Sketching the City: Win a free 7-part video course!
Posted: November 10, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized 40 CommentsI am so thrilled to announce my second online course on Craftsy.com. It’s called “Sketching the City in Pen, Ink and Watercolor” and it’s a follow-up to my first course “Sketching Landscapes in Pen, Ink and Watercolor“. It will go live in a few weeks but between now and November 18th I’m giving away the new class for FREE to one lucky winner. Click here to enter: http://www.craftsy.com/ext/ShariBlaukopf_Giveaway
I’m especially thrilled to launch this class because it covers so many topics that I use in my daily sketching: composition; drawing and painting textures on different building surfaces like brick and stone; techniques for painting windows and doors; adding life to your cityscape with people, signage, poles, wires and trees as well as light & shadow. The class ends with me sketching a city panorama on location in Denver.
I`ve really been enjoying interacting with students in my first online class — answering questions, looking at projects and hearing about what people would like to learn. That`s how this class came about — because so many people asked for another class in sketching cityscapes. It was really fun to design it with that in mind. My scenes are the places I love to sketch: Montreal, Brooklyn, Rockport and even Denver, and they reflect the types of scenes you can find where you live too.
When the class goes live in a few weeks I’ll post it here but in the meantime watch to see if you are the lucky winner of the draw. I will post it here in a little over a week’s time.
Shari Blaukopf's Sketchbook 
Wow! Congratulations Shari! I love the first course, in fact ive been reviewing it this morning before your email! Cant wait to continue the journey thank you
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Thanks so much for writing Toni. I hope you enjoy the next course just as much. I put so much work into the next one too. Looking forward to seeing it launch and hope that everything I want to teach comes across well.
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Sounds great Shari. Excited for you and delighted that it’s going to be available so soon. Looking forward to watching and learning!
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As always, hearing from you is a treat Tony.
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How exciting Shari. Congratulations on your new book. This type of sketching is my nightmare – never seem to get things right.
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Thanks Kate. It’s actually a new video that I’m very excited about.
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I am entering.. comme de raison:)
Congratulations!
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Merci Monique!
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Yay! I’ve been looking forward to this. Yours was the first Craftsy course I took and you set the bar pretty high. Others didn’t quite do it for me – apart from Marc’s – so I am being more selective now.
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Thanks so much Ros. So glad you liked it and hope you like the next one just as much.
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Oh can’t wait for the new class. I’m taking your first Craftsy class and learning so much!
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Thanks so much Sherie!
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This is awesome news!! I loved the first and I’ll definitely be trying this course!! (Even if I don’t win…hehe…I never win anything) Congrats! 👍🏻😃
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You never know Charlie. There’s a first time for everything and this may just be it!
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Hehe…thanks! We’ll see then I guess! 😉
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Shari,
I loved your last class and have requested and waited for this one. What a wonderful teaching video.
Joe fidler
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Thanks so much Joe. I hope you like this one just as much.
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Bonjour Shari,
J’adore votre style, j’aimerai tellement suivre vos cours. Mais mon anglais basique ne me permet pas de suivre vos cours.
Alors je vous suis seulement sur Flickr et votre blog.
Est-ce qu’il y a la possibilité de traduire vos vidéos automatiquement ? ce serait tellement bien.
Pensez à tous ces étranger qui vous admirent !
Félicitation.
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Bonjour Martine, Merci pour tous ces commentaires très gentilles. Je ne connais pas aucun façon de traduire le vidéo automatiquement. C’est dommage qu’il n’y a pas un transcript mais ça n’existe pas en ce moment. Peut-être un jour vous pouvez venir à un de mes ateliers : )
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Yayy! I SO enjoyed your first course after being in your workshop along with Rooi n Singapore and can’t wait for this course to come out.
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Hi Judy. It’s wonderful to hear from you. Of course I remember you from Singapore. I hope all is well with you in Australia.
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I’m really looking forward to your next class, Shari. I’ve learned so much from your first one and Craftsy platform is one of the best for online learning.
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I’m so glad to hear that Norma. I agree about the platform. It’s excellent and really interactive which makes it fun for me too.
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Hi Shari,
I am enjoying your first class on Craftsy, so I will definitely take your new class! It would be fun to win!
So glad to find your blog. It always brightens my day!
Joanna
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Can’t wait for the new class. Your organization of material and clear presentation are the best. Looking forward to it!
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You are so kind Jeff. I tried to put in a lot of valuable info in this one too, so I hope you enjoy it!
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Looks like a great class. I would expect for you to have lots of information to each about cityscapes. I just signed up for Stephanie’s class. Maybe I’ll ask Santa to give me your class for Christmas.
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I think Santa will be nice to you this year Joan. Tell him that Craftsy has a good holiday sale and my course should be out by then.
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We are thrilled with your announcement too, Shari. Can’t wait. I know it will be another excellent course just like the first one.
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Thanks so much Louise.
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Super! Can’t wait for this new class even though I’m still working on your first one. …..which is wonderful; I’m just slow! Thanks, you are wonderful and I ( and many of my sketch/WC friends) love your work. Just a thought: would you ever consider giving a weekend wk shp here in San Diego via the San Diego WC Society? Best, Suzanne Tractenberg
Sent from my iPad
>
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HI Suzanne,
Thanks so much for writing. You can take your time with the course. That’s the great thing about Craftsy. You can work at your own time. Or go back and replay a lesson. I would absolutely love to come to San Diego. There are so many groups on the West Coast who are waiting for me to do workshops there. Maybe we can continue this discussion by email.
Shari
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Yes! Your watercolors glow with color and you treat line angles like they matter, even in a loose sketch. You observe color theory and modify judiciously, so as to let brilliant colors shine with the light influence of accent colors inside the main washes. You manage to convey a balance of brilliant color vs. white of the paper and loose expressive washes of full color over an accurately angled sketch devoid of superfluous lines. I feel that you are an artist first and a draftsperson second, which marries theory with expression so well. This combination is what makes your sketches so unique from other urban sketching teachers I’ve seen, even if you advertise less and have less book deals. Blessings on your new journey with Craftsy. I have only just gotten the supplies together for your first class on that website, but I’m looking forward to experimenting!
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HI Devan. Thanks so much for taking the time to write. I am very flattered by your description of my work so thanks for the generous comments. As for advertising and book deals, I have to say that I am fortunate because I have a teaching job during the year so I don’t have to rely on my art to make a living. I have a job that I love that allows me the time during the week and especially during the summer to paint and to teach. But if I had to make a living with my paintings and my sketches, you can bet I would be doing advertising, book deals and whatever I could to pay my rent and put food on the table. I have many friends who make their living that way and it is not easy. The gallery scene is difficult at best and people just aren’t buying art, as least in Canada. My artist friends apply for grants, try to get public projects, teach when they can, etc. Sorry for the rant but I feel I have to defend all artists who could have chosen a more lucrative career but instead chose art.
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I loved your landscape course, and have gone back several times to rewatch some of the videos. Can’t wait to have this one go live!
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Thanks so much Karen. I am excited too!
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I’m in too Shari — love your online courses! After moving my Mom at the end of November, I will be more free to delve in them -)))
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Hi Jane. I was wondering what has been keeping you busy because I haven’t seen many of your sketches. Now I know. I hope the move goes well! Glad you like the classes!
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Yes Shari — we have been going through many downs and a few ups in the past months. I just hope that she can find some sense of happiness in her few years left.
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I hope so Jane, but I know she has a loving family surrounding her. She is very lucky for that.
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