ultraMARIN Sketch

I'm continuing to tell about my trip to Amsterdam, here is the first post . Symposium days started from faculty meeting (many hugs and kisses) and trip to the Royal Talens factory (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, sketchers' version ;)) Next three days were crazy and exciting marathon of teaching. My workshop "Face to Face" was dedicated to capturing urban portraits and took place at the Waterlooplein Market - great place with plenty of various faces! Wonderful symposium volunteers' team took care of every tiny detail. Even of weather, but maybe a bit too much, because Symposium days were really hot! Heat of close to 40C doesn't disturb fearless and enthusiastic participants - they all did wonderful, trying out different approaches, getting out of comfort zone and capturing a lot of stories by human faces! It was so nice to share the location with two of my favorite sketchers-instructors, who fancy people sketching and storytelling...

Trying to assume such a huge experience, as an Urban Sketchers Symposium is not an easy mission. It was my 6th one, and being a part of this organization from the beginning - 10 years round - adds to the whole feeling something epic. It feels strange to think that 10 years ago keeping a sketchbook was very individual and lonely activity, and today I can share my intimate experience of sketching with my big world family anytime I wish it! I remember my first Symposium in Lisbon, the shock of meeting in person virtual friends I felt I knew so well by following their sketches! Amsterdam Symposium was really a wonderful one, it has everything and even more! The magic of meeting old friends-sketchers and continuing conversations we started a year ago as it was yesterday. Being privileged to be one of the instructors, teaching groups of enthusiastic sketchers from all over the world. Making new friends. Drinking and drawing. Exchanging sketchbooks. And drawing again. And all this in beautif...

It was a very hot and busy month! Only now I finally starting to put together my impressions and thoughts and finishing to scan my sketches from the Manchester Symposium's trip. So, after the long period of preparations, planning and expectations it is over! Manchester was for me the forth time I participated in the USk Symposium, third time as an instructor. No doubt, it felt like an annual reunion, and of course it was different experience - in different place, different time and many new people. Being Symposium instructor is a big responsibility - people are coming from all over the world to learn and to get an unique experience, with a lot of expectations and some fears. You never know who is coming to your workshop, the level and the background of the participants is different, the outside conditions are unpredictable, and so is the general energy and the atmosphere of  the each workshop. This year my workshop was different from my usual people-sketching program. It'...