Dublin sketch-athon 10th January

I'm very excited to be helping to organise the Dublin version of Sketchcrawl! All artists, whether pro or amateur, are invited to meet at the bottom of the Spire on Saturday, January 10th at 11am. We'll go from the Spire down the river, go into Trinity College, then head over to St. Stephen's green, go down Dame St and around Temple Bar. We'll then cross the Ha'penny bridge and take in the Italian quarter, before heading over to Phoenix park. We'll then head back to O'Connell Bridge and finish up at around 3pm with a pint in Messers Maguire's (right beside the O'Connell bridge).

Text me if you get lost..you can sketch in messers t make up for it..dont forget we´ll be posting up on sketchcrawl.com

Anyone around next weekend for some drawing?

New blog contributors and possible meetup the 28th

if anyone would like to become a contributor to the blog/ would like your art blog put up on this website let us know.

Also I haven´t sketched in a week and i think im going to have to sketch soon or ill start eating coffee again..is anyone else around for the 28th? sure we could make it a social sketching day in prep for the sketchcrawl in JAnuary!

Also Im leaving you all at the end of next month to go to Leeds so if anyone is moving over there I plan to set up a sister sketching group over there. I will be back in Dublin every few weeks anyhow...

More from West Cork







After seeing the graphite work of Linda Huber I think I shall have to get more contrast and better tonal work into my drawings - try to give them more oomph and focus.

Some work from West Cork

Did these while down in a place called Sheeps Head Peninsula in West Cork . The interior figure one is not finished yet.





Graphite Pencil Artist

Hey lads. I just wanted to pass this on. It's work from Linda Huber. Outstanding graphite stuff. Check out the site for higher resolution images. Some of the detail and surfaces she manages to capture just using pencil are mesmerising. See you this evening if I get out of here today. 



Stephen

Xmas drinks - Wed 17th

Hi all,
It looks like this Wed 17th is the date that suits most people for getting together for a couple of drinks. The location: Christmas Market at Georges Dock IFSC . Suggest we aim to meet at the arch (near the market entrance) for 6. Or if you want to join us later my number is zero eight six-eight zero seven eight nine four six. Just to note, the market closes surprisingly early at 8pm, but the Harbourmaster is nearby, for whoever's in the mood :-)
Hope to see lots of you there!
Sarah

Postcards

thanks to Ciaran F, Sarahbo, Catherine, Stephen, Tracy and James who took part in this exchange with Walkinstown association (people with intellectual disabilties), I have the postcards we recieved and will give them to you as soon as I see you again. (im away sunday-thursday next week for interviews).

here are the postcards we designed:










(from top left, Catherine , Ciaran F and Catherine
middle: myself, Tracy and SarahBo (top right)
bottom: Stephen.
ones to left here by James except the frog one which never made it as it got ballsed up in the end - actually the final postcards had more snow in them but I forgot to photo the end result - just imagine a blizzard in front of green Tom Crean and an iceberg water and berg reflection behind the red Tom and an ice shelf around the bottom part of the two figs in the water and you've got it

Some work from Jessicas flat on Herbert St

Sarah, Catherine, Jessica, James and new sketcher Bobby joined us for this session.


Candle done by Catherine

These scenes and the cards made by Sarah O'Reilly





I started the pen and ink one about a year ago and finally finished it off yesterday and some more sketches from later in the day

Sunday 7th December

Hi Sketchers, So ..... Sunday 7th December. 1pm - 4pm Herbert Street, Dublin 2 (between Upper Mount St and Baggot St, near Pepper Canister Church). Activity - inside the flat, Christmas card making. Outside the flat - Georgian Dublin to sketch, and a beautiful church, for those with a fetish for sketching religious buildings. Bring - your own Christmas card making necessities, or, if sketching, the usual stuff. Sustentance - there will be tea, coffee, mince pies, I think someone offered to bring mulled wine? See you there! Jessica

POSTCARDS-urgent2

I have recieved about 25 postcards in the post...do you think we´d be able to get together about 20
?

they are all very bright and colourful and i could give them out next week at the christmas fair...


I reckon if you´ve any small (A5 or smaller) paintings etc these would do..try and give them to me either thursday (l/d) or sunday or else you can post them in yourself to the organisation. IM going to stick them all in a big brown envelope and post them ASAP.

