Last weekend I took Tom Hoffman’s workshop for the second time in San Francisco. We had a blast and I learned quite a lot. I love Tom’s style and was determined to learn as much as I could over the next four days. On the first day we were to use a photo (I chose this one) as a warm up exercise before heading outside to sketch from life.
This second sketch was painted on the corner of 17th St. and Texas St.
The second annual SF Bay Area 10×10 Urban Sketching Workshops are happening this spring! 10 instructors, 10 classes. Each class is limited to 15 students. I’ll be teaching the class “Unraveling the Complexity of Travel Sketching.” Sign up before they sell out. As of writing this, my class is already half full in less than a day of open regestration!
Check out the full listing of classes here
The San Francisco Bay Area chapter of Urban sketchers is excited to be holding it’s own series of 10 workshops around the Bay Area: 10 teachers you’ve been wanting to take a workshop with, and workshops geared towards all levels of sketchers!
Title of workshop: Unraveling the Complexity of Travel Sketching
Level of difficulty: Beginning
Instructor: Richard Sheppard
Date/time: May 6 and May 7, 10am-1pm (I have two spots that just opened up for Saturday May 6. My May 7 class is currently full.)
Meeting place: San Francisco, Palace of Fine Arts, on the corner of Baker St. and Bay St.
Class description: The best souvenirs are not the things you buy or the photos you take while on vacation, but drawings you create in a sketchbook. Sketching allows the artist to slow down enough to get acquainted with surroundings that are so often overlooked while framing the world through a lens. Yet sketching in public can be a daunting experience for the self-conscious sketcher, or for those that are just unprepared. The first part of this class will cover tips on getting beyond the emotional roadblocks that keep us from sketching. Then we’ll discuss materials, styles, and techniques that are best suited for travel sketching. The final part of the class will cover developing a visual vocabulary as well as choosing subjects that are memorable and meaningful.
To register contact suhita@gmail.com and put “San Francisco Bay Area 10×10” in the subject line of your email. Suhita will let you know if there are still spots open and she will help you through the registration process.
If you are interested in urban sketching workshops, read through this post carefully, for
1) Workshops around the world
2) Workshops in the San Francisco Bay Area
3) And a workshop I’m teaching- in San Francisco!
This is an exciting year for Urban Sketching! Urban Sketchers is 10 years old this year and they’re celebrating with year-long workshops all over the world. Excited? Click this link to see where all the workshops are. Each city lets you pick from 10 workshops being held throughout the year.
The San Francisco Bay Area chapter of Urban sketchers is excited to be holding it’s own series of 10 workshops around the Bay Area: 10 teachers you’ve been wanting to take a workshop with, and workshops geared towards all levels of sketchers! To read more about those workshops, go to this link. If you’re interested in a Bay Area workshop, get in touch with Suhita at suhita@gmail.com and tell her what classes you’re interested in. She’ll walk you through the registration process.
We have quite a fantastic lineup of workshops, so register soon because they’re filling up fast. And whether you are signed up for a workshop, thinking of signing up, curious about urban sketching, or just want to meet and hangout with urban sketchers, everyone is invited to our launch party on Saturday February 11 at Arch Art & Drafting Supply in San Francisco. The event will kick off with a sketch meet-up at San Francisco’s Mission Bay at noon, followed by the launch party at Arch Art & Drafting Supply at 1:30. USk classes will be introduced and individual instructors will be available for a meet-and-greet session. Come join us even if we’ve never met before, we’re a friendly bunch!
Title of workshop: Unraveling the Complexity of Travel Sketching
Level of difficulty: Beginning
Instructor: Richard Sheppard
Date/time: May 6 and May 7), 10am-1pm
Meeting place: San Francisco, Palace of Fine Arts, on the corner of Baker St. and Bay St.
Class description: The best souvenirs are not the things you buy or the photos you take while on vacation, but drawings you create in a sketchbook. Sketching allows the artist to slow down enough to get acquainted with surroundings that are so often overlooked while framing the world through a lens. Yet sketching in public can be a daunting experience for the self-conscious sketcher, or for those that are just unprepared. The first part of this class will cover tips on getting beyond the emotional roadblocks that keep us from sketching. Then we’ll discuss materials, styles, and techniques that are best suited for travel sketching. The final part of the class will cover developing a visual vocabulary as well as choosing subjects that are memorable and meaningful.
To register for any of the Bay Area workshops, contact suhita@gmail.com and put “San Francisco Bay Area 10×10” in the subject line of your email. Let her know what workshops you want to sign up for. Suhita will let you know if there are still spots open and she will help you through the registration process.
Classes are filing up fast!
This past week I had the pleasure of meeting ultra talented Gabi (Gabriel Campanario)Â and his family for the first time here in Healdsburg! We met in the downtown plaza and then walked over to Flying Goat Coffee, had drinks, and talked about everything sketchy. I had a great time getting to know Gabi and hope that someday we’ll get to sketch together in Seattle. In fact, I’m going to bet on it.
Last spring, I was interviewed by Danny Gregory to coincide with the February release of his book “An Illustrated Journey.” Danny included 40 sketch artists including me in this collection about travel sketching. You can watch the interview here.
I’m excited to announce the publication of “An Illustrated Journey” by Danny Gregory. I was one of 40 artists, illustrators and designers chosen to collaborate with Danny on this book about travel sketching. I received my copy today and have just flipped through the pages of the new book. It’s a great collection of sketch artists from around the world. Pick up your copy today!
I have experimented with many different art supplies over the years, and my supply list is always evolving. Here is a list of the items I currently use.
• Sakura Pigma Micron pens sizes 01 through 08
• Windsor & Newton professional-grade tube watercolors
• Children’s watercolor set (with the paint soaked out and replaced with W&N watercolors)
• 12″ x12″ masonite hardboard
• Water cups clip
• Windsor & Newton, Series 7 sable watercolor brush
• Technical pencil (never needs sharpening)
• I make my own sketchbooks
• Arches hot press watercolor blocks 7″x 10″
• Plastic knife (for removing pages from the watercolor block)
• iPhone for pictures, video, blog posts
• Timbuk2 messenger bag
• Three-legged fold-up chair
• Notebook for writing thoughts
• Kneaded eraser
This post is an excerpt from my book “The Artist on the Road: Impressions of Greece” and available on Amazon.