Little Things Mean a Lot!

Sketch by Gail Dokucu

 Good Things in Small Packages!

Let's Sketch

Little Things

Sunday, July 26

12 PM - 3 PM

Hosted by Gail Dokucu and Urban Sketchers Chicago 

Details:

Get out those reading glasses, friends! 

Let's see how small we can go this week! I was inspired to do this theme by the tiny works of Katie Woodward and Jingo de la Rosa, both of whom would have been instructors at this year's seminar. If you don't know them already, check them out on Instagram: @ramblingsketcher (Katie) and @jingoillo (Jingo). Of course, you can also feel free to interpret this theme in any way you choose, like maybe a big sketch of something tiny.

Remember that we are back to following USk guidelines. 

If you need a refresher, check out the information and infographic here!

See you at the virtual throwdown!

Want to keep up to date by email? Fill in your email address in the place provided in the upper right corner under the banner. We look forward to hearing from you.

Catching Up | Time Marches On

Elephant Automaton Clock, 1600–1625 German (Augsburg)
LUMA | Loyola University Museum of Art 

Last year was quite a year for USk Chicago – 10 Years 10 Classes, the 8th International Urban Sketches Symposium, TV coverage, monthly sketch meet-ups around the city, and more. It seems this blog then took a deep breath for six months! Now we're off and running again! 

We've started planning for our summer Usk Chicago Sketch Seminar that will be held on June 1-3, 2018! Lot's of details to follow, but in the meantime, we've been accepting teaching proposals for our seminar workshops. The January 31st deadline is fast approaching! If you're interested in applying and/or have questions, leave a comment here or send a FaceBook message at Urban Sketchers Chicago to Alex Zonis or me  (Barbara McCafferty Weeks). We'd love to hear from you!

Suggestions for passing Border Control and Customs

O'Hare airport - Alex Zonis

USk Chicago welcomes all our guests to our city for the 8th International Urban Sketchers Symposium.

Given the level of stress about passing the Border Control on arrival, we collected information from official websites and suggestions from our friends in legal profession. We also included some observations from personal travel experiences.

Disclaimer: We are sketchers and not lawyers. The suggestions we share with you are our understanding. They are not legal or official recommendations. We hope that our international guests will find them helpful, but they are not a guarantee.

During an interview with a Border Control officer, please keep these in mind.

1. Emphasize your trip is a visit
2. State that the purpose of your visit is to participate in Urban Sketchers Symposium
3. State period of time you plan to stay in United States
4. Have a receipt of payment for the Symposium
5. Have proof of a return ticket
6. Have hotel reservation info or info about where and with whom you are staying  
7. Have a proof of a job back home, if it applies to you. A letterhead with company name stating your return date to work, if possible.
8. State that you have family back at home, if it applies to you
9. If traveling to additional destinations before or after the Symposium, have a copy of your itinerary
10. If asked about your health, answer that you are generally healthy
11. The Border Control officer may ask you to unlock your phone and/or give access to your laptop. Allow the officer access to your device. If you have private or sensitive data on your device, make a backup copy of your drive at home and delete this data from the device. You can restore it back at home or download from cloud/network after you passed border processing.
12. Do not carry questionable items, meats, seeds

During Border Control and Customs process, please be patient and polite, follow all of the directions asked and supply any documents to give the Border Control a clear idea that you are only visiting. Answer all questions truthfully and concisely; long explanations may create more questions. Humor does not work well with border officers, the border entry officers are generally focused on their jobs and are not chatty. Keep in mind: border agents are overworked, underpaid and sometimes stressed because directions they receive can change quickly and unpredictably.

We wish you safe and easy travels and cannot wait to welcome everyone in Chicago!

Eats and Drinks for Symposium

USk Chicago after sketching in Chinatown

Chicago is a foodie town! We have everything: from food trucks to 5 star restaurants, from hotdogs to every cuisine in the world.

We love to eat and we love to eat well. And we want our Symposium guests to eat well too. We prepared a selection of eating and drinking establishments close to the Symposium and tried to have something for every budget and every taste. 

Bon Appétit!