More sketches from Sun 30th



Sunday was a freezing cold day, but the light was so beautiful by the canal, I just couldn't resist attempting to capture the verdant green grass and black ink shadows of the trees. Luckily we had a nearby coffee shop as a warm base, where I sketched Marta absorbed in her work. Fish n chips in Beshoffs afterwards, well deserved after a hard afternoon's sketching!;-)

Xmas drinks (at Xmas market!)

Hi all!
Given that it's the season to be jolly etc, a few of us were thinking of getting together for a few spiced wines at the Xmas market in the IFSC. The market kicks off on the 12th, so perhaps if we try to meet on a Wed or Thur any time from then on (most people will have stuff on on the Fri's and Sat's). Or we could do it after sketching on a Sunday, perhaps meeting to sketch at 3 rather than 1?

So possible dates for xmas drinks are:
  • Sun 14th
  • Wed 17th
  • Thurs 18th
  • Sun 21st

Would be great if you could note your preference for dates here, or make any other suggestions...

Here's a bit more info on the xmas market, incl. location map: http://www.dublindocklands.ie/12daysofchristmas/index.jsp?p=503&n=507

Cheers
Sarah Bo

Sunday 7th December - ideas

Hi Sketchers,

A couple of weeks ago there was talk of a sketchers gathering to make Xmas cards, and I offered my flat for the purpose..... I am around in Dublin this weekend, so if people would still like to do this, Sunday 7th Dec would suit me. I know that other suggestions for next weekend were bandied around last Sunday, so if people prefer to do something else, that is fine by me. If we do do post cards this weekend at my flat, it could be from 1pm til 4pm, as I have a previous engagement the other side of town later in the afternoon.

What do other people feel like doing on Sunday?

Jessica

POSTCARDS-urgent

can everyone get these to me before next sunday? ill be at life drawing on thursday and i should be around on sunday..give them to someone who´ll be there on either day if you can´t make it..

the lady has just sent them out to my address in Clonskeagh so i dont want her waiting too long to get them back..

Dublin sketching crawl January the 10th at 11am

got this email through Boards.ie

All artists, whether pro or amateur, are invited to meet at the bottom of the Spire on Saturday, January 10th at 11am. We'll go from the Spire down the river, go into Trinity College, then head over to St. Stephen's green, go down Dame St and around Temple Bar. We'll then cross the Ha'penny bridge and take in the Italian quarter, before heading over to Phoenix park. We'll then head back to O'Connell Bridge and finish up at around 3pm with a pint in Messers Maguire's (right beside the O'Connell bridge). ANYONE is invited, regardless of talent!! Just be sure to have your sketchbooks out so we know who you are!

The international page is www.sketchcrawl.com and the Dublin entry is here:http://www.sketchcrawl.com/forum/vie...hp?f=44&t=3400
You can join either through the sketchcrawl Dublin entry link above or the facebook page here:http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=37288283143 .

I'll email again nearer the date, so don't worry about having to try to remember it- I just thought it'd be nice to have an early heads-up, particularly for those going home for the holidays.

Try and spread the word- a crowd would be great fun! I'm going to try and get this into the newspapers as well, so we have a good turnout. Could you contact the members from the Dublin sketchers' group and let them know about this?

Thanks! If you want to help me organize this, you are more than welcome, I could use all the help I can get!!

Let me know,
Theresa.

Help/Comments needed about a picture for a cafe

Folks I'm working on a pic for a cafe and if you could spend two mins I would appreciate some feedback - bear in mind that what you see isn't fully finished yet but still a work in progress. There are two styles of pic and I'd like to know which one people like better if at all. Also what things you like/dislike about the pics, characters, styles etc.whatever jumps into your mind. It's going to be in a fairly clean, bright but warm cafe setting. Cream walls, lots of orange, browns, warm colours? The link is below. http://drawingsbyjamesmoore.blogspot.com/

Cheers

James

Next Sunday - quick meeting

Hello all :)

Ok - since our last meeting over pints we have come to the end of our sketching location people list so we will have a quick chat next Sunday just to make sure people are assigned for the coming weeks. We can have a proper meeting then in early January.

We might take a break over the Christmas - or not - depending on who is around etc. Have a think about future sketching locations and possible trip away in January prior to Sunday and any other ideas for the group.

All new sketchers welcome!!

