La rencontre annuelle des Urban Sketchers de France avait lieu à Nantes du 17 au 20 mai 2024.
Après l'avoir accueillie l'an dernier à Toulouse en 2023, j'avais le plaisir cette année d'y figurer en simple participant.En revanche, je n'y suis resté que 2 jours et demi, ce qui était trop court pour voir tout ce qui était au programme mais suffisant pour constater le succès toujours grandissant des Urban sketchers. Dans mon carnet je remarque la taille démesurée des ciels et les bateaux omniprésents.mercredi 22 mai 2024
USk Nantes 2024
mercredi 20 mars 2024
Montagne de Tabe
samedi 24 février 2024
Basilique St Sernin
The Urban Sketchers chapter of Toulouse uses to meet at least once a month, on the last Sunday. February's meeting leaded us to sketch the iconic basilica of Saint Sernin. This huge and richly ornamented church is nothing less than the largest remaining Romanesque building in Europe.
On this cold and rainy winter Sunday, there was almost no way to sketch from outside the bell tower or the imposant apse and its nine chapels. Most of the participants took refuge in the Saint Raymond museum of antiquity next door. But not far from here, the Chapelle des Carmélites, fully covered by XVIIIth century baroque paintings, was also a pretty nice shelter.
We were less numerous to stay inside the church under the barrel vaults of the nave and the ambulatory. I always feel comforted by the harmony of the semicircular arches and by the sensation of being able to see the interior volumes much better than in Gothic and its countless angles and edges.Since the organization of the USk national meeting in May 2023, each local event now brings together at least 25 people in winter and 50 the rest of the year.
lundi 12 février 2024
Friday night sketcher
Tonight the cultural center is hosting a concert of groovy Indian music. From the aisles I can feel the excitement and joy of the participants who come outside to refresh their overheated bodies in a too long winter night.
Then the music fades, the crowd disperses, the streets are quiet again. At 00:40 the cats come out and the public lightning goes out.lundi 5 février 2024
Sunny day in the mountains
A whole day in the mountains, when you are so excited that you do 12 sketches per day! The first one was made the day before at sunset.
mardi 19 décembre 2023
Long Time No See
I hadn't been to the mountains in months, partly because my car wasn't working properly. Luckily I found a way to get there by train. I had planned a hike, starting from the station, towards a series of shepherds' huts just above the edge of the forest with a beautiful view of the snow-capped peaks.
The whole climb was in the shade and the cold, but from the edge of the forest, 800 m higher, I was able to enjoy both the warm rays of the sun and the breathtaking view all around.
I know these peaks having already climbed them, Pic de Tarbesou, Dent d'Orlu, Roc Blanc, Pic St Barthélémy. They are not the tallest but they can be seen and recognized from a long distance. And what's more, they have very interesting profiles to draw.
I was ready to draw as much as possible but I left out two things. First, the frost arrived very early, at 4 p.m. Second, I forgot to put alcohol in my water bottle.
The next day I drew the same mountains again and also spent a lot of time gazing at the peaks on the horizon. I guess I needed to contemplate more than to draw.