Eats

Budget: 

At a counter - Don Colley

Goddess and the Baker and Peaches and Greens 

33 S Wabash Ave 

all day cafes of baked goods, salads, soups, beer and wine

Freshii

111 W Jackson blvd (closet to Roosevelt, but has several locations
health conscious menu of salads, soups, burritos and more

Naf Naf Grill 

28 S Wabash. 

Modern middle eastern; quick bites, schwarma, falafel

Good Stuff Eatery

22 S Wabash 

creative burgers with vegetarian options

Potbelly Sandwich Shop

several locations, 300 S Michigan location is the same building as the American Academy of Art

Counter served soups, sandwiches and salads

Mariano’s Lake East 

333 E Benton Pl (upper Randolph)

Unique Grocery store with many prepared food stations

The Walnut Room

111 N State st. 7th floor
Macy's building is a Chicago landmark from 1907

Latinicity

108 N State St

Mexican, Latin American. A food court with many stations.

Moderate prices:

Pizano's Pizza & Pasta

864 N State St 

Pizza Restaurant

Brightwok Kitchen

21 E Adams St

Asian Fusion, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian

Nandos Peri Peri

22 S Wabash

South African inspired cuisine 

Ema

74 W Illinois

Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern cuisines with a Californian influence 

RPM Italian 

52 W Illinois 

Italian small plates 

Ramen San

59 W Hubbard 

Ramen & Asian style small plates

Hub 51

51 W Hubbard

Diverse menu from sushi to burgers

The Gage 

24 S Michigan ave  

Inventive American eatery with a long list of beers

The Berghoff 

17 W Adams

117 year old Chicago icon serving traditional German and Contemporary cuisine

Cochon Volant

100 W Monroe St

French, Breakfast & Brunch, American

Mercat a la Planxa

638 S Michigan Ave, Renaissance Blackstone Chicago Hotel

Sushi and small plates

Sofi Restaurant

616 S Dearborn St

Italian

Umai

730 S Clark St

Japanese, Sushi, drinks

McDonald's - Harold Goldfus

Expensive:

Trattoria No. 10

10 N Dearborn St

Italian

Everest Room

440 S Lasalle in the Chicago stock exchange building . 

French prix fixe menu and stunning views of the city

Terzo Piano

159 E Monroe. Tucked away in the Modern Wing at the Art Institute of Chicago 

Italian, Mediterranean

Russian Tea Time

77 E Adams St

Coffee & Tea, Russian, Vegetarian

Boleo

122 W Monroe St

Cocktail Bars, Argentine, Peruvian

Adamus

10 s Wabash

Latin contemporary with gorgeous decor

Outside the Loop

Magnificent mile : 835 N Michigan Ave

Foodlife food court - lower level Water Tower Shopping center, 15 food stations to choose from - one bill

Little Italy:

Tufanos 1073 Vernon park circa 1930
old School Italian, delicious food in large portions (budget to moderate priced)

Pilsen (artist's studio area) :

Pleasant house 2119 S Halsted

Rustic cafe with a British twist. The meat pies are the best!

Chinatown:

Ming Hin 2168 S Archer ave

Famous for their Dim Sum available 8am-4pm and 9pm - 2am late night bites!

Greektown

Greek Islands on 200 S Halsted. So many great restaurants in this area! Hard to choose!

West Loop:  

This area is a huge corridor of restaurants that attract foodies day and night so it is generally very busy

Drinks

Bars / taverns

At a bar - Adriana Gasparich

Designated tavern hangout for our Symposium is:

Exchequer Restaurant and Pub

226 S Wabash (steps from Roosevelt!).

Serving cocktails, pizza, ribs and more

Open 11-11pm and 12am on weekends
Discount with Symposium Badge!

Buddy Guy’s Legends

700 S Wabash Ave

Jazz & Blues, Music, Sandwiches. Go there for an excellent blues scene, very Chicago.

The 95th Floor

875 N Michigan Ave - Hancock center

Good drinks and best views of the city. Go there for drinks and views, but go somewhere else to eat – touristy and overpriced for what you get.

Drawing Room

12 S Michigan Ave
Coffee, cocktails, American fare

Three Dots and a Dash

435 N Clark St

Asian Fusion, Tiki Bars

Plymouth Rooftop Bar & Grill

327 S Plymouth Ct

Cavanaugh’s in Monadnock Building

53 W Jackson Blvd

Amazing chance to be in the one of the first skyscrapers ever built. It is constructed entirely from stone. Historic landmark and architects' dream.


