the five-year old who joins the group on many outings. Vibrant USk Goa is growing and thriving, with hundreds of members, and thousands of followers on social media.

Goa is India’s smallest state so a single group for Goa makes more sense. To reach as many people as possible, events rotate between locations in North and South Goa, and many sketchmeets are held in the centrally located city of Panjim. Darpana Athale, the lead admin and founder of the group, was an active member of USk Pune — one of Asia’s most dynamic groups — before she moved to Goa in 2017. She brought her leadership skills and passion for urban sketching to her new home state and by 2018, USk Goa had earned official recognition. Today, Andrea Fernandes and Leandra Fernandes share the administrative responsibilities with her, helping research locations, set up sketchmeets, communicate with members, and choose the allimportant chai shops for post-sketching meetups.

UNIQUE FLAVOURS

USk Goa is a warm, welcoming group, putting everyone at ease and making it easy for anyone to give sketching a try. And they have their own essential ritual: a post-sketchcrawl chai session which allows people to relax and browse through each others’ sketchbooks. Goa is a famous tourist destination so travelling urban sketchers from all over the world join these sessions which are brimming with hospitality and ‘susegaad’ (which comes from the Portuguese word for ‘quiet’). Susegaad is all about a relaxed attitude and the enjoyment of life to the fullest.

SKETCH BY ANDREA

What are USk Goa’s favorite historical sites, cultural events, and food to sketch?

• the prehistoric petroglyphs in Usgalimal, a UNESCO heritage site

• Kurdi, a village that is underwater for 10 months and can only be seen in April and May

• Any of the endless beaches that dot the coast of Goa

• Small towns and villages, some which can only be accessed by ferry boat and with two-wheeler taxi drivers called Pilots

• Floats and parades at festivals like the Carnaval and Shigmo

• The Sao João Festival where locals jump into wells and rivers

• Goan breads, old-time bakeries, and ‘poders’ (bread suppliers to the village)

• If it’s summer, sip and sketch your ‘urrak’, an alcoholic beverage made from fermented cashew apples. Or try some ‘feni’ all year round.

GROUP SKETCHES FROM BETIM JETTY SKETCHMEET

SKETCH BY LEANDRA

DARPANA ATHALE

I asked Darpana Athale what a dream day of sketching in Goa would look like …

Start your day at Panjim market, bustling with vegetable vendors and fisherwomen selling the catch of the day. Follow it up with a breakfast of savory bhaji pav or ros omelette accompanied by a sweet bun with tea at a local joint. Post breakfast, sketch the old homes of Fontainhas. Lunch is a traditional Goan fish thali. After some ‘susegaad’ downtime, head over to Old Goa, a UNESCO heritage site with cathedrals, a basilica, a Victory Arch, and many churches. Evenings are best spent at the beach or at the jetty sketching the boats, fisherfolk reeling in the catch,and the ocean. Nights are for visiting local taverns while you drink and draw.

SKETCH BY ANDREA

SKETCH BY DARPANA ATHALE

ABOVE: SKETCHES BY DARPANA ATHALE SKETCH BY LEANDRA

USk Goa’s logo was designed by Dhriti and emerged from a brainstorming with group members. They landed on an oyster shelled window, a unique architectural element seen in historical Goan homes. The open window looks out on an iconic view with the sun and the sea.

LEANDRA

ANDREA

SKETCHES OF A HERITAGE HOUSE FROM THE MAPUSA GROUP SKETCHMEET

SKETCH BY DARPANA ATHALE

“A post-sketchcrawl chai session ... allows people to relax and browse through each others’ sketchbooks.... ‘Susegaad’ is all about a relaxed attitude and the enjoyment of life to the fullest.”

