Reportage-Telling (Drawing) It Like It Is

These are two sketches from Saturday's class. Not great but they're a start. They were done at the Chicago Botanic Gardens. We're using a 14 x 17 sketch pad. This is a very different size for me. I usually work much smaller or much larger. Mark McMahon, our instructor, defines his work as reportage. He is an energetic and excellent teacher.

There is a definition of reportage here http://reportageillustrators.com/about-reportage/.
There are some fabulous examples on this site also. For me there is an energy and an immediacy to reportage that is different than journaling or illustration. It is telling the story of a place or event and the people in a sketch. I still haven't found a definition that explains it clearly. I'm at a point where I don't know what it is but I know it when I see it. I'd love to hear what you understand as reportage!

Good News-Bad News.01 and.02

First the good news.01- the reportage class with Mark McMahon is back on and it is fabulous! He's a great teacher. Bad news.01 -the sketch pad doesn't fit my scanner so I'll have to photograph the sketches before I can post them.
Good news.02 - our Monday sketch group met at Water Tower Park on Michigan Ave. Bad news.02- I just couldn't seem to put into practice anything I learned on Saturday in class!




The horse and buggy moved on before I could finish but I do like the rhythm of the lines.

Monday, Monday

Monday's sketch group met at the Art Institute of Chicago. It was a beautiful afternoon and we sketched in the south pocket park. There is a great fountain there and inspired by all of Laurelines' wonderful fountain sketches, I gave it a try!

I'm so disappointed! I've been enthralled with reportage drawing lately and it looks like my reportage sketch class will be cancelled. Not enough people signed up. I was really looking forward to it. Oh bla dee. Anyone out there have any good tips?

Proud as a Peacock

I never realized how much the John Hancock Center dominates our view until the other day. My granddaughter, Morgan, age four, was here and drawing. I asked her to tell me about her drawing. "It's the Hancock building, Nana!" (Duh) I draw it often, too.


Mogan's version


Nana's version

Eyes Wide Open

It's funny how things can strike you. I was driving along and got stopped for the light at North and Clybourn in Chicago-a place I've passed a hundred times- when the shapes and arcs just blew me away. I don't know if it was the lighting from the gathering storm that called my attention to the scene in a new way but I just had to put in on paper ASAP.

Hot Time in the City

It was an incredibly busy but wonderful couple of days! WIth two wedding anniversaries, a birthday and Father's Day to celebrate with children and grandchildren we had a joyous time!

I made it out to the Monday sketch group but it is quite clear from the results that my mind was back at home with the crowd!




It was a hot day but the shade was deep and cool! In case you can't figure it out the little square sketch is a fountain LOL.

Ah, Wilderness!

Our Monday summer sketch group started up again. This week seven of us met at the Lincoln Park Zoo. We sketched (and chatted) for about two hours and then blended back into our daily routines.

The zoo was crowded and we attracted more attention then usual but it was fun. It was the first time I tried to use watercolor on site in this situation. I probably should have worked on the sketches a little more but …what can I say except a good time was had by all!

I like the square format of the sketchbook I've chosen for summer in the city.