Off to Sketch We Go!

A driech Saturday but Urban Sketching was on the program for today and that in a very cosy café in the centre of Würzburg. Both the Café and sketching people live were new to me! My nerves were a jangle because im not a people person (in the drawing sense), yes, I sketch the odd figure but from my reference photos, I can take my time and do a lot of rubbing out! 

The Café is called ''Wunschlos Glücklich'' which translates as ''perfectly happy'', hmmm sounds like a meeting place for eco fans, ageing hippies and sad beige parents and so it was. Vintage style mix furnishings were very quirky, the rooms were full of  lots of sad beige babies with their equally beige mothers although the walls of the Café were colourful, turquoise and pink, the soft muted lighting made the atmosphere very cosy. I really was in two minds about the venue, yes it was interesting to sketch in, loads of people, tightly packed in but the light and the bustle were challenging. We were 13 sketchers, so we split up into two tables, so choosing a motif really wasn’t on the cards. 

Fortunately, I was seated opposite these turquoise and pink walls with a great lampshade and my ''model'' was one of the other sketchers. Now sketching a live figure was definitely a whole new ball game … first she sat sideways and leaning forward then she moved to the position she was in here and finally she turned sideways looking right! It was a case of a quick decision and sticking to that pose, (the first pose I quickly rubbed out). 

One of the great things about sketching together is the chance to chat to other sketchers, one asked me why I like Urban Sketching so much. That’s an easy question to answer ….. it puts me on the spot! While sketching alone in my studio or out and about, I can take my time, carefully choose my motif, work slowly, sketch a bit, leave it and come back to carry on later. With the group we usually have a two hour session, in this time you meet up, choose your spot, chat a bit and then get down to business. Even if what you’re looking at isn’t your thing (like people in a Café) you get on with it, you are out of your comfort zone and that’s great. I love to look at everyone's work at the end too, so many different takes on a similar subject. 

Here’s another photo which gives you a better view of the lighting! Was I satisfied with my sketch? It’s certainly no Caravaggio but actually, I was perfectly happy (as the name promised!) and with the place being so crowded we didn’t seem very conspicuous either, which was great. I'd definitely do interior sketching again!