Not to overlook:

Stan's Donuts
26 E Roosevelt Rd

Stan's Donuts - MJ Ernst

Postcards from Chicago: #5 Marina City Towers

by Wes Douglas

As we look forward to the 8th International Symposium, I will continue to take you on a virtual tour of my favorite views of Chicago which I have named "Postcards from Chicago." Each week I will post a different scene of Chicago – some may be familiar to you and some may be less familiar – and by the time I am done it should be time for the Symposium. To help me illustrate the popularity of this sculpture, I am happy to feature the work of Chicago Urban Sketchers Alex Zonis, Don Yang, Joel Berman.

The Marina City complex was designed in 1959 by architect Bertrand Goldberg and completed in 1964 at a cost of $36 million, financed to a large extent by the union of building janitors and elevator operators, who sought to reverse the pattern of “white flight” from the city’s downtown area. When finished, the two towers were both the tallest residential buildings and the tallest reinforced concrete structures in the world. The complex was built as a city within a city, featuring numerous on-site facilities including a theatre, gym, swimming pool, ice rink, bowling alley, several stores and restaurants, and, of course, a marina.

Marina City was the first urban post-war high-rise residential complex in the United States and is widely credited with beginning the residential renaissance of American inner cities. Its model of mixed residential and office uses and high-rise towers with a base of parking has become a primary model for urban development in the United States and throughout the world, and has been widely copied throughout many cities internationally. Marina City construction employed the first tower crane used in the United States.

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. 

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.

Afternoon light 

I'm looking forward to the wealth of knowlege coming our way at the Symposium next summer!

The Hidden Beauty of Chinatown Chicago

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. 

Chicago's Chinatown is easily accessible with many forms of public transportation and my favorite mode is the Chicago Water Taxi. There is something relaxing about taking a boat ride on the South Annex of the Chicago River to arrive at this bounty of color and detail. It is not the same as riding a San-Pan in China, but equally as nice.

Arriving at the Water Taxi stop in Chinatown sets you at the doorstep of Ping Tom Memorial Park and a dramatic red and yellow pagoda-styled pavilion. I was immediately captivated by the graphic nature of the lines, curves and exquisite details of the tiny dragon figures located on each apex. 

If sketching plants and foliage is your thing, then you have to check out this one-of-a-kind dwelling so covered with vines that it should be called a tree house. Located just steps from the Ping Tom Memorial Park and a sight to see in person.

USk Chicago Spotlight Sunday - Aaron Elswick

Spotlight Sunday is a series of interviews designed to introduce and highlight Chicago Urban Sketchers individually. Now that our chapter has over 500 members it has become more of a challenge to meet every sketcher in person and have a conversation. These posts concentrate on individuals and speak in their own words and sketches.

Interviewed by Andrew Banks.
Hi Aaron, thanks again for taking the time to be this week's spotlight feature and for sharing a little bit about yourself with the group!

Andrew Banks: How did you first hear about the Urban Sketchers community and what made you decide to join Urban Sketching Chicago?

Aaron Elswick: A couple of years back I was sketching commuters on the Metra and I ran into Peggy Condon.  She noticed what I was doing and suggested I join Urban Sketching Chicago. Until then I thought I was the only weirdo that did this.

Andrew: That's awesome. I always enjoy hearing about how people find out about the group.  Sometimes it's through our social media accounts, or through a Google search, but these in-person introductions are always the most memorable.

Andrew: Did you sketch before finding USk Chicago?  If so, when did you start sketching?

Aaron Elswick: I have drawn and painted most of my life. My primary subject matter has always been sharks (most often drawn from reference photos).  I began sketching on location a little over 3 years ago to become a better urban designer. It was the summer before I started my Masters of Urban Design and I didn’t know much about architecture at the time. 

I decided going out and drawing architecture would be a great way to learn what I could before school started. During this same period of time I was interning as a landscape architect. I noticed that my boss – the lead designer –  was always the one drawing throughout the design process. I realized that summer that if I ever wanted to be the one drawing (and I did) I was going to have to draw as fast and legibly loose as my boss did when creating (her “cartoons,” as she calls them). 

