7th USK SYMPOSIUM in MANCHESTER part #2

Day#3
I chose the workshop proposed by Paul Heaston "THE BIG PICTURE and the tiny details"
Paul is a awesome sketcher! If you look at his drawing, you will see an incredible amount of details. He draws all what appears in his field of view. 
I knew his drawing before the symposium and I always imagined a A3 size sketchbook .. but, as extraordinary as it is, he never draw on more than a A5! 

"Don't mind the perspective rules, just use what everybody knows as obvious: what is close to you is bigger, what is far is smaller, what hides something else is closer, etc... and don't forget: straight lines do not exist, they are just a construction/correction of your brain, so free your mind and just draw what you see, not what your brain wants you to draw!" (Lapin's notes) 

your sketchbook is of course in your field of view and has to be on your drawing!
here a vertical view on the Manchester City Hall

and an horizontal view from the arcades (still raining...)

What is really great in the symposium was to meet so many sketchers from around the world, nice people happy to share the passion of sketching with each other: here I was with Lapin (Barcelona) and Alvin Wong (USK Hong-Kong)

No workshop in the afternoon, but a walk with Lapin, Gérard and Antoine Michel (Liège) and Matt Cam (Ohio)

you can find Stan, the T-Rex at the Manchester Natural History Museum
(not far from the School of Arts)

Lapin found those very nice back facades behind Waterloo Place

In the late afternoon, what has already become a tradition: beers at the Pub ZOO with fellow sketchers: entre autres Fabien Denoël, Vincent Desplanches, Christian Wouters, Julien Schleiffer, Matt Cram... and Johnny Cash (local barfly...)

Day#4
Workshop "Cars in the City" proposed by Lapin and Gérard Michel (USK since more than 50 years!), formerly created by Florian Afferbach who unfortunately passed away some months before the symposium.

Sketching a car as if it wasn't a car, but a person...
First from 2-3 m distance, than from less than a meter.

Draw a maximum of details, especially your own image reflected in the chromes...

The cars in a larger context

For the last afternoon: Manchester Museum of Science and Industry, and a walk through Castelfield Place and its big iron bridges.

Air and Space Hall

Castelfield iron bridges

Lazy Sunday afternoon on the Mosel bank

For the August sketchcrawl we went to Remich, at the border with Perl, Germany. Or rather, we went to Perl, at the border with Remich.

It was Leen's brilliant idea to sketch on the German side, thus enjoying the beautiful sights on the Mosel river while avoiding the crowds.

Under the shade provided by trees, we had a variety of subjects: the boats, the people, the landscape, the café. I chose to sketch a boat (ship) that had just docked called Iris.

We were quite the novelty there, with many people stopping to observe us. It was after I heard the third Luxembourgian person around us that I realized that forget Remich: this side of the river is actually where all the Luxembourgers go to enjoy the Mosel river.

This sketch is off to greener pastures

One of the skippers of the Iris stopped by to admire our work. He hinted not very subtly at the fact that he would love to keep my sketch, so I obliged. It is always flattering to have an admirer.

We had planned to meet again at 3 pm to share our sketches, but it was so nice to be in the sun and just sketch and talk that when we looked at the time it was almost 4 pm. High time to go for a drink and sketch each other and counter-sketch in retaliation!

It's difficult to capture an Italian woman's natural elegance on paper. Maria Grazia did not approve

It was a fun afternoon and I highly recommend to anyone going to the Mosel to enjoy Remich in Perl.

7th USK SYMPOSIUM in MANCHESTER part #1

Dear fellow Luxembourg Sketchers,

The 7th USK Symposium took place in Manchester from 27th to 31th of July.
Urban Sketchers from around the world gathered during at least 4 days for common sketchcrawl, workshops and events.
What an incredible experience!
Beliza was in London for the warm-up a few days before. Leen and I were in Manchester for the symposium. We can only recommend all of you to get that experience one day!

Day#1 
Sketchers arrived from around the world and directly started sketching across the city.

no time to waste for a first sketch!

