Thursday, December 05, 2019

Photo Competition Story: Sketch the Journey


Author Picture: Urban Sketching, by the Author.
That day, after we (Indonesian Students) conducted an event in the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia and went back at night, the lights in front of the Agriculture Exhibition Centre has attracted us. It was the “Art Beijing 2017.” For sure, this 中国农业展览馆 or the National Agriculture Exhibition Centre always held some particular international event.

But that time it was different. The lights were shinier, more colorful, and the main building becomes more interesting. This hobby of mine sketching the place that I visit and then taking a picture of it for life documentation has urge me to do the same to this moment.

Live sketching for me will be the part of the documentation of life adventure, so beside on taking pictures which exactly will provide with realistic pictures on it, Livesketching will be so valuable for me in creating my own memory to through my imagination and thoughts that are thrown along the lines on the paper.

Live sketching the Agriculture Exhibition Centre from Author (3rd Winner). Source: By Author 2017
 For 15 minutes, I have a chance to do a live sketching as I also wait for my friends to take pictures around this event. Then, after the live sketching, this moment between the sketch and the real place has to be in the same frame. And that finally complete my journey to draw this moment in the night between the art, life, and the capital which I call it as the moment that “Beijing art Never Dies.”

This event and opportunity has given me a chance to give a perspective thoughts of how different kind of people and photographers may take the different angle, space and time through urban studies, especially in Beijing, the capital of China.

Live Sketching Every Journey
On every single journey in a new place, I have a mission to at least make one live sketching through one of the angle of that place. It is a hobby that creates a motivation for me to visit new places. After taking the live sketching, I usually take a picture and a photo of my sketches standing in front of the place.

It usually takes 5 until 15 minutes depending on the details I want to make to the sketches. As it is a bit hard for me when I have to adjust with my friends traveling while I walk and use my time to finish it as I am afraid to also disturb their journey. But thank God, they enjoy it also and let me do it, as I finish it quickly. Without them, my pictures aren’t as colorful as my journey. Friends and travel mates are the best for me.

Besides, in the process of sketching and taking picture, I learn a lot of things form the people around me. Usually they talk with me and I learn many things also from them. For example in such a sunny day, I learn so many about the Walls near Guomao that is used for Archery. The old man sits near to me and told me so many stories. As sometimes some Chinese help me to improve my language while I sketch. It happens fast while I enjoy it always.

Finally, After the live sketching, if there is time, for 5 minutes I will water color the picture using my portable watercolor than take a Photo shoot through it. This happens in the recent years as I
hope it keep going in the future. As from here not only by photography that I take a documentation of my journey but also through sketching.

Until now, I have many pictures with sketches inside of it, and I hope one day it could be a bundle of story from my sketches and Photo shots to complete my article also.

Top 500 Pictures. By: Author 2018
 
*This article was taken from the writing of the author participation for the Beijing Photography Competition 2018 "Depiction of New Beijing"

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