Introduce Yourself
Where do you live and what do you?
Have you done much sketching before or are you just starting?
What are your other creative pursuits?
Please include a link to your Flickr account, blog, Facebook page, Instagram, Tumblr etc.
So I’ll go first…
I’m Liz (I think you all know that!)
I live in Sydney, Australia. I’m an architect by profession and worked 20 years on a range of residential and commercial developments, specialising in media projects. I’ve always drawn as part of my work but in 2007 discovered watercolour and started my first daily sketchbook. I haven’t stopped sketching since!
I’m very interested in architectural history and theory and drinking tea out of fancy china teacups… but I’m guessing you all know that too!
You can find me on: Facebook, Flickr, Google+, Instagram and Twitter using the buttons under ‘Connect on Social Media’Â in the footer of this website.
Now it’s your turn…
Hello I’m Laura. I live in Louisiana. I love to sketch all the wonderful things around me. Learning all the time. Enjoy Liz’s classes before through Sketchbook Skool had to come back. Looking forward to class
Hi, Laura, Spotted on Sketchbook Skool that you were just signing on. Glad to see you. Beth Trembley
Hi Laura
I hope you have managed to sort out your Flickr account 🙂
Hi, I am Susan Torgerson James and I live in Gainesville, Florida. I have a background of studying architecture, interior design, and textile design. I have worked at many things including my own children’s clothing design business, teaching, and I am now hand painting silk scarves and making a few women’s jackets and silk and linen tops.
I have been sketching for awhile and am a part of Journey Daybook where we make illustrated travel journals. I was lucky to be able to attend the USK Symposium in Brazil this year and I took a workshop with Liz. I am looking forward to improving my sketching and becoming a better Urban Sketcher. I love being a part of this global group!
I can be found at http://www.facebook.com/satorisilk and on flickr Satorisilk.
Hi Susan! I decided to join the Foundations Class. You and Peggy are having too much fun and I too want to participate. See you later today when I’ll begin to catch up.
Hi, you two! have fun together today!
What an interesting and diverse group! I am so much looking forward to spending the next 12 weeks (well only 11 left) with you and Liz.
I am from Vienna, Austria (Europe) and it’s really nice to see some other Austrians in this course – so maybe the sketchcrawls in Austria will have more participants in the future. And I also recognize some fellow quilters – hello Helen Conway and Gloria Hansen.
I am so happy that Liz has finally decided to launch this course. I found her blog about 2 years ago and immediately realized that this is exactly the way I would like to sketch. I tried on my own and in some courses (yes – Sketchbookskool as well) and now I’m able to take a course with Liz.
Hi, I am Ev from Durban, South Africa. I am a stock photographer and food blogger , and haven’t really done much sketching since school days ( a very long time ago) so looking forward to this challenge. Have long been an admirer of Liz’s work, so I am hoping to learn a lot.
My blog : http://shadesofcinnamon.com/
Hello all, I’m Diane, and I’m from Healdsburg, California which is in the beautiful wine country, about an hour north of San Francisco. I’ve admired and followed Liz for a number of years, and am so excited to be part of this group! I’m a lawyer by profession, working distantly for a firm on the opposite side of the country doing the written side of legal work. I live with my teenaged daughter, a dog and a cat.
I sketch regularly with an Urban Sketchers group in my area (Urban Sketchers – North Bay) and have really enjoyed the Sketchbook Skool classes. I love seeing different styles and approaches to sketching, and I’m finding my way into my own style, I guess. I try a little of everything and see how it goes! I blog about my creative pursuits at http://www.goingtopieces.blogspot.com , and you can see my sketches on my flickr page, too. https://www.flickr.com/photos/dphock/
So glad to be in this class!
Diane
Hi, I’m Julie, a Brit, living with my husband in Javea, Spain. I started watercolour painting 2 years ago and love it, but my drawing lets me down and is inhibiting my progress. Liz writes an inspiring blog and I look forward to learning from her wealth of experience. Already the first exercise has made me focus on the equipment I use, and forced sketching into my day.
Hi All,
My name is Cecilia, I am from Hungary, live in a tiny village near Budapest. I am an illustrator, graphic designer.
You find my blog here: http://www.felleg.blogspot.com or facebook/fellegajto – although I am quite a hectic blogger.