All the Sketchers were welcomed at the Manchester City Hall

Albert Square in front of the City Hall is a wonderful Biergarten

500 sketchers welcomed in the City Hall of Manchester

Day#2
The workshops begin. In the morning all sketchers meet at the Manchester School of Art and gathered for their workshops in All Saints Park nearby.

Leen is ready for her first workshop!

Personally I chose the workshop of Marion Rivolier "Paint like nobody's watching"
And Zita was there too! (3 luxembourgish residents at the Symposium!)

Protected from the rain under the bridge, the sketchers used just brushes and watercolor, no primary sketch was allowed...

It is hard to change your habits but the result is astonishing 

August sketchcrawl on the Mosel river bank

No need for many words!

This picture says it all: a nice, sunny, calm, hart warming summer afternoon with the Luxembourg Urban Sketchers on the Mosel river bank.

The ‘Iris’ got a lot of attention and its skipper, in full admiration of Beliza’s sketch, got himself a nice Sunday present...

This is one of my own versions of the 'Iris', with a slight colour shift...

A well earned drink at the Rothaus afterwards - toasting with the newcomers, Sonja and Maria Grazia - welcome to our group!

August sketchcrawl

Hello dear sketchers,

This month we will go to Remich, or rather to the other side of the Moselle from where we will have a beautiful vue on the Luxembourg shore.

Let's meet in front of Restaurant Rothaus at 14.00 on Sunday 7 August 2016.

To get there, pass on the German side over the blue bridge and take the first street on the left, where you will find a parking.

Here is the map to help you find it : https://goo.gl/maps/wxHcuyeQbjQ2

We can organise carpooling if needed.

See you on Sunday!

July sketchcrawl

Hello dear sketchers,

The city of Esch-sur.-Alzette is organising an urban art exhibition. During the first week of July, European and Luxembourg artists will liven up different parts of the city with their works.

For this month's sketchcrawl, we will sketch the streets of Esch-sur-Alzette as reinterpreted by these artists.

For more information on this exhibition, see: http://kulturfabrik.lu/fr/programmation/details/event/urban-art-esch-interventions-urbaines/

Attention, as an exception, this sketchcrawl is postponed to the second Sunday of the month.

Let's meet at the Kulturfabrik in Esch-sur-Alzette at 14.00 on Sunday 10 July 2016.

See you on Sunday!

Looking up from the Petrusse valley

For the June sketchcrawl  our sketchers group met at the Sacré Coeur church in Luxemburg.

I was early so I started a warm-up sketch:

 Going down the narrow and slippery path into the Petrusse valley was a tricky business with my recently sprained ankle. But with the solid support of my fellow sketchers I arrived safely in the valley and could enjoy the cool shade on this hot day.

From my very comfortable camping chair I had a nice view looking up the passerelle, where tiny people were passing and the June light filtered  through the arches. The sky changed from blue over clouded to thundery, but we did not get wet. At least not from above – because the ground was so humid that my sketching papers got damp.

 

 

 

100% concentration:

 

And a chat afterwards:

 

Following the Petrusse we arrived at the Alzette river, and after crossing the small bridge in the Grund we ended up at Scott’s Pub for a drink.

 

 

 

Dans le parc (05/06/2016)

Il faisait lourd et orageux ce dimanche. Un temps incertain pour descendre dans le parc de la Pétrusse. Et pourtant il a fait étonnamment beau malgré l'humidité. Nous nous sommes installés bien confortablement à mi ombre pour dessiner, depuis le fond de la vallée, la ville émergeant de cet écrin vert.
Tout d'abord j'ai voulu rendre le bonheur coloré et lumineux de dessiner à l'ombre des frondaisons d'une allée verdoyante, bercée par l'oscillation des trous de lumière…

…puis zoomer sur un buisson de rhododendrons. Malheureusement, je n'avais pas de rose pour teinter les fleurs épanouies.

… et saisir le calme concentré de Leen dessinant.

Nous avons conclu notre belle journée par un pot offert par Leen à la terrasse du Scott's Pub au Grund.
A peine rentrée à la maison, l'orage s'est déclenché. Nous avons échappé de justesse aux 100% d'humidité!

