TRY A SKETCHCRAWL THIS SUMMER!

by Joan Waites

I recently became acquainted with the term “SketchCrawl”, and while this type of artist activity has been around for a few years now, its popularity is growing. A SketchCrawl is basically the gathering of a group of artists at a designated location, (museum, zoo, park or another interesting spot ), for the purpose of doing loose, observational drawings in a sketchbook, using simple materials such as pens, pencils and/or a small watercolor set.

From Enrico Casarosa of the SketchCrawl website: (www.sketchcrawl.com)

“The basic idea: to record nonstop everything I could around me with my pencil and watercolors. A drawn journal filled with details ranging from the all the coffee I drank to the different buses I took. After a whole day of drawing and walking around the city the name seemed quite fitting: “SketchCrawl” – a drawing marathon. The crawl was more tiring than I imagined but also more fun and exciting than I had thought. Giving yourself this kind of mandate for a full day changes the way you look around you. It makes you stop and see things just a tad longer, just a bit deeper … needless to say I loved it.”

Children’s book illustrator Lynn Chapman often posts about her experiences doing a SketchCrawl  here: http://www.lynnechapman.co.uk/sketch-thumbs.php?id=220

Using this idea as a fun summer activity for you, your friends, or a group of children, gather together at a designated location for a day-or just a few hours. Spend about 15-30 minutes at each SketchCrawl stop. Pick out one single element (such as a flower, park bench, etc.)… or an entire city block to record in sketch form. The idea is to be quick, loose and not worry about the finished product. With the written word, record other details that you see or hear (or taste!) at your location.

In the photo posted, I’ve organized a simple SketchCrawl kit. An inexpensive drawing pad, pencil, colored pencils and/or markers placed in a small backpack would make a great kit for kids. Regular Crayola markers will dissolve into a watercolor-like paint when brushed over with water. You just need to use a heavier weight paper in your sketchbook.
Happy summer…and happy SketchCrawling!

www.joanwaites.com

CHARACTER DOODLES

by Joan Waites

School is out again for the summer. It’s time for lazy days, long car rides, and  perhaps some time relaxing by the water- whether it’s at the community pool, the sprinkler in the backyard, or a trip to the beach.

I was recently reminded of a drawing exercise I used to do as a child that would be perfect to pass the time on those long trips or rainy days.  It also works as a fundamental drawing exercise for art students of any age, illustrating how all objects can be broken down into simple geometric and organic shapes.

Draw 6-8 squares on a piece of plain white paper. Without thinking too much, quickly draw a random shape in each square.  Have children create funny, scary or realistic characters using each shape in the squares.

Next, use each character doodle as a starting point for a story. What is the character’s name and where do they live? What are they doing? Do they have a special friend or an enemy?  Have two or more of the characters go on an adventure together and see what happens! Stories can be told orally or written down and shared.

Enjoy the summer and happy doodling!

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