Urban Sketchers Philippines 5th Anniversary Sketchwalk - You're Invited!

This year marks Urban Sketchers Philippines' fifth year as a regional chapter of Urban Sketchers. Join us as we celebrate with a sketchwalk in the country's most famous park dedicated to our national hero Jose P. Rizal.

Just bring your own sketching materials (and water, hand towel, umbrella) - joining is FREE. Everybody is welcome to join.

Date: May 21, 2016, Saturday
Venue: Luneta/Rizal Park
Time: 9am-12nn

You can start sketching earlier, of course. :) We will have our Show & Tell / Group Photo at 11:30, so please make sure you are at our meetup place by that time.

Meetup Place:
“Ang Pagpapakabayani ni Dr. Jose P. Rizal (The Martyrdom of Dr. Jose P. Rizal),” Rizal's execution site. It's a few meters away beside the Rizal Monument and the Gomburza marker, and it's beside the Chinese Garden. It's a large shaded area where there are big statues depicting the final moments of our national hero's life. There is a minimal entrance fee of P20 for adults and P10 for students.

Once we're all complete we will head out to the Rizal Monument for another (quick) group photo. :)

There's something for every sketcher in the park, whether you like people-sketching or lean more toward architecture and land/cityscapes! Here are some areas of interest in Rizal Park (please note that some of these charge a minimal entrance fee for upkeep/maintenance):

• Ang Pagpapakabayani ni Dr. Jose P. Rizal / Rizal Execution Grounds (meetup place)
• Rizal Monument
• Gomburza execution site marker
• Quirino Grandstand, Kilometer Zero marker
• Central Lagoon - dancing fountains
• Gallery of Heroes
• Binhi ng Kalayaan statue, Garden
• Open-air auditorium - groups practicing dances, etc.
• La Madre Filipina sculpture
• Picnic area
• Chinese Garden
• Japanese Garden
• Chess Plaza
• Topographic map of the Philippines
• Children's playground
• Lapu-Lapu statue

*Urban sketching tip: sketch with a buddy, or with a group :)
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After the sketchwalk (and lunch!), you may want to visit the National Museum - entrance is free for May (National Heritage Month). :)

Please click here to visit our Facebook event page for more details. See you in Luneta!

Urban Workshop and Sketchwalks Last April 16 & 17

Design Week Philippines happens twice a year, and for the first edition this year on April 16 and 17, Urban Sketchers Philippines was invited to the first designated Design District: the Spanish-era Walled City of Intramuros, Manila. This coincided with Intramuros Pasyal Weekend, usually organized monthly by Viva Manila, where part of Gen. Luna Street in Intramuros becomes a pedestrian zone for the two afternoons.

Organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), Design Week Philippines is an assembly of some of local artist groups and cultural activities.

Eileen Bondoc Escueta provides some tips to workshop participants on the first day.

Participants of two workshops reached more than 40 people total, mostly students and those who were joining us for the sketchwalks for the first time.

The UNESCO-declared World Heritage Site of San Agustin Church is one of the best examples of Spanish-era structures.

The sketchwalks after the workshops yielded some impressive sketch results. However, it was reminder that the activity of sketching need not be to impress. Sketching or drawing - in a world where a camera or a smartphone can instantly take a picture of the scene - is an activity of discovery, expression, and a tool for observing places, people or things.

Sketching is an effective way to observe and appreciate our built heritage.

A booth for Urban Sketchers Philippines was provided along Gen. Luna Street to let us join in the monthly weekend market. A brief public workshop on sketching basics, and a 2-hour sketchwalk of Intramuros were also held for the two afternoons.

The booth provided gave some information to the public about what Urban Sketchers is all about.

It is always interesting to see the sketch results with varied styles - we may draw the same subject, but we always draw differently.

Sketch results for the first day.

The 1-hour workshop gave the most essential principles of how eye-hand coordination works, and eventually also included the basics of different sketch media used. The workshop placed emphasis on how practicing as much as you can can yield better proficiency - like any other skill like driving or riding a bicycle.

Janeil Arlegui gives sketching advice for the second day workshop.

A brief exercise in sketching before going out to the sketchwalk.

Temperatures of the two days were pretty high - as maximum 38 degrees Celsius. Best to use shaded areas as vantage views for sketching for a few minutes.

Intramuros offers some picturesque scenes that are just asking for sketchers to sketch.

Resident children were encouraged to draw what they saw.

The 2nd day's sketch results.

