I was fortunate to attend James Richards workshop "Sketching the Energy of Places" in San Miguel de Allende while I was still in Mexico. Meagan Burns, a Chicagoan urban sketcher living now in SMA, invited him through http://www.artleapadventures.com/. I was happy to get a place in the limited capacity of the group, since I failed to register to his workshop during the early registration for the International Urban Sketchers Symposium in Chicago this July. I successfully registered during the standard registration but James Richards' workshop was fully booked so I was happy as a duck in the water (don't ask where did I get that analogy) when I knew that I could attend to this one in Mexico.
We met at a studio in downtown and went to Plaza Civica to practice what we learned. We were encouraged to scroll the area and do some thumbnails, which I did in my A5 sketchbook.
Frankly I'm embarrassed to show these just because I saw other thumbnails that looked like finished pieces of art! ......Anyway.....I chose the second one and this is the sketch I did in a short period of time, the Templo de Nuestra Senora de la Salud.
I asked James for a photo. he was so gracious and kind to pose for Patti, his wife, who took the photo. Thanks James and Meagan for such fun and interesting workshop!
Right after the workshop, the urban sketchers of San Miguel de Allende met at Jardin Principal, the main square. I came out with this view which I finished later adding color.
Two days later, I returned to the Plaza Civica. I had to do the other thumbnail, the other embarrassing one, remember? I sketched the statue from the other side, you know.... I was looking for the shade. I told myself add people, people, people. Get it done! Make your sketches alive! Capture the energy!
Now look at the very top sketch. Did I succeed? Click here for last Part.