Next Sunday meeting 30 November - The Canal

View Larger Map

I would like to suggest a location by the canal this time, see map, marker "A" and "J" (this is the same place). We can stay inside in a comfortable little Starbucks and draw the street, canal, petrol station, and people! There is a "Beshoff Brothers" next door which serves excellent Fish and Chips. For the adventurous ones there are benches along the canal :)
Meeting time is 1 pm. Address of the location: Starbucks, Mespil Rd.

Drimnagh Castle, Sun 23 Nov 08


Thanks, James and Tracy for organising this. I was sorry to have to leave early as I had to collect someone from the airport. But I must confess it was mighty cold there - no wonder they had such a huge fireplace in the castle, Although nowadays I don't think anyone could afford to keep it lit ! I think I'd like to revisit sometime. By the way, congrats to all concerned - some very nice work. It was nice too to see some newcomers - I met Aoife and Niamh among others.

Good turn out for Drimnagh Castle

Out of about ten we had at least three new people show up for the sketching session today,two of you I caught your names Niamh and Paul, it takes some time to rgister in the old nut and apologies to the person whose name I missed but you are all very welcome and hopefully we will see you again next Sunday or soon anyway, perhaps given the coldness of the weather we should pick a warmer spot next time.

Some nice work was done however despite the cold, even inside the castle was chilly. Tracey took some photos and she will upload pics soon I'm sure...

Sketches from today @ Drimnagh Castle

1. Chris 2. Catherine
3. Catherine 4. James
5. Paul 6. Paul
7. Phil 8. Tracy
Sorry about cropping/quality etc. Mine is very unfinished and I'm about to pick it back up again now to see if I can improve on it :) Thanks James for organising - was really great. Such a nice way to spend a Sunday!

Drimnagh Castle - 1pm this Sunday (23rd)

Drimnagh Castle @ 1pm is the location for this weeks sketching meet-up. James has been in contact with the person who runs it and she said that she would open it up especially for us on Sunday from one until three/three thirty, normally it is only open during weekdays.

Here's a link to some: background info on the Castle!

Click here: Map for location!

It looks like the Red Luas line to Kylemore stop brings you very close to the Castle.


The more the merrier - if you haven't been sketching with us before, please feel free to come along. Have your sketch-pad out so we'll recognise you as a sketcher!

Tracy

7th December - Christmas card making

Hi Guys,

I won't make it out this Sunday as I'm away, but 7th December at my house is good. Start collecting the essentials for card making. The factory will be open for action between 1pm and 4pm...... Address on the blog nearer the time!

Jessica

K&M EVANS: ART SUPPLY SALE, DUBLIN

K&M Evans Trading Ltd will be having a sale on all fine art materials on Thursday 20 November 2008. Evans will be open from 9am to 7.30pm on the day. K&M Evans, 5 Meetinghouse Lane, off Mary’s Abbey, Dublin 7T: 01 8726855E: info@kmevans.com
www.kmevans.com

Sketch from the RHA


Well it was a funny meet up - the RHA didn't open until 2pm and it was very busy. Spent time walking along the Canal and took some nice Autumnal photos, but didn't sketch anything! Ended up with just one 5 min sketch of a sculpture that I really liked - Mechanical Man type thing!

Looking forward to Drimnagh next weekend, will try to be more focused!!

Drimnagh Castle Confirmed for Sunday Nov 23 at 1pm

This has been decided upon for the opening of the castle to us. So just show up if you are interested on the day. Nuff said. Regards.

Drimnagh Castle back on - suggested date Sunday 23rd of October 2008

Some people seemed interested in going here and I've been in contact with the person who runs it and she said that she would open it up especially for us on one of the Sundays from one until three/three thirty, normally it is only open during weekdays.

So if you are interested it would be good to have a set Sunday date and a rough idea of numbers ahead of schedule rather than just two or three of us showing up, to in a sense make it more worth her giving up her free time to help us out, if you know what I mean. If the date and venue is good for you drop a comment here. Cheers.

RHA -next weekend

Their annual exhibition starts tomorrow...and its open till 5 on Sunday.

we´ve also got Stephen´s green right beside us..

sar

ps we could have our coffee discussion meeting after this?

Bits and Pieces, December suggestion

Hi!

I really enjoyed the sketching on Sunday. The loose bowing technique of the cello-ist at the concert reminded me to try and loosen up my arm and body when sketching. I think it'll be fun to see what we all do with our "large sheet of paper."

I can't make the meeting on the 19th November. Did someone suggest that the meetings were held on a Sunday instead, after the regular sketching. This seems like a good idea to me, as we are all together then anyway - finding a week day that most people can make is harder.... Any one else think this is a good idea?