June Sketchcrawl

Hello dear sketchers,

For this month's sketchcrawl, we are going to explore the Petrusse valley in Luxembourg-city.

It will be the occasion to try and sketch the fortress from down below, for example.

Let's meet in front of the Sacré-Coeur church at 14.00 on Sunday 5 June 2016, from where we will go down to the valley together.

See you on Sunday!

Venezia in May during the opening of the Biennale di Architettura

Always a pleasure to sketch, especially in Venezia!

Urban Sketching May 15th 2016

Hi there!

Here is my new - still small - contribution to the blog! 
Went sketching on May 15th with Beliza: it was such a great moment! I had never seen Neumunster from top! ;-)

Thank you for this amazing moment! 

Really can't wait for next time! 

Have a great day!

May sun and shadows in Pfaffenthal

For the May sketchcrawl we met at the Luxemburg Youth Hostel in Pfaffenthal valley.

The weather was really gorgeous for this first weekend of May. Our group of eleven passionate sketchers  - two sketchers got lost in another part of the valley, the Grund, but found the rest of the group eventually! - headed out to admire the beautiful views in Pfaffenthal , one of the oldest parts of Luxemburg city along the Alzette river.

The warmth of the spring was quite welcome after some very long winter months.

But soon the May sun became merciless and Isabelle was so kind to invite the whole group in her beautiful architect studio nearby. Here we could combine all the pleasurable things: a coffee, cool water, shade and protection, the splendid views from the windows and, last but not least, the company of fellow sketchers.

Here is my Pfaffenthal version looking up. I tried to render the heavy sun/shadow contrast, but was not very successful and my sketch doesn't pay tribute to the sunny day it was.

And looking down: a playground in the valley

And this is the way we were sketching, sitting inside in the cool shade, with a beautiful palette of May greens in front of us.

May Sketchcrawl

Hello dear sketchers,

The weather is getting sunnier again, so we can go sketching outdoors again for our next sketchcrawl.

This time we have decided to explore the areas of Clausen and Pfaffenthal, where we haven't been yet.

Let's meet at the Youth hostel at 14.00 on Sunday 8 Mai 2016.

See you on Sunday!

INCAOS - CASINO

Here is my (small) contribution to the April Sketchcrawl that took place at the Casino - Forum d'Art contemporain in Luxembourg city.

First time for me but, whow! it was such a great experience!!

Can't wait for the next one!

Warm thanks to everyone and specially to Beliza! 

INCAOS - CASINO

The April Sketchcrawl took place at the Casino - Forum d'Art contemporain in Luxembourg city.

We were curious to see what the Casino looked like after it had been closed for some months for some works.

The whole ground floor was changed and a cafeteria was added, the one thing I always thought was missing at that museum.

A few of us braved the wind and sketched outside. There was just time enough for this sketch before it started raining.

I like how the letters of the Casino were shifted and spell "Incaos", a remnant from an exhibition a few years ago. It feels like an insider joke.

Sadly I had to leave early, so I didn't have time for more than one sketch. It was great to see a few new participants.

I always love how different each person's interpretation is!

To Japan and back...

I had the great pleasure to spend two weeks in Japan with the family!

I had some times to sketch... using refillable japanese brushes, with black and grey ink, looking for a japanese touch...

Zen Garden in Kennunji Temple in Kyoto

Kaori's guests in Kaori's bar next-door our Ochaya in Kyoto

Trees in Toraya garden, Kyoto

Kinkakuji, Golden Pavillon, Kyoto

Kenrokuen Garden in Kanazawahttp://sketchingtheplace.blogspot.lu/2016/04/kanazawa-april-2016.html

Shinagawa-Go
http://sketchingtheplace.blogspot.lu/2016/04/shirakawa-go-april-2016.html

Choza Onsen in Fukuji Onsen Chuo
http://sketchingtheplace.blogspot.lu/2016/04/fukuji-onsen-chuo-april-2016.html

Kikyoumon Gate, Imperial Palace, Tokyo
http://sketchingtheplace.blogspot.lu/2016/04/blog-post.html