USk Symposium Manchester

Already a month since Usk Manchester 2016- First day in Manchester, we arrived late and headed straight to the Curry Mile, unable to resist our craving for Indian food. Good thing we did that- we didn´t manage to return in the following days.
The next day we took the architectural city tour- though Phil asked us not too, i couldn´t resist a couple of scribbles. Again, good thing i did that, because i didn´t manage to return to the Imperial war museum or Ancoats in the following days.

This is the view from our flat in the Northern Quarter. Next day, exploring the City center, especially around Albert Square, since this was where i´d do my demo. But first, i got lost near the River Irwell and painted this morning sketch on the bridge.

This corner, of Wakefield street just next to Oxford Road Station, was sketched a lot- apparently one of those beautiful old pubs is going to be demolished.

In the evening, reception night in the town hall- a very impressive setting and afterwards, some busy sketchers on Albert square. Next day, the workshops start.

First workshop was Marina Grechanik´s- it felt like going back to basics, but in a necessary and good way-thinking about how and why we sketch and the stories we want to tell in our sketchbooks. Also first lesson in ignoring the british weather- it was bad.

I was also faculty for the first time, doing a demo near Albert square, which was fun. Here´s the result of the second demo i did.

Another workshop was car sketching with Lapin and Gerard Michel, inetersting to finally figure out that warped perspective when you´re sitting way to close to your subject.

 And Veronica Lawlor´s workshop, where finally the concept of thumbails start to sink in! Only took a couple of years.Love the combo Pentel/Brushpen + rain. Later on i ran out of painting water and took some from the canal- good thing you don´t need pure, brilliant colours when you´re painting in the rain.

This year´s Drink n Draw location was very pretty- the Peveril of the Peak, whatever that means,
these are some non-sketcher enjoying their pints.

Our last day in Manchester was spent in the Northern Quarter, exploring some more and drawing brick & back alleys.

The building above  is on Stephenson Square and houses the Art Store of my dreams. We then went back to the city center for some views and buildings spotted over the past days, for example the Gotham Building below. It merited some dramatic watercolour, i think.

Sinclair´s Oyster Bar was my last drawing in Manchester- this time.