Sarah and Stephen, I think, were talking about a December "Xmas card making" session. I'm happy to offer my flat for this on Sunday 7th December if people want. There's "surface" space for at least 10 people, and if others don't want to make cards, there's plenty to sketch in the locality - Pepper Canister Church, Grand Canal, Georgian Dublin round Baggot Street. If people wanna do this - let me know!

Jessica

Sunday 9th Nov 2008 - Hugh Lane Gallery

One from today at the classical music concert - the "transparent" headed chap arrived a little late and took his seat in front of my viewpoint so I just did him in outline.


Looking forward to seeing what people do with those big poster pages. I'm thinking chinese caligraphy, communist red, landscapes, cityscapes etc.etc....

Sunday Meeting Point

As it's after one on a Friday and there are no other suggestions I'm calling it. Hugh Lane Gallery just before twelve. We'll meet at the main entrance. If that's too early for some people don't fret, we'll still be there after one. See you then.

Stephen

New introductory course to painting with Acyrlics and Oils tutored by Neil Carroll tonight Friday 7th Nov 2008 - 7 to 9pm

Acrylic and oil Painting course starting tonight in 191 Pearse St. Studios (Life Drawing Studio-Pearse St.)

65 euro for six lessons or 12 euro per lesson for general public 35 for trinity students for 6 lessons
New introductory course to painting with Acyrlics and Oils tutored by Neil Carroll

Hugh lane gallery concert etc. - get there at 12pm to draw and experience the concert

Good suggestion Stephen.

The hugh lane free 12'noon concert plus 1.30pm lecture on a famous painting by a member of gallery and new stained glass exhibition - maybe bring some colour media folks.
we could draw members of audience who'll most likely be quietly sitting still listening to the musicians and be inspired in our linework by the music.

Try to get there for 11.50 folks to get a seat - if you are new I won't have my mobile switched on if I am in the concert after 12 noon so only ring it before that it's zero eight six 0757 two,two,two ask for James and say it's regarding the dublin skecthing group. Otherwise just get sketching and we can all meet up after the concert in the gallery coffee shop at 2pm and we can decide what next after that. Cheers.

Sunday suggestions


How about the Hugh Lane Museum? It's in Parnel Sq. They are showing an exhibition of stained glass artwork. Heh, I see on their website they run a Sunday sketching session for children. That might be fun too :) It's open from 11am to 5pm and admission is free. There are also free Sunday classical music concerts for an hour starting at 12. 

Take a look through the site. There are some great exhibitions on currently. I think we could well spend the day going through it all. So, any takers?

Stephen

Drimnagh Castle Cancelled

Cancelled

Read below

cancelled Drimnagh Castle cancelled

Sorry about this folks but the drimnagh castle trip is cancelled on account of the fact that they don't do tours on Sundays anymore - this was not the case on the online literature I looked at, however they are open mon to thurs 9pm to 4pm for tours fri 9pm till 12.30pm these not much use to most people I guess.

Anyway the person I used to know is still working there and I will try and ask them if we can organise a seperate viewing in the future outside of workday hours pref on a Sunday but it would mean them doing us a big favour. So we will see. OK will try and think of a seperate venue

An idea - 2pm - Drimnagh Castle Longmile Road - not city centre but 20 mins to 30 mins out from city

Long Mile Road,Drimnagh,Dublin 12,Ireland



Drimnagh Castle was, until 1954 one of the oldest continually inhabited Castles in Ireland, and is an outstanding example of an old feudal stronghold. It is the only Irish castle still to be surrounded by a flooded moat, a very picturesque feature, described in 1780 as a "very deep ditch of water supplied from the Green Hills". It is now stocked with fish. The castle, built of local grey limestone, consists of a restored Great Hall and medieval undercroft, a tall battlement tower with lookout posts, and other separate buildings including stables, old coach, dairy and folly tower. One of the most attractive aspects of Drimnagh is the garden - a formal 17th Century layout with box hedges, yews, mop head laurels and an allee of hornbeam.
It prob costs about five euro - I used to work here so I could ring and see if my old boss is still there and maybe we could get a reduced rate. There are plenty of buses that go to Drimnagh from town, 56a, 77a etc. not sure what closest luas stop nearest to the castle but there is a Drimnagh stop I think... more info coming... but let me know if anyone interested. Cheers. James

Opening Times:
April-Oct: Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday, 12pm-5pm.
November-March: Wed, 12pm-5pm; Sunday, 2pm-5pm.

we´re on facebook too

For anyone randomly viewing the site we have more pictures/ photos on our facebook site!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=25845253323


Please let us know if you want your artblog (works of art online) added as a link from this site or if you want to become a blog contributor (and post up your artwork etc).

