On the first day, we started by drawing boxes of various sizes on a page in our sketchbooks. Then we headed outside with just our Micron pens, pencils and sketchbooks.
My goals for the students included getting used to sketching quickly with pens, making color notes in pencil and in the end, completing their pages with color and decorative lettering. We started filling the boxes with 30 second and 1 minute sketches. Sometimes we splurged and stayed in one spot for 5 minutes.
After lunch we'd work in the studio and finish our morning sketches using watercolors or watercolor pencils. Check out these results!
The second day, we approached our journal pages differently. We used multiple images to create flowing vignettes on a single page. I picked the subjects and showed them my methods of choosing where to position each item on the page.
This is my demonstration page. The first item drawn was the metal palm tree sculpture on the right side of the page. I chose that spot because of the strong design of the fronds that pointed to the left - and into the center of my page. The second element was the umbrella with the people. Note that the shape of the umbrella points into the center of my page. And the people are facing right, into the page. The third element was the cafe sign. I made it a size to tie into what was already on my page. The type was added back in the studio. The page was screaming for a border.... type is perfect for that.
After lunch we hit the streets again with another page of boxes - they were a big hit and perfect for quick sketches.... And, what a flavor of Beaufort we captured!!
Here is the colorized version of my top b&w page:
If a blank journal page puts you off.... try a page of boxes. They don't have to all be filled in the same day... perhaps one a day? They are perfect for the travel sketcher, or even keeping tract of your garden's growth. The possibilities go on and on :) Enjoy! That's what it's all about :)
I like this grid method. Hoping to translate this into a page in my sketch book.
ReplyDeleteYou'll love it Sketch Gurl. The boxes aren't real carefully drawn so right away the pressure to be tight and realistic is lifted. Have a great time!
DeleteYes, what a neat idea!
ReplyDeleteGina, it's certainly not a new idea but sure is a fun one :)
DeleteSuper post! And such lucky workshop attendees!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jeanette :)
DeleteAmazing pages and sketches!
ReplyDeleteThank you hfm. The students did a great job, incorporating their own styles into my guidelines. It's always so much fun to see the results :)
DeleteI am so inspired by this, thank you.
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome, Mary!
DeleteWonderful idea. Sometimes before I begin a page I put a round box in one upper corner and a rectangular one in the opposite lower corner. Then I draw the scene, knowing that serendipity will offer me something to put into those two boxes. It always does. Thanks for passing your ideas along. Lee Kline (Sketchrboy in FLICKR)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lee! I like your idea of the serendipitous boxes. I will give that a try :)
DeleteI love this idea! I am definitely going to try it out my self! Inspiring work :0)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sandra! Have fun :)
ReplyDeleteWhat great ideas for helping to overcome 'blank page syndrome'. I will definitely be trying this. I love the look of the results!
ReplyDeleteYou'll have fun, Molly. Thanks!
DeleteThank you for posting this great idea, Pam. I enjoyed seeing the results of your sketching workshop and will try this asap!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Louise! Have a great time :)
DeleteI absolutely LOVE this post, Pam, your lucky students!! Thank you so much for sharing. Beautiful pages, as always, and so inviting and accessible...
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kate!!! My students so loved this exercise that I had to share their fun and hoped that it would give others another tool :)
DeleteWe ALL loved it, and your students did a great job. I took the liberty of sharing with our Facebook group, too!
DeleteJust love your journal pages! I like how you segment different scenes, as well as the composition and colors. Really wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThank you Frances!
DeleteI divided a sketch page into quarters yesterday to work out some ideas for a postcard, so this was a great thing to read about today. I tutor some very shy students, both adults and kids, and I think this kind of exercise will appeal to us all -- I might do some diamonds and circles, too. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteJoy, yummy idea for circles and diamonds :) Your shy students will love this!
ReplyDeleteI love it too. At first I thought it was Cathy's work. Your lettering is similar. Great idea to get to work faster.
ReplyDeleteOmigosh, am I ever flattered! Pam's soooo much better than I am at that.
DeleteI'm oh so flattered too..... To think my pages can look as good as Cathy's! Wow we :)
DeleteThanks for the great idea! I'm teaching a nature sketching series right now, for beginners, and this will be an excellent technique for them, too. I used to do this, years ago...funny how we forget about things sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI wish there was something like this was happening near me. What fun to join!!
ReplyDeleteLovely drawings in here.