ultraMARIN Sketch

It was very special sketchcrawl, dedicated to 15th Birthday of one of our group's youngest members Noamy. Noamy's sketches are always inspire me, her vision and hand are so fresh and she succeed not to fall to an automatic solutions and approaches. We all tend to fall into our comfort zone, to use tools and  techniques we're "good" in, and for me it's very inspiring to see bold brave voice full of talent. Orna, Noamy's mother, hosted us in her beautiful and very artistic house in Jaffa. It's amazing that short time after everybody arrived, greeted each other and chatted a bit, suddenly the house became silent and the scribbling of pencils were the only noise in the air :) It was a nice opportunity to sketch other sketches - something I don't allow to myself usually at our sketchcrawls.

Finally hot days are back, and it's a perfect time for a beach sketching.

Yesterday our group joined the Jane's Walk events. Actually, our usual sketchcrawl format fits the concept of Jane's walks perfectly. As it described on its official page - "Jane’s Walk is movement of free, citizen-led walking conversations..." We also do "citizen-led walking conversations", our conversations are our sketches. The process of walking, loitering without any purpose is a good beginning for finding a spot for sketching. Looking at everyday with eyes of a tourist is a must point for finding interesting story.

Milonga in Jaffa, in the heart of the old city, between churches, minarets and synagogues, hummus and baklava eaters, fitted somehow perfectly to the colorful atmosphere of this place. Last year during our trip to South America , I was lucky to sketch milongueros in the place were tango was born - Buenos Aires. I was surprised to discover that our local community looked not less professional! Dancers came equipped with their dancing shoes, dressed as it supposed from tango dancers, in different ages and origins, but all burning from inside with similar passion, they created magic when they moved together with music. It's so inspiring to see  a group of people united by common passion. Especially when they so beautiful as tango dancers! It took to me a while to start to sketching - I was fascinated and felt like sketching with my eyes. But after a few clumsy lines, little by little I entered to the pace... It was real fun!

I'm happy and excited to invite you to my workshop, which will focus on what I love the most - sketching people, and particularly  - in portraits and how tell the story through a human face. Date: April 27, 2018 10:00 AM - 1:30 PM Workshop location:   Tel Aviv, Israel. (exact location TBA) Space is limited:  contact ultramarin71[at]gmail.com to make a reservation and arrange payment. Maximum number of participants : 15 Skill level:  Suitable for all ability levels. "Faces are the most interesting things we see; other people fascinate me, and the most interesting aspect of other people - the point where we go inside them - is in the face. It tells all." - David Hockney For me there is no more interesting subject than sketching people, and of course the most fascinating part is - their faces. When I can't pull out my sketchbook, I catch myself sketching with my eyes - watching the celebration of the human faces that constant...

I'm in Jaffa again, having some sketching time with my friend Nathan. We're looking for the perfect spot, were we can combine drinking coffee and sketching. When we pass near Dr. Narghile shop, the decision comes to us simultaneously. We sat down in front of the shop on the heavy old chairs padded with red and black stripped cloth. I'm starting to sketch three men smoking narghile near me, but they're taking out their wallets and paying - what a pity! I need to wait for a new victim. It comes immediately - young bearded guy, looking for some calm moments and the last rays of the spring sun. My second sketch - glance to the opposite side, to the busy junction with Jeffet street. There is so much going on all the time - tourists, locals, Arabs, Jews... looks like everybody have enough place and understand each other in different languages.  I'm looking for the spot for the another sketch, decide to sketch the view just opposite me. It looks boring, big motorcycl...

Sunny spring afternoon, we're having coffee at one of the corners of Jaffa. I'm pulling out my gouache set and starting to arrange the colors on the palette. "And what about the paints?"- the waitress is asking me while she brings ours coffee. "What about them?" - I'm asking her. "They wouldn't dirt the table?" "No, please don't worry! They are water based!" Recently I'm in love with gouache and acrylic. I want to back to painting, the real one, as I did in the art school, but I   don't have proper time for it. So I'm trying to bring it to my Urban Sketching. It requires more arrangements than just watercolor and pencils. And my bag is getting heavy. But I don't give up, and it pays back - I enjoy it a lot. In my first sketch I'm trying to capture the whole scene - the street, the coffee drinkers and especially the sun coming from theirs back and giving all the characters kind of    aureole. The couple ...