USk Goa is hosting a very special event this year: the 2025 NATIONAL SKETCHMEET, from November 13th to 16th. Find out more at urbansketchersgoa.in

We love to hear about your chapter’s news, special events, joint meetups, and exhibitions and share them with our readers. Contact us at: drawingattention@ urbansketchers.org.

sketcher spotlight

‘Extreme’ Sketching — and what we can learn from it

SKETCHING ON LOCATION ALWAYS FEELS LIKE AN ADVENTURE. SO MUCH CAN CHANGE FROM MOMENT TO MOMENT, FROM THE WEATHER AND LIGHTING TO A TRUCK PARKING IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR VIEW! BUT THESE THREE SKETCHERS TAKE THE IDEA UP A NOTCH. BY SUHITA SHIRODKAR

The Arctic has always captivated Maria Coryell-Martin. She has partnered with scientists in Greenland and Alaska, sketching stories of their research and the environment. One challenging project involved studying Narwhal whales who can dive over a mile deep. For a project like this, Maria’s sketching kit needed to be well-tested and versatile. Sometimes she would sketch around settlements, bringing a collapsible stool to sit on, plus a backing board. At other times she was working in cramped conditions on helicopters with a minimal setup as the team flew miles offshore, searching for narwhals in cracks in the sea ice.

RIGHT: MARIA’S VODKA-FILLED PENS FOR COLD WEATHER SKETCHING

IN ANTARCTICA WITH A FRIEND

SKETCHING AT COOPER

ISLAND.

PHOTO: K. MORRISON

Maria Coryell-Martin

MARIA HAS DESIGNED AND MARKETED A “NO EXCUSES”-SIZED KIT, THE POCKET ART TOOLKIT . IT IS STOCKED WITH ESSENTIAL TOOLS FOR ALL OF YOUR SPONTANEOUS SKETCHING MOMENTS.

PHOTO: K. LAIDRE

LEFT: ARCTIC COTTONGRASS ABOVE: A WALRUS

Maria Coryell-Martin

TOP: BIRDS ON ICE

ABOVE: REFLECTION

ABOVE: CLOUD SHADOWS

RIGHT: ARCTIC TERNS

sketcher spotlight

Nina Khashchina scuba dives all over the world. As if diving in treacherous currents among manta rays and sharks wasn’t adventure enough, Nina sketches through it all. Recently, she went diving in the Maldives. Being an experimenter by nature, she created a set of tools to try out on different dives. These included several specialty papers, pencils, pens and oil pastel. It goes without saying that it had all been tested underwater, but did it all hold up to the real life conditions of a dive? No, but here is what came out the winner: a wire-bound stone paper notebook cut to size to fit in her scuba diving suit pocket; all-plastic bodied graphite pencils, and a specialized aqua pencil bought at a dive shop.

Nina Khashchina

“EVERYTHING I TOOK WITH ME.”

“WHAT I ACTUALLY TOOK.”

MANTA RAYS

SHARK FEEDING

FOCUS ON SIMPLE TOOLS: Don’t overlook the obvious: pack a favorite pen or graphite pencil, a tiny book and you are ready to sketch. Check out these kits Nina uses in the snow, on a ski lift, or while running. Simple, compact and effective.

sketcher spotlight

Anne Taylor finds high adventure close to home, swimming out to rock stacks along the coast in Wellington, New Zealand in the summer. ‘Swim sketching’ is a summer activity because the water temperature in Wellington drops to 10 degrees celsius in winter and Anne has a no-wetsuit policy to save her the hassle of getting in and out of a suit. Her minimal sketch kit, tucked into a dry bag that doubles as a visability buoy (right), is built on keeping it simple too. She takes an ‘expendable’ notebook and pens in case they get wet. Rock shoes are essential as the rocks along her coast are really jagged. She loves how sketching from these rock islands, surrounded by water, gives her an entirely new perspective from her usual works along the shoreline. Floating on the same level as seagulls, gannets and cormorants, and seeing seals and huge kelp forests as she sketches are just a few of the rewards of her sketching adventure.

ABOVE: ANNE’S SWIMMING KIT. THE PINK FLAGS ON THE MAP SHOW THE ROCKS SHE HAS SWUM TO SO FAR.

