Team Sketching - A Panoramic Party!

Team Sketching – A Panoramic Party! 

with Don Colley and Peggy Condon

Interview by Wes Douglas, Urban Sketchers Chicago

I had the chance to talk with Don Owen Colley, who is a premier illustrator, demonstrator and the co-instructor with Peggy Condon for “Team Sketching – A Panoramic Party!” workshop during the 2018 Chicago Sketch Seminar. 

Here is one workshop that you really should consider.

Wes: Don, it’s good to talk with you again this year and I am interested in this Team Sketching workshop you are leading with Peggy Condon. What should people know and what can they expect?

Don: This Team Sketching workshop is all about the magic of everyone looking at the same scene, the same objects and bring out their own unique vision in sketch form. We take all of these wonderfully individual diverse sketches and arrange them into one large, collective ensemble. This is what I call “The Panoramic Party.”

Wes: Panoramic Party? That sounds like a three-dimensional sensory experience of some kind.

Don: "The Panoramic Party" is what we are calling this workshop. Think of it like the sketchers' conga line. Everyone has a role and is connected to the rest of the group but each person brings their individual interpretation to the sketch. All who sign up for this party are going to have fun, play with new ways to sketch, and discover a whole new way of seeing an urban setting. Others will be jealous when they hear what we're gonna do. 

Check out this example:

Wes: It seems to me that if I am working on a sketch that is part of a bigger, collective sketch, I would need to make sure that all of my lines match up to the next person’s sketch. Is there any concerns about the sketches not matching up or tiling together perfectly?

Don: No, not at all. In fact if you think of some of the pieces you know from David Hockney, where hundreds of individual photos are laid out to create a collective image, but nothing matches up perfectly, that is what we are attempting to do with the Team Sketches. There is perfect in the imperfect.

Did you know that mistakes happen when you are trying too hard to be perfect? So why sweat it? Mistakes are where the best learning happens anyways. This workshop is a safe learning environment where everyone is learning from each other and there is no judging.

Everyone is learning new tips and tricks from each other and bringing their individual experiences and perspectives to the party. That's what makes a team strong. And in this workshop, every team member is important and is needed.

All skill levels are welcome and encouraged. If you are a seasoned artistic professional, a hobbyist or just learning how to draw for the first time, we need you to be part of our team. You have life experiences that no one else has and we need you to make this team work.

If you go to the website https://chicagosketchseminar.wordpress.com and click on the “registration” tab, then click on the “BOOKWHEN” type, it will take you to the list of workshops. The Team Sketching workshop is WS 16 on Saturday morning from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm and Sunday afternoon 2:30 pm to 5:30pm.

So what do you say? Will you be part of the team?

Marker Techniques – Materials:

TUESDAY TIPS & TRICKS

Many people that I meet at the Urban Sketchers Chicago Sketch Crawls will ask me about using markers and some of my techniques. In my continuing series on urban sketching with markers, I must address the question “which markers and why?” And while I may have 30 years working with these wonderful little tools of the trade, please know that the following is merely from my perspective and experience. There are plenty of other marker artists that will tell you which materials work best for them and I welcome that feedback in the comments below. 

As you can see (from the attached photos) you will notice the wide assortment of marker brands, marker types and paper pads available for the marker. You can appreciate how the materials have evolved out of the many sketch needs.

TIP #1: Select a paper pad that is designated for marker use

There are several reasons for this. Most markers are alcohol-based and tend to soak through papers that do not have some kind of coating or seal. The trick is to find a paper that you like that does not have such a heavy coating that it dries out your marker at an abnormally fast rate. Most sketchbooks rated for sketching or drawing will be sufficient as well as those books rated for watercolor. Pages in the sketchbook or paper pad that are very thin run the risk of bleed-through unless they are “marker” papers. Additionally, thin sheets will prevent you from sketching on both sides of the paper—a popular technique employed by urban sketchers.

When I work with markers, I am a big fan of super-smooth papers because I can keep my line work clean. A slight tooth (or roughness) to the paper can also work in your favor if you wish to add texture to your sketch. For years I have used Graphics 360 (by Bienfang) as my paper of choice because I can put my rough sketch underneath the top sheet and put my marker color down and finish it off with a clean line work. For urban sketching, I have a heavier weight sketchbook where I pencil my rough sketch, add marker tones and then finish with a black line all on the same page. Because the sketchbook paper is thicker, it is harder to see a rough sketch under the top sheet for tracing.

TIP #2: Select a brand and style of marker that fits you

At the risk of sounding like I am a paid spokesperson for any particular brand, all I can tell you is that I have been a big fan of a few different brands because I like how they lay down color for the way I work. What works for me may not work as well for you but that is why there is a Tip #3 below.

  

I was introduced to the Design^® Markers (by Eberhard Faber) when I first began as a graphic designer. Over time, I switched over to Prismacolor^® Markers (by Sanford) because the odor is far less overpowering. There is a different kind of alcohol used in Prismacolor markers and odor is definitely something you should consider when trying out different markers. The other thing I like about Prismacolor markers is that there are two different tips on the same marker barrel. This can save you space and time when you are packing a travel sketch kit.

My newest favorite markers came at the suggestion of fellow Urban Sketcher Donald Owen Colley: Pitt^® Markers (by Faber-Castell). I have a set of 4 Cool Grey and 4 Warm Grey markers. These markers do not bleed–through most any kind of paper I can throw at it–and the pointy brush tip allows me to get into tight spots as well as cover broad areas with ease.

TIP #3: Now just play

Do yourself a favor. Print out the attached photos of the markers and the marker paper selections, bring them to your favorite art supplies store and look for as many of the brands as you can find. Many art stores will have some kind of scratch pad around so that you can try out each marker. Purchase one marker of each brand that you like and test-drive each marker for a few days. In your different sketch situations, you will see how well the markers respond to how you work. You can always go back and pick up more colors later, but make sure you like how one marker works for you first.

I recognize that I did not have much technique in this week's post, so in my next post I will go over some more techniques and tricks with markers. Good luck and have fun discovering your new sketch friend.