Pros and cons of sketching on location

   I love sketching on location. Arriving somewhere and having the leisure to take out my equipment and get to work. Time always goes by more quickly than I anticipate it will and that of course often results in the fact that, just as I am finishing my line drawing, I have to run to the next place. Since I started more actively doing urban sketches I have run into a few things which are a bit frustrating, despite their often enjoyable results. In this post, I would like to weigh these pros and cons with the intent to provide a more rounded feel for painting on the go.

   The pros:

   - Time
    One of the things that I have enjoyed most about urban sketching, in particular, is that it provides a way of filling all of the time lags created when dropping people off, picking them up, waiting for buses and trains or sitting in waiting rooms.  Time definitely moves faster and I often find myself enjoying my surroundings more than I did without sketching them.
 

    - Composition
     Often I find myself waiting in places that would not lend themselves to good photography. Making the conscious decision to paint there, without getting up and finding something nicer, forces me to search the scene for the beautiful or interesting. I always find that by editing the scene I can draw elements that are optically intriguing, or simply remove distracting elements such as parked cars, etc.. from the image.

- Finding the beauty in the ordinary

   Since adequate seating doesn't always coincide with a lovely view, the option of what to draw is often surprisingly basic. A few months ago I found myself sitting in a park, enjoying the late afternoon sun and looking up into the trees. The only building near enough to function as a subject was the toilet. So, I drew it. And in so doing I observed how nice a building and setting it actually was. Surprise!

  - Drama
  One of the things about drawing and painting outside is the first-hand experience of the drama of nature. The light is often unique, casting enchanting shadows and dancing in the dappled shade created by the soft breeze in the trees overhead. This drama often comes out in a drawing done on location more intensely than in one done from a photo in the studio.

The Cons:

   -Drama
   Starting where I left off on the pros, The fact that nature is dramatic can lead to sudden shifts in concentration. There is nothing like being engrossed in adding roof tiles to a drawing only to be surprised by a sudden shower. Historically Plein Aire Painters have carried large umbrellas with them so that they wouldn't have to dash away at the first drop, the more I sketch, the more I think they may have been on to something. However, rain is the most predictable distraction but by no means the most surprising.
   About a month ago I was sitting on the grass enjoying the sun and sketching this lovely landscape:

when I heard a rustling in the grass beside me, it took me a while to identify it since it was underground part of the time. I gave it my full attention, however, hoping it wouldn't be a snake. Thankfully, it turned out to be rather large mouse-like creature.

    -Poor Seating:
   In line with Murphy's Law, I have found that the best locations usually have inadequate seating possibilities. Sometimes the options are so bad that setting up a stool is difficult. While sketching this side street a friend and I chose a convenient doorway to sit in.

  A few minutes after we sat down a man came out with his keys and briefcase carefully locking the door behind him. We moved over so as not to block someone's door as they were on the way to work. A few minutes later a couple of guys in suits emerged, chatting with each other in a very professional manner, again we moved over, a few minutes after that a rather shifty young man came out and hung around on his phone for a while, we move over; then a collection of youths slouched out and stood in a cluster around a garbage can smoking, we moved over.... All this had occurred within a time span of maybe 15 to 20 minutes and we were beginning to wonder what was going on when a couple of police men in full uniform stepped over us. As they lingered a bit we asked them what building they had just exitted. It turns out we had been blocking the side entrance of the downtown police station without even being aware of it. At least that made sense of the mixed lot of characters streaming past us... We got up and moved ourselves to a cafe just around the corner.


   -Inaccessibility

   One of the most frustrating things about sketching on the go is that the really breath taking places are just out of reach. One of the most beautiful areas of the world, in my opinion, is a region of northern Italy known as the Kanaltal. What makes it so special is that the mountains jut out of barren stretches of white pebbled earth through which flow shallow turquoise streams of water. These areas are utterly empty. I have never seen a person there, and although the highway goes right through the area, it is nearly impossible to get over to the stretches of empty white. I have had a great desire to paint this landscape for many years and this year we especially tried to get to it, but without avail. So I am left, once again with pictures taken from the highway as we passed.

 and of course, when things do slow down there is nothing to see:)

-The light changes
  It is often the case that the dramatic light which attracted me to a specific subject changes as I sketch it. Often by the time it comes to add paint the light no longer interests me. I like to take a photo at the point I was drawn to it so that I can use it for a reference should the need arise later.

-The Bus Comes

  And of course, the bus always comes, or the doctor calls your name, or the person you are meeting arrives at the moment when you truly least expect it, causing you to grab supplies madly and toss them together, hoping for the best.

My tip for a good on the go experience:

  To make things as easy as possible I have gotten into a routine that really works for me.
  I always keep a small amount of equipment with me since unexpected waiting time is exactly that, unexpected.

I keep an empty container to bring home any leaf or piece of nature I couldn't quite finish, my house is now at capacity. Filled with leaves, nuts, seeds, flowers, and sticks of all sorts.

I always have a small watercolor card, tissues, and a water brush on hand to test my colors and add paint without any extra fuss.

Do you work on while on the go? What do you find necessary to be able to work well? Leave me a comment and let me know


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