I am glad to see so many passionate sketchers-to-be… My aim with this course is to improve my sketching, develop my own style and establish a routine of daily sketching… And also because Liz is a very inspiring person for me…
Is there anyone here from nearby Budapest?
Cecilia
Hi everyone! My name is Rebekah and i’m a stay at home mom from the U.S. in the state of California. I have loved art since a child and am so excited to learn more!! Watercolor is my favorite media with mixed media being my second. I love to quilt, knit and crochet. You can find me at BekahJan.com where there is also a link to my social media sites.
Welcome to the class. Its fun to meet you here.
Hi, my name is Claire McFeely. I’m in San Jose, California which is in the bay area near San Francisco. I’ve been working for 36+years as a software designer, but as I approached mid-life and my 3 sons were getting older, I started craving doing something more creative and more with my hands. A few years ago I started watercolor journaling and fell in love with doing casual pages for myself (no place on the walls at home to hang stuff and I prefer being more private) which mix text and image. I am most passionate when my subject touches my family or friends – times spent together, memory pages of sentimental items, etc.
I also love to walk, cook (for fun), sew, garden, listen to music, ….
A few years ago I started a blog, http://www.clairessketchbook.blogspot.com
I haven’t been active on it much this year, but I hope to start reposting to it and connecting with other artists. Stop by and take a look.
Hi Claire! I live in Concord just north of you! So neat to have a classmate from the Bay Area! 🙂
Nice to hear from another one near by in California! 😉
You might want to come sketch with EastBay Sketchers some time. The group is on Facebook.
I live in Concord, CA, too.
Hi, my name is Ann and it is nice to meet you all. I live in Sydney, Australia and I am looking forward to seeing your art works representing different parts of the world where you live. I have been sketching for one year and have a lot to learn so I’m really looking forward to the home work.
Hi, my name is Kate, I live in a small coastal town in Victoria Australia.
My painting and sketching began over the last few years. I am looking forward to learning greater skills and gaining more confidence in quick sketching.
Hi Kate, I also live on Victoria’s coast – at Warrnambool. Am I anywhere near you?
Hi Janet, We live in Far East Gippsland in Mallacoota so couldn’t be much further away. Both beautiful locations.
Hi all. My name is Mary. I’m originally from Detroit, but I’ve lived in Chicago for 25 years. I’ve sketched for a long time, but I’ve never taken an online class before, so this should be fun. I also like to knit and crochet.
Hi everyone, my name is Cheryl
I live in Canberra. I work full time but really want to be an artist! My art passion is mixed media but I desperately want to be able to create a visual journal for my travel adventures. I’ve tried. I’m really not very good. AND I’m scared stiff of drawing in public. I’ve got so much to learn!!!
I am Nancy and I live in San Diego , CA I in the USA. After my husband and I retired, we traveled through all 49 states in our Roadtrek 20 foot RV. I recorded our travels with a written journal and photographs but never had enough courage to illustrate them. I have many ideas from Sketchbook Skool and am looking forward to learning the skills from Liz to put them to paper.
Hi everyone,
I am Marylou and live in Brunswick Heads, northern NSW. I have done one of Liz’s architecture sketching classes in the rocks which was invaluable. I am so grateful for the mighty internet to give me the chance to learn more! I love drawing & painting but tend to get caught up in the detail. Sketching helps to overcome the obsession for perfection!
Greetings. I am Barbara from Atlanta, Georgia in the USA. I found out about this course from Sketchbook Skool and also your blog, Liz. My Sketchbook buddy, my sister-in-law, and I are taking your class together. I am a novice artist, having taken drawing and painting art classes intermittently throughout my life. I am looking forward to the foundational aspect of this course, as I learn best by starting with basic and building on that knowledge. I know that I didn’t need to but I bought some watercolors yesterday and am already having some fun.
hello,
karen from the left coast USA. a landscape architect who found out about this class via BeLoose..com .. i use AD markers instead of water color, and colored pencils instead of water color pencils, but the principals are the same. and interesting to use a blender marker instead of water…
i hope to get better at sketching and colors while having fun 🙂
Hi! I am Petra and living near Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Started in May this year with drawing and currently following Sketchbook school “seeing”. I really need to learn a lot and also “to loosen up” with my drawings and draw more regularly. I have been following Liz’s blog with great pleasure and am looking forward to this course!
