Attention Chicagoland college and university students! We are proud to announce that we are offering Symposium SCHOLARSHIPS to qualified applicants!
Urban Sketchers will award 10 scholarships to Chicago and Chicagoland
students to participate in Urban Sketchers Symposium this summer. The
scholarship is a free Full Pass to Symposium, it includes access to all
workshops and activities. The full pass normally is $475.
The deadline to apply is February 10, 2017!
If you're interested, please fill out our 2017 Urban Sketcher Symposium Scholarship Application.
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Friday, January 13, 2017
Another Exciting Chicago Sketching Opportunity!
Just when we thought it couldn't get any more exciting for Chicago Urban Sketchers, we are commemorating the 10 year anniversary of Urban Sketchers! Urban Sketchers Chicago is happy and proud to participate in the worldwide celebration. Along with dozens of sister chapters and cities around the world, USk Chicago is introducing the first long-term USk course 10 Years -10 Classes.
We are inviting our sketchers to attend 10 on location Chicago classes with our wonderful Urban Sketching instructors and sketch our world, one drawing at a time.
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Join in the Celebration!
Chicago Classes begin on Saturday, April 15, 2017
Registration will open on March 15, 2017
You may register for all classes or select a favorite one or more.
Register for all 10 and receive a 10% discount!
Classes are limited to a maximum of 15 students.
More details to follow!
FaceBook - Urban Sketchers Chicago
Twitter - @USk_Chicago
Instagram - @USKCHICAGO
urbansketcherschicago@gmail.com
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
USk Chicago at the Garfield Park Conservatory
On November 20th 2016, USk Chicago met at the Garfield Park Conservatory.
We had a great turnout of sketchers. I think that we all would
agree that this mega greenhouse was the place to be during this cold
November day. The "Desert House" seemed to be very popular due to it's
warm but dry conditions (also good for drying watercolor paint).
I'm sure we'll be back again. Here are a few photos from the outing.
I'm sure we'll be back again. Here are a few photos from the outing.
Sunday, October 30, 2016
USk Chicago Sketches in "The Loop"
By: Andrew Banks
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| Photo by Andrew Banks |
On October 29th 2016, USk Chicago sketched in "The Loop". Blick Art Materials, one of our group's sponsors generously hosted us at their Loop store location, and provided us with space to share our sketches, to enjoy refreshments, and to participate in a gift card raffle. The group gathered inside the store for a brief introduction to the Urban Sketchers group. We were happy to see many new sketchers join us and to be able to introduce them to our group. Sketchers then spread out throughout the Loop and sketched at sights from Millenium Park, to the Riverwalk to all different architectural landmarks on surrounding streets and plazas. We gathered back up at Blick Art to share our work, and were impressed with such a great turnout. Thank-you to all who came out, to Blick Art Materials for hosting us and to Fernanda Vaz for joining us all the way from Brazil for preparations for the 8th annual 2017 International Urban Sketchers Symposium, which comes to Chicago in summer 2017!
See more pictures from the event on our Facebook Page. Make sure to "like" the page to stay up to date with the group and for announcements regarding the 2017 International Symposium #uskchicago2017.
See more pictures from the event on our Facebook Page. Make sure to "like" the page to stay up to date with the group and for announcements regarding the 2017 International Symposium #uskchicago2017.
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| Photo by Fernanda Vaz |
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| Photo by Fernanda Vaz |
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| Photo by Andrew Banks |
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| Photo by Fernanda Vaz |
Sunday, October 23, 2016
My Kinda Town, Chicago Is…
Urban Sketchers Chicago is excited to be hosting the 2017 Urban Sketchers 8th Annual Symposium. We'll be welcoming over 450 urban sketchers from around the world to meet, sketch, and share our city! As a teaser of all the sights in store for you next year, over the next few weeks, we'll be sharing some of our sketches (both new and old) of our beautiful, diverse, and exciting Chicago.
First of all – Congratulations Cubs!
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| Chicago is sports. I must add a W flag remarque to this print! |
You name it Chicago has it and then some! Sports, music, art, iconic architecture, Lake Michigan, pizza, hot dogs, gourmet food, parades, history and on and on and on!
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| Chicago is music |
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| Chicago is art and architecture |
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| Chicago is "The Lake" |
Most of all for me, Chicago is a great place for Urban Sketchers to show the world one drawing at a time!
