Tuesday Tips & Tricks
I am often asked how I choose my
locations for urban sketching. My answer is probably very similar to yours so I
will share my criteria (which I adhere to very loosely).
First there are the physical elements for the perfect
scene:
Textures, contrast, color,
composition, pattern, movement, rhythm, etc. found in organic or man-made
settings such as landscapes, architecture, nature and ensemble of people or
animals. These components help construct the site selection and ultimately the
sketch composition.
Then I look for a collection of those
components which create an emotional attraction
that provides a great story to tell when people look at my sketchbook. I like
to say “we all have a sketch to tell,” which means that our purpose as artists
is to use our visual language to interpret a scene and retell it through our
sketches. I once read a great quote from Urban Sketcher Deby Caspari who wrote
“To draw something is to own it. You take an image filtered through you and you
have an intense experience of the subject that can’t be taken away.”
With millions of images coming into
our brains every second, this must be why one scene stands out more than the
others and prompts us to sit for 10, 20, or even 60 minutes to capture what our
cameras could do in a couple of snaps, right?
Here then, based on repeat visits
from Urban Sketchers Chicago, are some Top
Sketch Locations in Chicago.
Architectural Artifacts
Three stories of saved and collected
details, furniture, lighting, mantles, and other you-name-it oddities reclaimed
from old buildings and residences in and around Chicago. We have consistently
had our best turnouts for our Sketch Crawl whenever we have hosted one here at
Architectural Artifacts and there is plenty of space to get lost in.
The Field Museum in Chicago
The Field Museum is another one of
those sketcher's dream locations. Starting with architecture that dates back to
Chicago's Columbian Exposition of 1893, this museum is packed with exhibits and
collections of creatures past and present. Lots of fascinating dioramas,
textures, and architectural details so that you never run short of things to
sketch. And on designated days, Illinois residents get in free with a valid
Illinois identification. On our first trip to The Field Museum, we were treated
to a back labs tour by Urban Sketcher Rebe Banasiak and the drawers of
specimens being prepared for future exhibits.
The USk Chicago groups has settled
into this area on several locations because of the expansive area it covers and
the variety of subject matter. There is lots of nature, flowers at the
Conservatory, animals at the free public zoo, the rivers of people who pass through
this area on bikes, or running and pedestrian traffic, and some of the most
interesting neighborhood buildings. Within walking distance to the lake shore
and beaches, this Lincoln Park area is a big favorite of USk Chicago. On our
last Chicago Architectural Open House in October, three of the buildings on
display were located within the Lincoln Park area.
Other areas USk Chicago is fond of
visiting for sketching:
The glorious home base for our
Chicago Sketch Seminar in 2014 and 2015
Chicago Cultural Center
Millenium Park/Pritzker Pavilion:
And finally, if you are not a big fan of coming into the
big city for your urban sketching inspiration, look around your own
neighborhood. Old buildings, places where people gather (coffee shops, taverns, public transportation), beautiful parks and
statues, and even the ugly things such as back alleys, junk piles, gas meters,
water towers, and rusted out cars. The uglier the scene, the better the sketch. When you start looking, the whole world of
urban sketching comes to life for you.
What are some of your favorite sketch locations? When you finish your sketches, please share them with us.
Wes Douglas
