Around The World Blog Hop

I'm very happy that Miriam Benmoussa (http://mimisaquarelles.blogspot.com/) chose me to participate in the 'Around The World Blog Hop'. I met Miriam in London through a friend that we have in common, Isadora. Despite working in the same industry of business, which is very demanding with plenty of business trips, we can still find (or try to find) time to do our sketches. Miriam lives in Germany and was nominated by Juliette Plisson from Paris. 

I started my 'artistic life' when I was eight years old. I remember doing some drawings for my homework and my mom was looking at me and she realised that I had 'something' with arts. I studied all types of techniques from when I was 8 years old until 11 years old and I have learned all types, from gouache to oil painting. I had little contact with watercolour techniques during those years, so some years ago I decided to start learning...and I'm still doing it. Since I met Miriam, I was encouraged to create a blog to show my sketches and here it is. 

This "Around the World Blog Hop' works like this: once you are nominated, you need to commit to post on the following Monday and then name one or more artists who will then post on the following Monday, and so on. I have chosen Alessandro Cacciari from Brazil. I don't know him personally but I know a good portion of his works through Urban Sketchers page on Facebook and I loved his technique. 

To participate you have to reply to the following questions:

* What am I working on? 

Last year I had some personal problems and I was not in a mood to draw as before. It was when Miriam came to London and we drew together at the exhibition of the poppies at Tower of London. Since then, I decided to draw more and I'll commit myself to do at least 2 sketches per week using watercolour. This year I'll try to do acrylic painting as well. 

Ladie selling poppies at Tower of London, with Miriam Benmoussa, in celebration of
100 years Anniversary of the WW1

St Paul's Cathedral view from Tate Modern - London

Last December I tried to change the way that I draw: do it straight with a pen in a paper (usually I use a pencil to sketch before pen and watercolour) and do it quickly. So I went to Tate Modern and standing on the sidewalk, I sketched St. Paul's Cathedral and buildings. I quite enjoyed the result (as below). I'll also try to sketch more using this technique and do my watercolours with the strongest colours possible. One challenge is to keep them on a sketchbook instead of loose papers as I was used to.

* How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Comparing my work with another artists, I've realised that every time that I'm sketching, I try to do as much details as possible, which is time consuming and sometimes I don't have time to finish it. Depending on the location or the subject that I've chosen, it's difficult also to manage the final size. I'm trying to change my technique which comes from my formation in oil painting. To be honest I don't like much my genre. I love when I can see people doing the same drawing as mine with much less lines. Sometimes I don't like to use pen in my sketches, I prefer to keep it only with pencil and watercolour (specially portraits).

Portrait using only pen and watercolour

View of Tower Bridge

* Why do I create what I do?

I believe that sketches are part of our life and they bring memories of a trip, place, or everything related to our daily lives. I quite enjoy to see the final result and them remembering the smell, the light, weather and atmosphere of which sketch. When I'm drawing, I feel that everything around me is silent, I don't pay attention to what is happening, my focus is only on the subject that I'm drawing and I realised that I can stay hours drawing and do not notice it. To be honest, sketching works as a therapy to me.

My husband always encourage me to do it and maybe to try to sell it but I think that I'm not good enough to ask for money on my drawings. 

Emirates Cable Car - quick sketch in a sunny Sunday with my husband

* How does my creative process work?

Normally I choose a subject that can be a landscape or an object or a person. It will be decided depending on the size of sketchbook that is with me, as I don't carry all sizes all the time. If it's a portrait I prefer to do it in a medium and large size, if it's a landscape, on medium size. For portraits I normally don't use pen because to me the final result is too 'heavy'. For landscapes I prefer to use pen, specially if it is composed by buildings. In the past I was used to do all my drawing in loose paper and I was losing or giving it away to friends, but now I've decided to do it in sketchbooks. 

So my next steps are going to be: sketch as much as possible, try to do it at least twice a week. I'll also explore more acrylic painting. Also, I'll try to do some courses and workshops related to painting and participate in meetings and symposiums organised by Urban Sketchers. 

Next week I'm looking forward to seeing Alessandro Cacciari's post, taking the torch and showing his marvellous drawings. Many thanks Mimi for appointing me for this very interesting experience, putting me to think about my relation with art!