Andrew: Can you tell us a little bit about your background? Does urban sketching ever have an impact on your day job? If so, how?

Aaron Elswick: I have a professional degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Kentucky and a Masters of Urban Design from the Savannah College of Art and Design. I am presently employed as a Site Architect at Terry Guen Design Associates, a local landscape architecture and urban design firm. To explain what we do as simply as possible I like to say: "If you’re not standing inside of a building, then you are standing in exactly what we do." At TGDA we call this “Design for Life,” viewing our work as the backdrop, or stage, for the play of life to unfold. Our objective with every project is to design a sustainable environment that allows for the most acts of the play to occur, be it social, environmental, or economic. Urban sketching is the foundation of my design process and on a daily basis it helps me imagine, draw, and design for the future.

The Bean Context, my first attempt at using markers on location. This sketch was drawn during Wes Douglas’ 2016 UskChicago Sketch Seminar Workshop- Markers for Beginners. Mediums include: Stabilo fine 0.4 pen, ultra fine sharpie, and Chartpak Design Markers. (~40mins)

When I am sketching on location, I am analyzing the proportions, textures, scale, and context of the objects that define a place and simplifying it all to just a series of lines. As a Site Architect, I use my urban sketches as a mental reference bank to draw and design a city. Drawing is a tool and the language that I use in my career to communicate and explore ideas. Although drawing is only a tiny piece of my career, it is easily one of the most critical assets of my design process. Urban sketching is how I practice, learn and explore topics related to my profession.

The two most valuable lessons I have learned professionally, via sketching on location, is to be unafraid to fail and that the ugliest sketch is better than no sketch at all. A mentor of mine once broke it down to me like this:  the best designer is the one who is least afraid of failing. Before I started urban sketching I only wanted to show people perfect drawings, but I have learned that this hinders the design process and restricts the flow of ideas. Loosening up a bit and focusing on conveying an idea, as opposed to seeking perfection has been a real turning point in my career. Being unafraid to fail has gotten me to the “design table” at a very early in my career. I credit joining Urban Sketchers Chicago and its community for giving me a space to explore this practice and learn the truth in the advice I’ve been given.

Andrew:  Wow, that's so awesome.  Your response is not only inspiring and challenging, but also a great reminder to me (and I am sure others as well) about what urban sketching is all about.  It really sounds like urban sketching is intertwined with your day to day professional work, and is giving you some great opportunities for creative expression and experimentation all at the same time.  

I really like what you said here: "the best designer is the one who is least afraid of failing. Before I started urban sketching I only wanted to show people perfect drawings, but I have learned that this hinders the design process and restricts the flow of ideas. Loosening up a bit and focusing on conveying an idea, as opposed to seeking perfection has been a real turning point in my career."  

I really think that every single person in our group will benefit from that advice.  I know I already have.  It's so easy to get critical of our own work, wondering whether it's worth sharing or not.  But when we start holding ourselves back or aiming for some standard of perfection we lose out on a lot of creative opportunities.

Andrew: Is there a specific subject matter you are particularly drawn to or inspired to sketch?

Aaron Elswick: I am most attracted to iconic facets of Urban Design – buildings, public spaces, infrastructure, streetscapes, and everything else in a city. I like to capture the whole scene and believe in going big or going home. The public realm is my home and I firmly believe that people define great places and not buildings or landscape architecture. 

Therefore I am commonly sketching in a crowd or in places people choose to spend their leisure time. Doing this enlightened me to the extremely social aspects of urban sketching, which is now is my favorite part. I love the Q&A sessions, exchanging of stories, and impromptu workshops that sketching on location facilitates. Occasionally, I want to sketch from a distance and tend to choose public parks. However, I rarely ever sketch a singular object. For me and what I do, context is everything!

The Nature Board Walk at the Lincoln Park Zoo, Studio Gang Architects, sketched during the 2016 UskChicago outing with a Stabilo fine 0.4 pen and ultrafine sharpie. (~30mins)

Andrew: What is your favorite medium to sketch with?