Hi! My name is Bruce and I live in Christchurch, New Zealand. Most mornings after breakfast, courtesy of the Internet, I have followed the sketches of Liz and others as they sketch round Sydney; The Rocks and CBD, and other places I remember from holidays. I have followed her progress and look forward to being part of it.
Hi! My name is Bruce and I live in Christchurch, New Zealand. Most mornings after breakfast, courtesy of the Internet, I have followed the sketches of Liz and others as they sketch round Sydney; The Rocks and CBD, . I have followed her progress and look forward to being part of it.
Hi, I’m Clarissa, a Brazilian/American living in a small farm in the countryside of São Paulo State, in Brazil. I love drawing and sketching, and I’m trying to practice every day (when life doesn’t interfere!). I’m an artist, a mother, a grandmother, a wife, a reader, and much more – who isn’t nowadays? My principles in life are my love of knowledge, my goal to be a good person and self-analysis. I hate gossip, stupidity, frogs of any kind and violence. I’m a feminist and I don’t live without dogs. I think that sums it up. Very excited for Liz’s lessons.
My name is Dawn and I live in a small village in Norfolk (UK). I came across the idea of keeping an illustrated journal and although I don’t consider myself a skilled artist I’ve jumped in and am thoroughly enjoying it! I discovered Liz Steel a year or two ago and have been reading her blog which is such an inspiration. Apart from Liz’s wonderful style and contagious enthusiasm it’s great to find a Christian who is so comfortable about her faith and sharing it appropriately as part of her artwork and writing. Yes, I am also a Christian (and a vicar!). Enjoying week 1 of the Foundations course and really looking forward to the remaining 11 sessions!
Welcome, Dawn! I agree about the faith thing. Where are you in Norfolk? I love sketching on the North Norfolk coast, esp around Burnham Overy Staithe. I live in the States, by my mum still runs an art group at her church in Norwich, Surrey Sketchers, as well as one that meets in Hethersett. She also puts on art shows in Wymondham in the old library. Norfolk is such a fantastic place to draw.
Thank you for this – amazing! I’m in Saxlingham Nethergate – very close to Wymondham and Hethersett. I also enjoy North Norfolk, especially Holt, Sheringham and Blakeney! Is Surrey Sketchers part of Surrey Chapel? I’ve spoken a couple of times at their Wednesday fellowship (ladies group).
Yes, Surrey Chapel. They meet on Fridays.
It’s such a small world, isn’t it?!
Hello Dawn
The world has got even smaller! I actually live very close to Notcutts on the Norwich inner ring road! so pleased to see you and Brian are nearby and will look forward to seeing your work.
Like you I have been following Liz’s blogs for several years and wished I was not so far from Sydney. Now we have the chance to join in online I am so pleased.
If you fancy meeting up, maybe at Notcutts café sometime, do let me know. Would love to see your sketchbooks and very happy for you to see my scrawls-I assure you they are VERY amateurish! Now must get back to my homework!
Hi mickied
I left a reply further up (takes ages to locate an entry on this thread!) – Notcutts sounds good. My sketching is also amateurish and not very prolific but I do enjoy working in my journal – looking forward to gaining a bit more confidence through this course!
Hi Dawn,
Well I succumbed and although a little late I have joined up to the course.
(For others reading, I am already a friend of Dawn’s and she inspired me to join in. So I am another one in the Norwich area, I live just south of Norwich in Mulbarton)
My name is Leona and I live in Canada. An academic historian by training, I have been enamoured for years by the tiny drawings found in some Victorian-era diaries. Just over a year ago, I took up sketching. My goals are modest: to improve and to have fun. I am confident that this Foundations course will help me achieve my goals. Cheers.
Hi everyone. My name is Shauna. I live in Avalon on Sydney’s Northern beaches ( I was excited to see Liz visited my area this week). I co own an art supplies shop in this area and one of my lovely customers told me about this course.(ps Liz was right , access to a large amount of art supplies does not make you a good sketcher.)
