While researching urban sketching for my event with Penny Post, I found the DC chapter of Urban Sketchers, an active group that schedules meet-ups twice a month around the DMV. Recent locations have been the Spanish Steps/Dupont Circle, various Smithsonian museums, the Georgetown waterfront, MLK Library, and the first one I attended, Farragut Square.
Their mission is to fostering a global community of artists who practice on-location drawing. (see www.urbansketchers.org for more information.)
Urban Sketchers MANIFESTO
1. We draw on location, indoors or out, capturing what we see from direct observation.
2. Our drawings tell the story of our surroundings, the places we live and where we travel.
3. Our drawings are a record of time and place.
4. We are truthful to the scenes we witness.
5. We use any kind of media and cherish our individual styles.
6. We support each other and draw together.
7. We share our drawings online.
8. We show the world, one drawing at a time.
My friend and fellow artist Gannon Beck came with me to Tatte at Farragut Square on an overcast Saturday in July. I wouldn’t say Farragut Square is an architecturally significant area of DC but I spied the lovely St Regis hotel on our walk from the car and Gannon gamely agreed to it for our subject of the day. We settled ourselves on tiny camp stools and balanced our pads and tools and started sketching, me with pencil, Gannon with pen. About 30 minutes in, it started drizzling. The paper got wet but my pencil sketch stayed put.
Pencil sketch of the St Regis hotel in DC (Arches cold press watercolor paper)
However, I learned that watercolor paper that is already saturated with water does not absorb pigment. The watercolor ran and basically washed off the paper from the rain.
After about 90 minutes, it started really raining so Gannon and I packed up and gingerly carried our very wet art back to Tatte where we ordered hot drinks and compared paintings.
Gannon’s ink smeared more than my pencil but he got more color to load. I decided to just enjoy my latté and not do anymore work on my extremely damp sketch.
At the appointed end time, the group gathered around a table to show what we’d done. Many people had started across the street in Farragut Square park, taking shelter under trees. Others stayed inside the bakery and drew croissants and people.
I was at the King & Union weekend pop-up market the next day and Sundays tend to be fairly quiet so I brought my now-dry sketch with me to work on, using a photo for reference. I need to work on pulling my art in from the edges but overall I’m pleased with how it turned out.