Aaron Elswick: My favorite medium to sketch with is 100% pen and ink. A pen tells the truth and the whole story of the sketch. The authenticity of storytelling through my sketches is something I have recently have started to explore. I learned to draw with a pencil, but in my profession pen and ink is the standard for hand graphics. To learn how to draw with a pen, I just stopped taking a pencil and eraser with me. At first this was quite the challenge, but with a lot of practice it is now starting to come more naturally to me. 

This approach has saved me countless hours of erasing and inking over pencil. It has also changed the way that I view the world, instead of just seeing a brick building, I now see the lines and shapes that define the building. In return I have begun to develop my own style and form of artistic expression, which will always be a work in progress effort. Using only pen and paper forced me to embrace imperfections and lead me to take the Bob Ross approach: “I made some mistakes once, now they are trees.”

Andrew: The idea of truth and authenticity in storytelling through our sketches is a super interesting topic and I would love to hear more of your thoughts and approach to this sometime.  I agree though, there is something really freeing about jumping in to a sketch in ink without any pencil outlines.  It definitely forces you to be intentional with each line. I work a lot with ink myself and I like to tell people that while you can't erase ink, it's also a fairly forgiving medium to sketch with if you know how to work with your mistakes and build them into the sketch. 

Andrew: Are there any Urban Sketchers who inspire your own work?

Aaron Elswick: In all honesty, every member inspires me. Seeing how often people are posting, what they are sketching, and the techniques they are using motivates me to get out there and go do it more often.  I believe some members are in a completely different league and/or playing an entirely different game than I am. 

There are two members that really speak to me with their work and influence my sketching: Andrew Banks and Wes Douglas. Both of these guys are absolute masters of their craft. What I enjoy most about their work is the subject matter and their uniquely identifiable styles. Andrew’s hatching and spot on architectural rendering style is extremely impressive. Wes’ diversity of subject matter, techniques, and use of markers is out of this world.

Andrew Banks:  That is the beauty of the urban sketching community. There is such a wide range of styles, techniques, view points and skills levels to learn from. There is never a shortage of inspiration to be found, that is for sure.

Thank you for the compliments!

Andrew: If you could choose any location for the next group sketch event, where would it be?

Aaron Elswick: Without a doubt I would choose the Shedd Aquarium! Sharks are my weird obsession and I have been drawing them my whole life. The Shedd would offer a unique opportunity to take a crack at the plethora of subject matter the aquatic environment offers, after all it is pretty hard to draw underwater. It would be a real treat and I would absolutely LOVE to see how all of the different members of UskChicago depict life underwater.


Andrew: Do you have any websites, blogs or social media accounts where people can see more of your work?

Aaron Elswick: I am on Facebook and Instagram at the moment. I have a lot of projects in the works and a website/marketplace is in development. Once that all gets launched I’ll be sure to let the group know. 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aaron.elswick
Instagram: @acelsw2  https://www.instagram.com/acelsw2/

For more information on Terry Guen Design Associates and “Design for Life” please see https://www.tgda.net/

Andrew Banks: Thanks again Aaron!  

We are a legion!

Yesterday, on April 18th, USk Chicago welcomed its 501st member to the group!  April is also a month to celebrate our chapter's 4 year anniversary.  USk Chicago started as a very small group on April 29, 2012.  On that day, 4 years ago, we looked like this:

USk Chicago inaugural meeting 4-29-2012

And here we are now:

USk Chicago in the Field Museum 2-20-2016

Thank you to everyone who has joined our group, sketched with us at monthly sketch events and has helped make Urban Sketchers Chicago a fantastic, amazing, super talented and caring community!

Let's see the world, one drawing at a time - together!

---

Interested in becoming a member of USk Chicago?
1) Go to USk Chicago's Facebook Group
2) Request to join the group
3) A USk Chicago administrator will send you a Facebook message.  Please keep an eye out for this and respond within 7 days.  USk Chicago administrators greet all new requests, to answer any questions about our group.  Our chapter is a regional chapter, accepting membership from those who live in Illinois, SE Wisconsin, NW Indiana, and SW Michigan.

Find USk Chicago on social media:
Twitter: @USk_Chicago
Instagram: @USkChicago
Pinterest: Urban Sketchers Chicago
2016 Seminar: https://chicagosketchseminar2016.wordpress.com/

Tag your posts with #USkChicago and help us continue to share our group with our community!