Tuesday, October 11, 2016
Urban Sketching at "The Bean"
URBAN SKETCHING AT "THE BEAN"
By: Andrew Banks
Urban Sketchers Chicago is excited to be hosting the 2017 Urban Sketchers 8th Annual Symposium. We'll be welcoming over 450 urban sketchers from around the world to meet, sketch, and share our city! As a teaser of all the sights in store for you next year, over the next few weeks, we'll be sharing some of our sketches (both new and old) of our beautiful, diverse, and exciting Chicago.By: Andrew Banks
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| The Bean. Fountain pen and Faber Castell PITT pens in a 5.5"x8.5" Stillman and Birn Epsilon soft cover sketchbook. © Andrew Banks |
The Bean. Millienium Park. Sears Tower.... If you are visiting Chicago these are probably just a few of your must do's and must see's. If you are a local, however, you've probably been there and done that. You commute past these architectural landmarks on a daily basis and after a while they may start to blend in with the rest of the buildings and sights in the city. Not for me...
Even after having lived in Chicago for 6 years now, urban sketching has kept all of the "touristy" places in Chicago intriguing and enjoyable for me to visit. I've sketched here before, but there is always new inspiration for capturing it differently than before. I've found that as my skill sets develop, and as I continue to explore different media, there is always some new or improved way of seeing and representing a scene. These iconic spaces, structures and views aren't recognized around the world for no reason. If you have even have the smallest interest in design, art, or architecture, it will be hard not to have a great time in Chicago.
This sketch took about 45 minutes, and as I sat on the ground, on a particularly busy day at The Bean, I had the chance to chat with several people who were interested in what I was working on. I always enjoy sharing my work, and popular public places like this are great for introducing people to your work and to the Urban Sketchers community.
Even after having lived in Chicago for 6 years now, urban sketching has kept all of the "touristy" places in Chicago intriguing and enjoyable for me to visit. I've sketched here before, but there is always new inspiration for capturing it differently than before. I've found that as my skill sets develop, and as I continue to explore different media, there is always some new or improved way of seeing and representing a scene. These iconic spaces, structures and views aren't recognized around the world for no reason. If you have even have the smallest interest in design, art, or architecture, it will be hard not to have a great time in Chicago.
This sketch took about 45 minutes, and as I sat on the ground, on a particularly busy day at The Bean, I had the chance to chat with several people who were interested in what I was working on. I always enjoy sharing my work, and popular public places like this are great for introducing people to your work and to the Urban Sketchers community.
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| The Bean. Fountain pen and Faber Castell PITT pens in a 5.5"x8.5" Stillman and Birn Epsilon soft cover sketchbook. © Andrew Banks |
See more of my work:
Know It All?
Urban Sketchers Chicago is excited to be hosting the 2017 Urban Sketchers 8th Annual Symposium. We'll be welcoming over 450 urban sketchers from around the world to meet, sketch, and share our city! As a teaser of all the sights in store for you next year, over the next few weeks, we'll be sharing some of our sketches (both new and old) of our beautiful, diverse, and exciting Chicago.
There's always something new to learn! I spent Saturday in Chicago's Ravenswood neighborhood at the workshop "FEARLESS Sketching in Pen, Ink and Watercolor with Adriana Gasparich." What a fun day! The workshop was held in Ingrid Albrecht's studio in Ravenswood.
As an artist, no matter how much experince I have or how much I know (or think I know) there's always more to learn. That certainly was the case last Saturday. Thank you Adriana and Ingrid for an inspiring, friendly and encouraging day!
These sketches were done in a Stillman & Birn Zeta Series sketchbook.
I'm looking forward to the wealth of knowlege coming our way at the Symposium next summer!
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| Morning light in the alley |
There's always something new to learn! I spent Saturday in Chicago's Ravenswood neighborhood at the workshop "FEARLESS Sketching in Pen, Ink and Watercolor with Adriana Gasparich." What a fun day! The workshop was held in Ingrid Albrecht's studio in Ravenswood.
As an artist, no matter how much experince I have or how much I know (or think I know) there's always more to learn. That certainly was the case last Saturday. Thank you Adriana and Ingrid for an inspiring, friendly and encouraging day!
These sketches were done in a Stillman & Birn Zeta Series sketchbook.
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| Afternoon light |
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