I grew up in a creative family and tried many forms of art and other creative activities, everything from stained glass to sewing to painting. The one thing I have stuck to and love is printmaking, mostly Lino cuts. I love the strong lines and colour. I have never been a drawer or sketcher but have always loved the idea of sitting and sketching, especially since my husband has retired and we hope to be able to do a few short getaways. I could sketch while he plays golf. I just have to get over the fear and self criticism. Hoping Liz will help with this. X
Hello everyone, I’m Sandra from Sydney, Australia. I work in paediatric health and relax by creating with paper/paint/glue. I have had the privilege of taking two classes with Liz sketching and painting teacups and buildings in The Rocks. Absolutely love her teaching style. Signed up to Sketchbook Skool and recognise a few names from SBS. So looking forward to Liz’s class and sharing how we all see this wonderful world.
Hi everyone. I’m Jim Blodget.I’ve been drawing and painting for pleasure since I retired in 2008. I love to tinker with all kinds of media. Along the way I’ve been a photographer, film maker, TV producer, director, editor, instructor, media specialist, computer programmer, web designer, and blogger. I’m 66 and live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest (Oregon, USA). Link to my blog: jimblodget.com/blog and to my Flickr photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimblodget/ .
Hi Everyone! I’m Barbara from Vancouver, Canada and I am a Sketchbook Skool Skolar and novice sketchbook artist. I have just started sketching and journaling a few months ago and haven really enjoying the journey so far. I am a curriculum designer in higher education and work with health scientists and interactive arts academics including engineers and architects. I have always loved structure and patterns and I am really looking forward to this course with Liz. I have enjoyed other creative pursuits over the years from music to tailoring to knitting. I have a Flickr site and will soon launch my blog. Stay tuned….
Hi, I’m Beth, and I live in Austin, Texas. I accidentally became a technical writer a long time ago, but I’ve always dabbled in art. My degree is in art history, minor in interior design. I’m here because I somehow stumbled onto your blog, Liz, and suddenly had found someone who paints and draws the way I want to paint and draw. Loose and expressive and communicating in real time. I was also toying with the sketchbook and journal ideas, so that’s a plus.
Although I’ve certainly taken fine watercolor and drawing classes over the years, I finally realized that I’m not interested in doing full-blown watercolor paintings or especially realistic drawings. I really just want the suggestion of an experience, a prompt of the memory of where it was and what I was doing. I don’t want to spend gobs of time on it, and I want to move on. But I want to look back at it later and check in to that place. It’s so true that your memory of a place and time is much more vivid if you draw it, even quickly.
And I’ll add that I’ve never felt the least confident with watercolor or with sketching in public places. I’ve done it, but not with brilliant results. 🙂
Beth, that was so well expressed. Thanks for taking the time to voice your thoughts on what you want from sketching.
Hi Beth. I’m Ellen, and also an Austinite. let me know if you’re ever in the mood to meet up and sketch for a few hours..
Beth, I like your career description process as “accidentally.” I also became a technical writer in a less-than-planned way. My experience is that many of us in this field have strong creative interests. I’m looking forward to enjoying this class with you. Barbara, Technical Writer/Instructional Designer from Atlanta, GA, USA.
G’day, My name is Tony. I live at Wentworth Point in Sydney near the Olympic precinct. I have come to art late in life having spent the last 15 years making fine furniture after retiring from business and was looking for something to do. My main aim is botanic art but I am also interested in drawing/painting what is around me and appeals to my eye. I am particularly keen to draw any travelling that I do.
Hi everyone, I’m Amanda and we live in a small village near Windsor in the UK and several months of the year in an even smaller village near Cognac in South West France (lifetime dream realised when I retired four or five years’ ago). So, more of a rural sketcher than an urban one, accompanied by an uncomplaining elderly Border Collie, though he’d probably be delighted if I speeded up a bit! Along with several other people here, I’ve just finished Semester 3 of Sketchbook Skool which was really pushing me a lot. Have admired and followed Liz for a long while, so hope some of her magic will rub off!
Hi I’m Mel from Melbourne, Australia.
I just started sketching and drawing at the start of the year after signing up for a one day watercolour workshop on a whim. From there I found Liz’s blog and Sketchbook Skool and have been having a great time. I’m a writer by trade so nice to have a new creative thing that’s just for fun again! Looking forward to the next twelve months hanging out and learning with everyone.
Hi Mel, There are a few of us from Melbourne here. Nice to meet you. Sketchbook Skool seems to be very popular; I must look it up. Cheers, Sandi