Urban Sketchers Chicago kicks off its 4th Year

January 17, 2016, Wicker Park, Chicago, IL: 
Whenever Urban Sketchers (USk Chicago) look for a warm, friendly place to huddle during the cold winter months, we look for each other. USk Chicago members braved the cold and came together at The Den Theater in Wicker Park. Thanks to Joel Berman for making this connection for us. With so many productions in the works or currently showing, there were lots of areas where sketchers could lose themselves. The sketchbooks below demonstrate that there were no shortage of sketching subject matter.

If getting together and sketching with a group of like-minded artists is your idea of how to survive a cold winter season (or anytime of the year), check out our Facebook group page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/UrbanSketchersChicago/

There are some people missing from the group photo, but it was hard to find everyone in the dark nooks and crannies of this amazing space. Photo credits ©2016 Jim Christensen (Muriel's husband) — with Alex Zonis, Peggy Condon, Muriel Ann, Jodie McGovern, Jane Ostergaard, Mary Harney, Joel Berman, Susan Rooney, Wes Douglas, Mark Jones, Don Yang, William E Fagan, Paul Ingold, Fred Polito, Junad Rizki, Sandra Beaty, Lisa Ridolfi, Ben Collins-Sussman, Captain Joel Siegel, Paul Minnihan and plenty of others who were tucked in and around the nooks & crannies of this creative space.

Ditch Your Eraser

USk Chicago: Tuesday Tips & Tricks by Ted Gordon

What’s the fastest way to improve your drawing?

Ditch your eraser.

How can I get a decent image of my pencil sketch online?

While you are at it, ditch your pencil; draw in ink.

GOING ERASERLESS:
The more you do something, the better you get at it. When you are studying what something looks like and practicing rendering it, you are improving your drawing ability. When you are erasing those marks, you are practicing erasing, not drawing. Don’t worry about stray marks, just keep drawing.

Another way I like to put this:

Everyone has thousands of terrible drawings in them. The sooner you get them out, the better. Erasing will only slow you down.

INK:
Committing to eraser-free drawing is easier, if you draw with something difficult to erase.

A huge benefit of drawing in ink is that it photographs well! You don’t have to sharpen an ink drawing, adjust its contrast or do anything! If you do, it handles those adjustments much more simply and clearly than a graphite drawing.

Create cleaner drawings. Ink, compared to graphite, stays where it’s put and doesn't need fixative applied to make that happen. It’s less likely to smudge and, depending on which ink you use, can be more or less waterproof.

Draw with Confidence!

If you are nervous about abandoning your eraser, you may be surprised how drawing with ink can make your marks more bold - in more ways than one.

Using a pen encourages you to be more deliberate. That creates a cleaner, more elegant line, in my opinion.

Conversely, if that ‘tightens you up’, go nuts. Put all those lines down there. As long as you are looking and drawing, you are improving.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, I highly recommend drawing without your eraser, if you haven’t. You’ll notice that many Urban Sketchers are drawing in ink already. My recommendation comes from the advice of greater artists that have preceded us as well as my own experience, seeing this improve my drawing and the drawings of my students.

You can see my Urban Sketches and Plein Air Paintings here: http://www.tedgordonart.com/ http://instagram.com/motionimpossible

What do you think? Have you experimented with leaving your eraser out of the picture? What other reasons do you like to draw without your eraser, or in ink?

Selling Your Sketches at an Art Show

SELLING YOUR SKETCHES AT AN ART SHOW - By Andrew Banks

URBAN SKETCHERS CHICAGO HOLIDAY SHOWCASE & ART FAIR

November 21st - 12pm-5pm.  Reception to follow - 5pm-7pm

With less than two weeks until submissions are due for the Urban Sketchers Chicago Holiday Showcase, you, like me, are probably getting ready to submit your art into the Showcase as well as for selling prints in the Plein Air Art Fair.

Here is a checklist of items to keep in mind when prepping to sell your prints at an art show. (Disclaimer - This is basic list of the most important things to consider.  There are likely other factors to consider, however, these suggestions should give you a great starting point.)  If you have experience holding a table at art fairs or shows, or arts and crafts fairs, share your experience in the comments.  What worked for you?  What didn't?