The best part about the Urban Sketchers is that we are made up of people with different backgrounds, most surprisingly people who don't  use drawing as a source of their career. Ordinary people who are using sketching as a way to see, not just to look. It is an enjoyable way of heightening one's perceptual senses. The sketchbooks become visual diaries that can be shared and kept as reminders of the experiences.

Old and new Urban Sketchers Philippines participants show off their sketches.

In another event organized by CITEM, we also had some opportunity to see the exposition of FAME Manila held at the Metro Manila World Trade Center, April 21-24.

Post-Design Week: Manila FAME, Philippines export exposition (April 21-24) showcases the best Philippines furniture, crafts, and new innovations.

Traditional cloth weaving method was even showcased during the exposition.

We thank CITEM Philippines for inviting us as being a part of Design Week.

Urban Sketchers Philippines Joins Design Week Philippines!

Mark your calendars - Urban Sketchers Philippines is part of the Design Week Philippines this coming April 16 and 17 in Intramuros.

There will be a free short workshop (anyone can join!) starting 3 p.m. on both days on the basics of sketching. The workshops will be presented by Eileen Bondoc Escueta and Janeil Arlegui. Sketchwalks will follow.

Pre-Registration for the workshop:
We only have 25 slots for the Saturday and Sunday workshops, so if you are interested in attending, please go to the official event page here and leave a comment with your name/s and when you'll be joining (Saturday or Sunday) or send us a message.

Sketchwalk:
Anyone can join the sketchwalk, even if you were not able to register for the workshop. :) The sketchwalk will commence right after the short workshop and there's no limit to how many can join (it will also be our official sketchwalks for the month of April), so please do come!

Things to bring: sketching materials of your choice / any drawing materials you are comfortable using. We're expecting a hot summer day, so don't forget to bring water and your sun gear!

We will also have a booth along Gen. Luna street (between Anda and Real streets) for the Intramuros Pasyal Street Market.

This activity is conducted with the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM).

Come and join in the sketching fun!

Event page: Urban Sketchers Philippines Joins Design Week Philippines!

March Sketch Call

Date: March 19, 2016
Time: 9 a.m. - 12 noon
Meetup at the Ateneo Art Gallery (please be there before 9 a.m.)
Regroup: Ateneo Art Gallery by 11:30am

The sketchwalk for this month will begin with a short tour of the Ateneo Art Gallery. After the tour, sketchwalk participants will get to choose spots/subjects for sketching in and around the gallery.

Click here for the Facebook event page for updates.

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Directions to Ateneo for those who will commute: 
 If you are coming from South, Take the MRT and alight at Araneta Cubao. Then walk toward LRT 3 (Purple Line) then take the train to Katipunan Station. Exit at the North Entrance and walk towards the jeepney below the flyover. Take the jeepney to UP Campus and tell the driver to drop you off at Ateneo Gate 3.

 If coming from Quezon Ave./Pantranco, or SM North, take the UP Campus jeep and ask the driver to drop you off at Vinzon's Hall. Across the hall, wait for the jeepney to Katipunan. In Katipunan, alight at CS Place Bar and Resto then cross the bridge to Ateneo.

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Many thanks to Mr. Ricky Francisco for this invitation to sketch at the see “Other: Zobel and Sansó: A Prints and and Drawing Exhibition” at the Ateneo Art Gallery!

Doodle4Travel Urban Sketching Workshop

Come and join Urban Sketchers Philippines tomorrow, Friday, December 18 at the Titus Markers event Doodle4Travel at Music Hall, SM Mall of Asia, Seaside Blvd., Pasay City. There'll be 3 urban sketching sessions:

12:30-2:00pm

2:00-3:30pm

3:30pm-5:00pm

*Each session will have 15 participants.

See you! 

December 2015 Sketch Call

The holidays are just around the corner and before everything gets really crazy, let's have a relaxing day sketching at the Salcedo Community Market!

This is our last official sketchwalk for the year, so don't miss the opportunity to learn, practice, chat, eat, and simply enjoy the urban greenery with fellow sketchers. As always, everyone is welcome to join - no registration fees, just bring your own drawing materials.

Where: Salcedo Market
            Tordesillas Street, Salcedo Village, 
            Makati City

When: December 5, 2015

Sketching starts at 9:00am (you can come early of course)
Show and tell at 11:30am (this is when we regroup and show our work)

If it's your first time joining, please don't be shy! Just approach anyone holding a sketchbook/pad (he/she is most likely an Urban Sketcher) and say hi. :) See you on Saturday!

