Certain places somehow get my attention like Señor Taco in Holbrook. I haven't eaten here but seeing the number of people going in to pick up orders while I sketched, I may have to try it.
Wednesday, March 31, 2021
Tuesday, March 30, 2021
Fire Island View
Since it was nice over the weekend I headed over to the beach. I decided it would be too windy at the ocean so I went to Captree State Park which is across on the other side of the bay. It was even windy there so I sat in my mobile studio to sketch this view of the Fire Island Lighthouse.
SATURDAY: Sketch Cappadocia
I'M NOT ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE
I’ve heard of Cappadocia, but if pressed I’d probably have guessed wrong about what country it’s in. I might have even gotten the continent wrong. It’s one of those places. If you’ve been there you probably have hundreds of incredible memories. I’m not one of those people. So when Cecelia and Shawne suggested Cappadocia as a virtual sketch event it sounded like a good idea, but I really didn't know.
I’ve heard of Cappadocia, but if pressed I’d probably have guessed wrong about what country it’s in. I might have even gotten the continent wrong. It’s one of those places. If you’ve been there you probably have hundreds of incredible memories. I’m not one of those people. So when Cecelia and Shawne suggested Cappadocia as a virtual sketch event it sounded like a good idea, but I really didn't know.
Wow. Cecilia sent some photos and my eyes were opened. It’s an incredibly beautiful place and also an incredibly ancient one. Homer wrote the story of the Iliad about the war of the Greeks against the Trojans. It took place in prehistory about 500 miles from Cappadocia. We’re not even sure Homer existed and many people doubted that Troy even existed, until archeologists discovered the ruins, … and more. That ancient city - Troy was built on top of an even older city, and that one rested on top of another city even older. In total, Homer’s city of Troy sat on top of the ruins of 9 older cities that had been destroyed or abandoned. Modern people have lived in this area for as long as there have been modern people.
CAPPADOCIA
Cappadocia is a part of central Turkey. Eruptions of several volcanoes (e.g. Erciyes Dag, Hasan Dag) covered the area with tuff (soft volcanic rock). Erosion dug valleys and created an uncountable number of different shaped rock formations. The tuff's ability to store water made the valleys much more fertile than the higher surroundings.
The first people to arrive dug caves into the soft stone. In time they developed the ability to dig cities into the underground with tunnels of several kilometers. A sophisticated pipe- and tunnel-system carried fresh air and water, and enabled the people to hide from enemies for long periods.
In the 5th century hermits started to settle in the valleys and to paint their caves. In the next centuries more and more hermits and monks arrived and a rich cave-architecture with colorful wall paintings developed.
AM vs. PM
We will be spending our morning, sketching Cappadocia. In the afternoon our focus will shift to the architecture and domes of Turkey (The Ortaköy Mosque and Hagia Sophia )
Cecilia, once again has created a special website for our adventure.
It includes remarkable photos and excellent links for you to explore. You can start planning your sketching adventure now:
https://605fc5152810e.site123.me/
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- You need to register to participate.
- Click here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/saturday-sketch-cappadocia-tickets-148828902253
- The virtual sketching event will be this Saturday and starts at 10 AM ET
- Registration closes on Friday at noon ET.
- On Friday afternoon if you registered you will receive the login info you’ll need to participate.
There are no fees. All drawing skill levels are welcome
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Wednesday, March 24, 2021
A REMINDER
There is no scheduled NYC Urban Sketching event planned for this weekend - March 27, 2021.
Our next planned event will be the following Saturday when we will have a sketching adventure in Cappadocia. You'll love the stunning visuals.
See you then, and keep sketching!
Sunday, March 21, 2021
E-X-P-A-N-D YOUR UNIVERSE
Have you ever used an accordion sketchbook? It is fun! Start on one end and move along using one element to carry you picture through to the next section of the book. You will wind up with a wonderful panorama of your city, backyard or apartment. They are particularly good for doing expansive city scapes. Try getting over to Roosevelt Island for a great view of the east side of Manhattan or to the Jersey City waterfront for a view of lower Manhattan across the Hudson River.
Suhita Shirodkar recently used one to capture the spring landscape near her home in California: https://sketchaway.wordpress.com/2021/03/17/spring-in-california/
Ive used it a number of times. Once as a wedding gift where I recorded various scenes of the wedding weekend using an element on part of the page to carry through to the next part of the "story".
And, following one of our themes, drawing hands and feet during lockdown.
The books are readily available through any art supple outlet: here is one rom Hanemuhle at Blick that is only 2"x2"
https://www.dickblick.com/products/hahnemuhle-the-zigzag-book/?clickTracking=true&wmcp=pla&wmcid=items&wmckw=13872-1197&utm_source=criteo&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=lowerfunnel
BUT they are extremely easy to make by folding a piece of paper back and forth. You can join strips of paper and even add a cardboard cover. Little effort for a big payoff.
Here are some How To sites:
- Accordion Fold Books January 18, 2021 Suhita Shirodkar https://sketchaway.wordpress.com/2021/01/18/accordion-fold-books/
- How to Make an Accordion Book by Dena McMurdie https://www.readbrightly.com/diy-accordion-book/
Fill the pages with your sketches. Accordion books make for great displays! Then stand them up and view all the pages at once!
Tuesday, March 16, 2021
SATURDAY: Sketch the Beauty and the Sorrow of Burma
Lately it seems there is a news story every day about the troubles in Myanmar. We see and read stories about the military brutalizing the citizens of this beautiful country. Myanmar? What happened to Burma? Are they the same country? And what about their leader - Aung San Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize laureate? After spending 15 years under house arrest, wasn’t she elected President? What happened?