THE ART

Consider printing Giclee prints.  Giclee prints are high quality, archival, fade resistant art reproductions.  Keep in mind that the quality of your print (especially if enlarging) will largely depend on the quality of the scan.  Scan your original art at 300dpi. or higher.  Make any necessary adjustments to the scan file to ensure that your reproductions represent the original artwork as closely as possible.  Work with your printer to chose a paper that emulates the paper used in the original sketch, or that best compliments the sketch.  (Ex. If the original is a watercolor, consider printing on a textured paper that emulates the original watercolor paper.)

PACKAGING

Factors to consider: branding, preservation/protection of your art, cost

Backing Board - Backing boards keep your art from bending or getting damaged.  I like to use 1/8" acid free foam core.  I purchase large sheets (32"x40") and cut them down to size.  Acid free products are more expensive than non acid free products, however, will give you the confidence to stand behind your product.  Over extended time, contact with non acid free materials (corregated cardboard, chip board, non acid free foam core etc...) can cause damage (fading, discoloration etc...) to your art. We do not know how long a customer may keep the art in the packaging, so, using acid free materials gives both you and the customer freedom to preserve the art.

Art Bag/Document Bag - Slip you art print and backing board into a clear, acid free bag.  Many bags come with a self-sealing sticker to close up the bag once the art is inside.  Once again, consider going with an acid free option to preserve integrity of your art.

Branding -  Add some personal touch to the packaged print.  If you have a business logo, consider adding small stickers to the back side of the packaging, to help distinguish your print from others. You may also have business cards.  Consider including a business card with each print.  How can your packaging compliment your art while maintaining consistency in your brand as an artist or sketcher?

PAYMENT
How will you accept payment?

Credit/Debit - Consider getting a reader such as the Square reader.  Square readers (or similar systems) connect to your smartphone, and allow payments to be transferred directly to your bank account.  Keep in mind that fees will apply for each time a card is swiped, and consider factoring this into the price of your product.

Cash - If accepting cash payments, make sure to bring enough cash to give change to your customers. Consider setting the price of your prints at even dollar amounts, or in increments of $5 for ease of giving change.

Receipts - Don't forget to provide your customers with a receipt.  Payment readers like Square are able to email or text receipts.  However, for cash transactions, make sure to write up simple receipts, and keep a copy for you own records.

PRICING
Display your pricing so it is easy for customers to read.  Whether it is with a sticker on the back of each print, with a small sign next to each print, or all listed in one place on a sheet of paper, make it easy for your customer to shop, without having to ask for the pricing of each different item.

Don't forget to factor Sales Tax into the cost of your prints.

TABLE LAYOUT
How much "stuff" will you have, and will you have enough room for it all.  Consider doing a mock set up of all of the items you plan to bring with you.  Will you lay your prints flat?Displayed on an easel?  In a box/bin?

Aside from the art, what "extras" do you want to display?  This is a great opportunity to share an artist statement.  Print out half sheets with a paragraph or two, describing your art, your process and what inspires you and pass these out.

If you have business cards, this is perfect opportunity to pass them out.

SPECIALS?
Do you want to run any specials to encourage sales?  Buy two, get one free?  Buy one, get one half off?

INTERACT
Be ready to talk about your work.  Rather than sitting down or stepping away from your work, be ready to tell customers what it special about your work, and what excites you about it.  Is there a story behind a particular piece that brings some meaning to the piece?  Do you recommend a particular frame size or matting color to compliment the print?

HAVE FUN!
Don't forget to have fun!  Remember to be true to yourself, and your art.  Be proud of your work, and remember that your work is unique!  Ask yourself how the way you are presenting your work reflects your personality, your art, and sketching style.

REMINDERS
***-Art submissions due by Nov. 15th, 2015***
-Show hanging  - Nov. 19th - Dec. 12th, 2015
-Plein Air Art Fair - Nov. 21st, 12pm-5pm.  Reception to follow from 5pm-7pm.  Light refreshments will be served.

For more information about the event, see the full CALL FOR ART.

Questions?  Email andrew@andrewbanksillustration.com

Lastly, many many thanks to Blick Art Materials and Blick Art Materials of Lincoln Park for sponsoring this event and for their continued support of and generosity to Urban Sketchers Chicago!