Please see our Facebook event page for more details: 
https://www.facebook.com/events/766671063476289/

~ Lauren

Binondo Sketchwalk

Last Saturday's sketchwalk was planned to be about El Hogar Filipino Building which most of us haven't sketched yet. I've been scouting the place for a while, and there is a good vantage point across Pasig River.

El Hogar Filipino Building along Muelle de la Industria cor. Juan Luna

Sketchers at full concentration

Meg's sketch. So much detail for a tiny space!

Patts' sketch

  

El Hogar.

It was lunch time when we finished sketching, some of us had to leave early because of prior engagement so we were not able to have a group shot of our finished works. We just proceeded to the nearest food store. On our way to Quick Snack, we passed by the Filipino-Chinese Friendship Arc which sparked another interest for sketching. The three of us who were able to stay after lunch returned to the spot.

A view a little further to the right seems better, but may be too dangerous :D

Nadja's sketch

Ched's sketch

Filipino-Chinese Friendship Arch

An attempt to get a shot of all the sketches before going home

On our way home, we could still see a lot of good subjects to sketch, but most of us were tired from the heat and the weight of our gear. Definitely we are planning to go back. 

August 2015 Food Park Sketches

There were many interesting things to draw when we had our official monthly sketchwalk in August at StrEat, a food park located in Maginhawa Street in Quezon City. Here are some of our outputs that day!

I made a collage of the things I saw at StrEat: Schmidt's gourmet hotdogs truck; the queue at The Lost Bread; folks eating and chatting under the bright yellow StrEat umbrellas. We found a spot at The Grape Escape. This was drawn while having 4-cheese pizza and iced tea. 

Ige Trinidad's sketch of the G.R.EAT Burger Truck

"I first saw this food truck online and knew I had to sketch it. I had to leave my chosen spot when the drizzle became hard to ignore, but I'm glad our table still gave me a good view of the truck so I was able to finish my sketch." - Ige Trinidad

 

 

Tissa Pagaduan's collection of sketches at the food park

 

 

 

Tad Pagaduan's collection of sketches at the food park

Randy Valiente's sketch of eating customers

Food and people sketches by Jo Uygongco

Juancho Dizon's sketch of Magpie Cafe in the food park

Irma Lara's version of the G.R.EAT Burger Truck

Patti Boquiren's drawing of the G.R.EAT BURGER Food Truck during her very first sketchwalk!

Kuki Ulpindo's sketch of the scene at Me Love You Long Time

Trollskipot del Castillo's sketch of the long queue at The Lost Bread

Nadja Ginete's sketches of Me Love You Long Time, Schimdts, and Saucy Food

"I spent some years living near Maginhawa. Back then, you could find restos and little nooks on the street without having to worry about crowds or being shooed away because you're taking too much time staying at their place. Back then, you could still enjoy the serenity of spending time with your buddies, munch the food without too much noise or hustle and bustle going around, and not even worry about traffic. But, of course, with the passing of each year, even days, things or places change. What has been an ordinary street with restos then could and would join the bandwagon of progress in the vicinity. And maybe that was the story of Maginhawa. And so coming to StrEat Food Park was a little bit stirring, if not nostalgic.

"Arriving at the sketching venue, I took some time settling down but I was glad I found the resto 'Me Love You Long Time' at the corner and ordered the food I've been thinking the whole day. I requested for my tom yum soup to be (mild) spicy as I am afraid it would be too hot for me to handle. I also tried their basil ice cream, which Kuki (thanks, Kuks!) shared with me. Both delighted my senses and satiated my hunger. Will definitely be back." - Nadja Ginete

Sketches by Eileen Bondoc Escueta

"As it was to many others, the red truck was irresistible to sketch.... still closed when we arrived in StrEAT last Saturday. Also tried to sketch the fast movement of hungry diners... next to impossible! As were the lines of customers for milkshakes... settled for pink lemonade." - Eileen Bondoc Escueta

Cynthia Feliciano's rendering of Magpie Cafe.

"All that scribbling on the glass panel of the cafe made it a lot more interesting." - Cynthia Feliciano

Sketch by Cesar Ramirez Jr. 

"1-hour sketch of a whole scene during our Maginhawa sketch walk. Had to do a few erasures as I am still practicing this effect. The good thing with this style is you get to become more conscious with where your lines go. Resulting to a better composed image and closer to what you actually see in terms of proportioning and objects placement." - Cesar Ramirez Jr.

Sketches by Dindin Cruz

"Thought I'd be drawing food but the people were more interesting subjects." - Dindin Cruz

For more sketches, features, and news about Urban Sketchers Philippines, please Like our Facebook page! :) https://www.facebook.com/urbansketchersphilippines