RIGHT: STEEPLE ROCK IS KNOWN IN MAORI AT TE AROARO O KUPE, NAMED AFTER THE LEGENDARY POLYNESIAN EXPLORER KUPE WHO FISHED HERE WHEN HE FIRST CAME TO TE WHANGANUI A TARA WELLINGTON, SOME TIME AROUND 900 AND 1200 AD.

‘ Boat shed’ rocks

Seatoun Kirikiri-tatangi

Seatoun Beach

Steeple Rock

The Pinnacles

‘Gu ll patrol’ rock

‘Red Crab’ Rock ‘Barnacle’ Rock

1.5km

ABOVE & TOP RIGHT: “A LARGE RED CRAB APPEARED ON THIS ROCK JUST AS I HAD PACKED UP MY SKETCHING GEAR, SO IT DIDN’T MAKE IT INTO THESE PAGES.” FAR RIGHT: “A FLOCK OF ANGRY SEAGULLS FLEW OUT TO PROTECT THIS ROCK WHILE I WAS SKETCHING.”

MULTIPLE KITS MIGHT WORK FOR YOU:

Even if you’re not planning on sketching out in the ocean or on the ice like Maria, Nina and Anne, their ideas might help you build a sketch kit better suited to your needs. Anne usually takes a large kit out as she’s doing sketch journalling in a large format at the moment. And while this larger size serves her well on land, she wouldn’t risk taking it out to sea. Alternatively you could use a cheap notebook where you can rip pages out and stick them into a larger sketchbook, collage style, when you return from an adventure.

Is there an inspiring adventure waiting to be had where you live? Sometimes it’s just a matter of shifting your perspective.

SKETCHER DEMO

JENNY’S MATERIALS

• WATERCOLOR

• WATER-SOLUBLE COLORED PENCILS

• BRUSH

• MIXED MEDIA SKETCHBOOK .

Bending perspectives, fanning cityscapes

DON’T BE LOCKED IN BY PERSPECTIVE. INSTEAD HAVE FUN WITH BUILDINGS. JENNY JING ZHANG SHOWS YOU HOW.

I enjoy the challenge of balancing precision with creativity, often ‘betraying’ my architectural training to make a sketch more playful and engaging. One technique I love is creating a cityscape, where the skyline curves outward like a fan. This technique adds energy and whimsy to the composition, while guiding the eye toward a chosen focal point.

Jenny Jing Zhang

STEP 1: Establish the fan shape with loose color blocks

Choose a scene with a single point perspective. Loosely map out the composition in watercolor shapes, spreading outward in a fan shape from the focal point. Focus on general building placements, leaving white spaces to maintain an open feel.

2: Anchor the scene with line work

Use colored pencils to outline the key architectural forms, letting the lines radiate outward to guide the viewer’s eye across the composition.

STEP 3: Add architectural details, within the skyline

Layer in windows, texture, and structural details, with more detail toward the center and less toward the edges.

STEP

STEP 4: Introduce foreground elements

Add vehicles, figures, and streetlights in the foreground, aligning them with the curved perspective. These elements anchor the fan shape, create depth, and connect the foreground to the background.

STEP 5: Add depth and details in watercolor

Add shadows, highlights, and reflections with watercolor, ensuring the colors flow outward in the fan shape. This enhances depth while tying the elements together. You can keep adding elements to the foreground if you’d like to create more depth.

Jenny Jing Zhang

STEP 6: Refine and balance the composition

Make any adjustments you’d like to the placement of details, shadows, and highlights to maintain balance and dynamism.

Add your finishing touches, and your cityscape is done!

JENNY’S TIPS

• LITTLE THINGS MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE. FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN ADDING LINE IN STEP 2, AVOID STRICTLY FOLLOWING THE EDGES OF THE WATERCOLOR. INSTEAD, LEAVE A SMALL WHITE GAP ON THE SUNLIT SIDE TO CREATE LIGHT AND DIMENSION.

• USE WATERCOLOR PENCILS TO CREATE INTERESTING VARIATIONS BETWEEN DRY AND WET AREAS.

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 Optimist Mixable Color Inks. Check it out! SEE MORE REVIEWS

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.