You are invited to Sketch in colour: a virtual art challenge on Saturday 25 April 2020, from 11am to 1pm.
We would like to preserve as much as possible the idea of a sketching event taking place at a particular time. Of course, if this date and time is not practical for you, feel free to do the challenge on another occasion.
This replaces the joint meet-up planned for Urban Sketchers London and Urban Sketchers Cambridge. Posting on social media, use the hashtags #uskathome #sketchincolour #usklondon #uskcambridge
Summary: The theme of this challenge is colour. We hope you will experiment and move beyond your comfort zone. For this challenge, it is suggested you find yourself a subject which you can sketch from observation on the day. On the day, you will do a preliminary sketch (maybe in pencil), then three quick colour versions of this subject - each will show a different use of colour. Read through the description below, as before the challenge starts, you will need to prepare three different coloured backgrounds on which to draw or paint.
Materials: You can use any coloured materials for this: paint, coloured inks, coloured pencils, crayons, coloured pens, oil pastels, chalk pastels, collage.
Advance preparation: A few days before the date of the challenge, prepare three different coloured surfaces on which you will paint and draw. These could be:
·
Paper coloured by washes of watercolour or
diluted acrylic ink, or something similar
· Coloured paper (manufactured): do experiment a
bit rather than choose beige, grey and buff
· Collaged surfaces suitable for your
painting/drawing materials
As you will be working quickly to produce three small studies, I suggest these prepared sheets should not be too big.
The aim is to move away from the natural colours of the scene, and experiment. I suggest you choose colours for your backgrounds as follows:
·
A colour which you find uplifting, which makes
you happy
·
A colour which to you is calming
·
A colour which you find warm and energising
Choosing a subject to sketch: choose any scene it is practical for you to sketch from observation on the day, inside or outside, a view from a window, a balcony or garden. Don’t make your subject too extensive or complex – the aim is small colour studies.
What to do on the day:
11-11.10: Make sure your art kit and prepared sheets of paper are ready (10 minutes)
11.10-11.30: Start with a warm-up sketch, in a sketchbook, perhaps simply in pencil, to clarify your subject and composition in your mind (20 minutes)
11.30-11.40: using your three different coloured sheets, choose a different selection of colours to sketch on each.
Then, do three colour studies/sketches of the same subject from observation (20 minutes each)
11.40-12 noon: Colour study 1
12 noon-12.20: Break (optional!)
12.20-12.40: Colour study 2
12..40-1pm Colour study 3
1pm: Finish. Congratulations! Please photograph or scan and post your sketches and enjoy the sketches of others too.
Posting on social media, use the hashtags #uskathome #sketchincolour #usklondon #uskcambridge
Follow-up: Having done the three colour studies, you could choose one of the colour ranges and make a more developed sketch/drawing/painting.
