Mercado Merengue
Posted: July 13, 2012 Filed under: Uncategorized 9 CommentsI closed my eyes in the market area today I heard these sounds: a car alarm, a wailing siren, incessant honking and loud merengue music from a passing truck. The workshop that I took this afternoon with Melanie Reim and Natalie Ramirez was called “Mercado Merengue” and it was an apt title because sketching in a crowded market is a bit like a crazy dance. We started by doing thumbnails to capture the feeling of our surroundings. Then we had to sketch people in motion by following one person and drawing them as they moved. The third exercise was to find patterns and add that to the drawing so I picked a man outside his souvenir shop. And the last sketch had to put it all together but we only had 15 minutes left so I drew the banana seller and his motorcycle buddies.
I really like these. Particularly the bottom one, where my eye wanders around the interestingly arranged shapes… love the selective shading!
After all that testing of watercolour papers, are you going to get a chance to use them as well?
I selected most of the workshops I am in because they involved drawing people in motion. I learned so much in each of them so far. And although I haven’t done much painting I am absorbing all this knowledge and I know I’ll use it in my painting at a later time. I really feel like the second drawing was a bit of a breakthrough for me. I got over my fear of people moving while I’m drawing them!
Really nice fluid movement in your figures and shapes Shari and gives the feel of the local
environment through the rhythm and merengue music. It will be fun to see your colours, bet they’re hot!
I am so busy drawing Mary, and haven’t even had time to take out my brush much. The market was really colorful but we had no time to paint!
Hi Shari :: I love it and what your teacher made you do. So interesting… follow a person and continue drawing? What a feat! Did anyone turn their heads and wonder what you were doing?
What challenges! Great work Shari.As always the composition is carefully considered and well-designed.
Love the banana guys!!! That’s an awesome sketch. If I sold bananas, I’d have a hard time not eating the merchandise. 🙂
Steven – you were really missed at the symposium. Your name came up many times. You have to be there next time. This sketch ended up being donated to the silent auction and the proceeds went to the scholarships for next year. You should have seen the students from this year. Wow! Can they ever draw! And you wouldn’t have been able to eat these bananas. They were really green!
I’ve really enjoyed seeing a lot of the stuff that’s been published online. Next year for sure!