Myanmar, is a country in Southeast Asia. Myanmar, bordered by Bangladesh and India to its northwest, China to its northeast, Laos and Thailand to its east and southeast, and the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal to its south and southwest. The ancient Indians referred to it as the “Golden Land”. Looking at photographs of the stunning beauty it’s easy to see why.
Back in 1989 the official English name was changed by the country's government from the "Union of Burma" to the "Union of Myanmar", and still later to the "Republic of the Union of Myanmar". Since then, those name changes have been the subject of endless controversies.
Win Naing has prepared fascinating sketching tour of his homeland, focusing on three cities:
Mandalay
Win’s birthplace. Mandalay is the second largest city in Myanmar. It was the Royal capital in the 19th century. Google Streetview has not fully mapped the city but important keywords to search include:
Myanmar, is a country in Southeast Asia. Myanmar, bordered by Bangladesh and India to its northwest, China to its northeast, Laos and Thailand to its east and southeast, and the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal to its south and southwest. The ancient Indians referred to it as the “Golden Land”. Looking at photographs of the stunning beauty it’s easy to see why.
Back in 1989 the official English name was changed by the country's government from the "Union of Burma" to the "Union of Myanmar", and still later to the "Republic of the Union of Myanmar". Since then, those name changes have been the subject of endless controversies.
Win Naing has prepared fascinating sketching tour of his homeland, focusing on three cities:
Mandalay
Win’s birthplace. Mandalay is the second largest city in Myanmar. It was the Royal capital in the 19th century. Google Streetview has not fully mapped the city but important keywords to search include:
- Mandalay palace
- U bein Bridge
- Kuthodaw Pagoda
- Mandalay Hill
- Maha Myat Muni Pagoda
- Zaygyo Market Mandalay
- Mingun
- Sagaing Hills
- Sagaing Bridge
- Ayeyarwaddy / Irrawaddy River
Old Bagan
There are literally thousands and thousands of pagoda all over the city. “Bagan is an ancient city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Mandalay Region of Myanmar. From the 9th to 13th centuries, the city was the capital of the Pagan Kingdom, the first kingdom that unified the regions that would later constitute Myanmar.” Here are some clickable links you can use:
There are literally thousands and thousands of pagoda all over the city. “Bagan is an ancient city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Mandalay Region of Myanmar. From the 9th to 13th centuries, the city was the capital of the Pagan Kingdom, the first kingdom that unified the regions that would later constitute Myanmar.” Here are some clickable links you can use:
Yangon (aka Rangoon)
Largest city in Burma was the capital until 2006 when the military junta purpose built the administrative capital city of Naypyidaw. Rangoon has the largest number of colonial-era buildings in Southeast Asia.
Largest city in Burma was the capital until 2006 when the military junta purpose built the administrative capital city of Naypyidaw. Rangoon has the largest number of colonial-era buildings in Southeast Asia.
- Shwedagon Pagoda
- Strand Road Yangon
- Karaweik at Kandawgyi Lake
- Sule Pagoda
- Yangon High Court
- Mahabandula Garden
- Yangon City Hall (interesting architecture)
- Yangon Railway Station (interesting architecture)
- Streets in Yangon
What is happening now?
There are lots of scenes you can sketch showing the protests in the streets after the military coup on 1 February 2021.
There are lots of scenes you can sketch showing the protests in the streets after the military coup on 1 February 2021.
- 2 minute video: Why Is The World Ignoring Myanmar? https://youtu.be/ckwWz9mBP1U
- Other YouTube Videos
- Sketch below by Win showing street protester shot by the military junta
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
There are no fees. All drawing skill levels are welcome
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- You need to register to participate.
- Click here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/saturday-sketch-the-beauty-and-the-sorrow-of-burma-tickets-146613124803
- The virtual sketching event will be this Saturday and starts at 10 AM ET
- Registration closes on Friday at noon ET.
- On Friday afternoon if you registered you will receive the login info you’ll need to participate.
There are no fees. All drawing skill levels are welcome
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Tuesday, March 9, 2021
SATURDAY: Put Her on a Pedestal
NYC is filled with statues honoring men. However, when you try to find statues of women there are almost none. There are a few allegorical images and a few that are fictional characters, but at the beginning of the pandemic there were only five statues that honored real women. They are: Joan of Arc, Golda Meir, Gertrude Stein, Eleanor Roosevelt and Harriet Tubman.
Then, very quietly this past summer, in the middle of the Covid crisis a new statue was unveiled in Central Park honoring Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton together on a single pedestal. Nice, but really only a small addition. This is something we, as artists can address.
Select a woman you'd like to be honored by a statue in NYC. Find images and consider where you would like your proposed statue to be located.
Your finished piece will show the woman you selected as a finished statue - shown in the public location of your choice.
To inspire you take a virtual walking tour created by the Central Park Conservancy that highlights five of the existing statues:
Select a woman you'd like to be honored by a statue in NYC. Find images and consider where you would like your proposed statue to be located.
Your finished piece will show the woman you selected as a finished statue - shown in the public location of your choice.
- For the Morning: Select an historical figure, a woman who once lived but is no longer alive.
- For the Afternoon: Select a living woman to honor with a statue.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
You need to register to participate.
The virtual sketching event will be this Saturday and starts at 10 AM ET
Registration closes on Friday at noon ET.
On Friday afternoon if you registered you will receive the login info you’ll need to participate.
There are no fees. All drawing skill levels are welcome
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