We're Going Though a Phase

Sketch by Mary Jo Ernst

Let’s Sketch Chicago

Open For Business Phase 4

 Sunday, June 28

Public

 · Hosted by Mary Jo Ernst and Urban Sketchers Chicago

Let’s keep the ball rolling and sketch our favorite businesses as Illinois institutes Phase 4 of Reopening. Please take advantage of our great weather, get out and sketch on location and share your sketches on our group facebook page this Sunday 12-3pm. Remember to tag your sketches with #uskchicago #uskathome so that we may share your work on our group Instagram account. 

We are back to following global’s posting guidelines of sketching live on location and not from reference photos.

Remember to social distance and wear a mask when out to help us move along safely in our reopening.

Happy Sketching! Share your skills to support our local businesses

 Please email ernstmaryjo@gmail.com

 if you have any questions

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A Sketching Resolution

(Early) Tuesday Tips & Tricks

The holidays are famous for taking up new hobbies, learning a new skill or proclaiming that the next year will be (somehow for the better) different. Perhaps you have some time off from your work, picked up a new device (as a gift or otherwise), or the New Year presents an opportunity to "start something new." With the looming prospect of a failed diet plan or an underused gym membership, allow me to present another resolution for the New Year that will not cost anything and could last longer than six months. All you need is your favorite sketching pencil, pen, marker, paint brushes or anything you like and something to draw on (such as a notepad, sketchpad, whiteboard, or even a digital tablet device).

It's called Urban Sketchers (USK) and we are a local community of artists who come together with a common interest of sketching in urban settings, socializing with like-minded artists and learning some new tips along the way. We practice sketching various scenes that often include interesting architecture, landscaping, people, animals and sketching anything else in cities, towns and villages in which they live, work or have traveled. We are a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to raising the awareness of artistic storytelling and educational value of drawing on location, promoting its practice and connecting people from around the globe.

Our local chapter, USk Chicago, meets at a different location in and around Chicagoland (so you see, we already have a support group!) which we call "Let's Sketch Chicago" and it is a great way to meet other like-minded sketchers and learn new tips and shortcuts. If this sounds like fun and you would like to check out the Urban Sketchers' scene, simply go to the following pages and look at some of the examples. And come to one of our next "Let's Sketch" outings and see what fun it is to meet real strangers from a Facebook group. We're really not that strange :)

We have this weekly series of posts called "Tuesday Tips & Tricks" where one new tip, trick or shortcut is shared with visual details at this link:

Urban Sketchers Chicago Blog: http://urbansketchers-chicago.blogspot.com

Here is where the bulk of our postings, shared sketches and discussions happen:

Urban Sketchers Chicago Facebook: Urban Sketchers Chicago
This is also where you can join our group if you are so inclined.

And the following links are more places where you can see our sketches:

Urban Sketchers Chicago Instagram: #uskchicago

Urban Sketchers Chicago Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/USkChicago

Follow up in Twitter: @USk_Chicago 

Marker Techniques – Materials: Part 2

TUESDAY TIPS & TRICKS

When it comes to picking out the right marker types and paper suitable for how you want to use markers, there are a few considerations you should think about:

Who should use markers?

Any artist/creative who has traditionally worked with colored pencils, watercolors, pen & ink, and even digital art can benefit from working with markers.

Where do you most often sketch?

At home or in the studio

On location – stationary

On location – In a busy environment, 
moving around

At a client – their home or office

What speed do you work at?  

Quick Sketch: least detail

Fast Sketch: less detail

Detailed Sketch: medium detail

Refined Sketch: more detail

Fine Art: most detail

How do you like to sketch?

Loose Sketch: (Least detail)

Gestural sketch, rough ideas, Pictionary, and quick communication of idea

Memory Sketch: (Less detail)

A quick capture of a thought, a vision, a dream, or a fragment of an idea

Observational Sketch: (Medium detail)

Diagrams, how-to visual descriptions or processes, explanations, sketchnotes, botanical recordings, science experiments, field notes, cutaway views, courtroom sketch artists, consumer behavior patterns

Conceptual/Imaginary Sketch: (Medium detail)

Science fiction, creative development, product design, automotive design proposals, theme park and restaurant theme designs, mood boards

Planning Sketch: (More detail)

Storyboards, planograms, interior designs, landscape designs, fashion, and architectural proposals

Presentation Sketch: (More detail)  

to leave a positive impression with the audience
to pitch an idea with the goal of alignment or approval
(such as a real estate development)

Fine Art: (Most detail) Gallery quality

As you can see there are many different uses for markers because they are so adaptable for different applications and portable. You can now get a sense why there are so many materials available and how they have evolved out of the many new uses. 

They key is to play around with lots of materials, try them out and find which ones work the best for you. It would be really hard to make a mistake but you will start to see which ones behave the way you like.

Tuesday Tips & Tricks: On Location, Location, Location!

© Barbara Weeks

Urban Sketchers-Chicago has been happy to welcome many new members to our group. Some are new not just to USk-Chicago but to sketching in public as well. The Urban Sketchers manifesto says “we draw on location”. That may cause a little hand trembling, at least it did for me when I first started drawing out in the open. Here are a few things I’ve learned.

Tips:

What equipment? Keep your gear to the minimum. It’s easier to manage in small spaces, easier to keep track of and easier to gather up when the day is done. Check out our Pinterest board for sketch kit ideas. 

Where? A coffee shop is a great place to sketch especially when you’re just starting out. So many people are busy on their computers, tablets or phones they don’t even notice what you’re doing. Added benefits - you have a comfortable seat, a table and something to eat or drink! Outside, try to fine a spot where people can’t come up behind you. Position yourself with a wall, corner or post at your back. It gives you something to lean on, too.

© Barbara Weeks

What about the public?  People are curious when they see others sketching. They're also usually very complimentary and respectful. Children are fascinated. If you don’t want to be interrupted wear ear buds and listen to music (or pretend to) and avoid eye contact. 

© Barbara Weeks

Sketch with friends. There is a comfortability in numbers. The tab “Sketch Crawls” on this blog’s navigation bar tells you where and when we’re meeting next. Join us.

© Barbara Weeks

Post your location sketches on our FaceBook page. The encouragement and feed back from other urban sketchers is invaluable.

Benefits:

• Sharpened powers of observation.
• Learn to work quickly.
• Teaches you to take risks and improvise to get the sketch down. 
• Overcome selfconsciousness and become a more decisive painter.
• Have fun meeting and learning from other sketchers.
• “Show the world one sketch at a time!”

© Barbara Weeks

Let's sketch Chicago - Lincoln Square - July 19, 2014

Lincoln Square in Chicago is a winner location, and we are never tired of it. On July 19 we gathered in Lincoln Square for the third time, and it was the biggest group ever!

Here are some photos to document the sketch crawl.

Our sketches from Lincoln Square!

Lee, Sandra, a sketcher whose name I forgot, and Mary

Cal (Curtis)

Chris

Daniel

Jack

Jodie and Kordt

Lisa

Looking at Lisa's sketch over her shoulder

New member of the group

Lee, Sandra, USk Chicago member, and Mary

And afterwords we went to Brauhaus. We had beer, pretzels (amazing!), and brats and talked about sketching, pens, sketchbooks, and future plans. What a great day it was!

Urban Sketchers in Brauhaus