Stained Glass Windows and Scott McCloud

Here's the pics of the stained glass windows from one of the multitude of churchs in Kilkenny. A few people asked for these so apologies for the delay, I forgot! ;) The third is a little fuzzy too!

Also, James, the guy I was talking about today is called Scott McCloud. Here's the link to his website, http://www.scottmccloud.com . His experiments with online formats for comic books are really interesting I think and all in all he's a pretty creative guy. Enjoy! :)






Minutes from the last meeting

(just to re fresh people´s memories)

Forthcoming Sunday meetings

(hosts)
October 12th the Zoo
Sunday 19th Kilkenny weekend and James to organise a meeting for anyone not going(check web)
Sunday 26th Catherine
November 2nd Catherine
November 9th James/ Jessica
November 16th Marta
November 23rd Stephen

Venue suggestions/ ideas (contributions from Patricia, Catherine, James, Ciaran x2, Gearoid, Aodhan, Sarah x2, Jessica, James, Marta, Stephen, Tracy and thanks everybody for coming! :))

Indoor locations: The national library, print museum, casino Marino, National art gallery/ Hugh lane, National history museum, Pepper Canister church (Jessica can host afternoon tea), howth transport museum, martial arts tournament, a day on the dart, powerscourt shopping centre.

Outdoor locations: Children´s playgrounds, Guinness buildings/liberties, Greystones/Dallkey/ dun laoghaire, airfield trust Dundrum/ wildlife/farms, garden of remembrance, streets in dublin, horse fair Smithfield, Kilternan/ Enniskerry, Monasterboice, human statues Grafton street.
Weekend sketching suggestions, Aodhan´s house west Cork, Leitrim

Next meeting Wednesday 19th November at 7pm in a cafe (venue to be decided).

Postcards,Postcards

Anyone working on these, can we talk about this after the sketching session in Jervis?

Luas poster competition

Wished I'd had more time for this competition , but manage to submit the following entry - I liked the initial idea/sketch - even used some of the Paris sketch for a few of the characters and despite my last post I ended up ressurecting my old drawing tablet and did it all on computer, still the drawing and painting was done by hand.













meeting outside Bewleys top floor jervis this Sunday (2nd)

at 1pm. We can sketch people/ the architecture of the shopping center.

Thanks to Catherine for the idea, my number is 0879955972 if you get lost.

If your new be on time in case you can´t find anyone,

Yours Sarahor.

Lets have a go - the Luas Rail Art Competition - closing date Oct 31st 2008 - this fri

OK if you need more details go here http://www.culturenight.ie/listing.asp?id=4

Sorry for late notice but I only heard about it this weekend - if its any help last years winner did a poster depicting the luas passing by the four courts based on a graphic style of the 1940's encouraging people to use the luas to visit the city of Dublin - looks as though it was done probably through a vector based programe like adobe illustrator - not a criticism just an observation so you can picture the level of polish involved in that winning entry but it didn't leave room for a more human touch, a more human line...

So yes it's a good pic and yes it was run through a computer so they had a particular computer based style, shouldwe fear a computer,no, I say go for it with or without a computer - but get a good diguital pic of whatever you decide to do and send it in.

They require both a portrait and landscape compatible format of the same picture. Details of the rules can be found thru the link http://www.culturenight.ie/listing.asp?id=4. G'luck.

Some stuff from Jazz festival this Sunday in Cork











A few posts all in one go from last few days. One is of the Mary Stokes and her band - they do great blues and were down in the Guinness Jazz festival on Mon 27th of october 008 in the Metropole hotel so I did this pretty quick while they were playing. The other two are for a big dragon motif at the back of a big dance hall for part of a swing event in the Guinness Jazz festival. more stuff coming during the next week.

Christmas card making

would anyone be interested in having a christmas card making session at some stage before Christmas? I love making my own cards and we could get great ideas from each other, and maybe make cards for birthdays etc ...

All we need is a venue.

A great escape

Lifedrawing Thurs 23rd


Found it very hard to concentrate this week, couldn't see very well and found the model very hard to draw!