This day we have panel discussion in an auditorium of Chiba University horticulture department. First, Maria gave us short talk of her story, how she discover the meanings and use of Urban sketching. Why she start sketching; why she kept sketching after coming to Japan as a student; how she found meaning of sketching in the regional activity; how she found Urban Sketchers/ Urban Sketchers Japan; how she incorporate sketching in her study as well as this event program, things like that. Then followed by talks by Richard Alomar, Peggy Wong, Mario Linhares, and Professor Isami Kinoshita. The topic is mainly about role and value of sketching, they showed concrete examples through their profession, project, experiences such as workshop, recording heritage, sketch tour, social media sharing, research program, etc. Then we had Q and A time. Lively discussion continued. One question was “What can we do when to attract people who feel intimidated because they think they are bad at drawin...

Day 2, Feb 12th ( Monday) This day, Maria led us. We ( all of us) were to lined up and stand one side of the road, face the view seen across the street and sketch it for seven minutes. Then we cross the road to face the opposite side to sketch for another seven minutes, so you can make two sketches at one location. We repeated this six times as we proceed. We drew a pair of sketches of one location on a sheet, with the manner just like we learned the other day by Richard: description, detailed partial drawing, and whole image. This was a quite “scales fall off from eyes” experience to me. Something you think you've seen and known are actually not what you really know that much. It was just like rediscover the both side of the same coin which usually we don't care which side is which and what kind of subject is depicted. I myself find how characteristic each and every precinct, house, public building is, it seems there is no rules regarding public appearance. So disorder ...

Thanks to Maria, one of blog author of USK Japan blog, an international graduate student of Horticulture Department in Chiba University, energetic, skilled, with full of new idea, selflessly strived to make the first 4-day sketch event to happen in Japan in collaboration with Urban Sketchers executive board members, Professor Kinoshita from Chiba University, at Matsudo local community building where she lives and manages, and University lecture hall as well.( I also thank her partner who also helped a lot in may ways!) Day 1, Feb 9th (Friday) This day, an Executive Board member Richard Alomar, AKA New York Sketcher, gave us sketch drill from 13:00〜15:00. Participants were to make quick sketches of following 3 types of visual records in a page that is divided into three parts: 1, description with words ( annotation, remark, words, how you feel, what you see, etc) 2, partial detail that you find important or interesting in the scene you see. 3, not detailed but whole image of ...

イベントページへ International Sketch Meeting in Japan, February 9-14th 2018 ※これから順次、更新致します。詳細に関してはもう少々お待ちください。 We will update information soon.

忘年会 岩瀬自治会 のお年寄りの人と話しながら、スケッチした。 最初は怖かったけど、どんどん丈夫になった。 なぜか私ここにいるのか？ なぜか私こんなおかしいことをやるのか？ このような質問はいつも頭の中にまわしている。 自分の落ち着いている場所を作り、スケッチブックの中です。 紙の鏡に映し、友達になれる。 みんな様の顔を描きたい。全地域の画像。ちょっと時間を与えて、周りの人を認識する。 いつも、ありがとう（＾O＾）！    In Japan, "End of the Year" (Bounenkai) Party is held in December.    Local people meet, eat and discuss what is happened, forgetting and forgiving bad things happened. On this party I drew portraits of people from Neighbourhood Association, in which building I'm living.    Felt scared to start drawing people in front of me, but it is the best way for me to feel comfortable, communicating by pictures.     In the end they were happy and I get to know them better. I'm planning to draw portraits of all Neighbourhood Association people. It is the way discover every person. Always thankful to them for accepting me in a neighbourhood :)

これから 住んでいるところ 岩瀬自治会館の二階には船が置いてある！ 誰から来た、その船団？ 子供の頃読んだ本 を思い出す、小さな世界。 この船は区に住む湯浅浩さんという方からです。 引っ越すのデ置く場所がないために2隻を自治会に寄付してくれた。 There are two ships now in the place where I live . When I see them, I remember a story from childhood, a book about boy, who wanted to meet little people on the ship .  He stayed at  his grandmother’s house during vacation. She has a beautiful model of ship, it was her precious memory. Boy see it and his interest is growing day by day, since grandmother prohibit to touch the ship. He imagine small people inhabit the ship and try to  catch them, lure out by sweets, all in vain... These two ships came to neighborhood association building from local person Hiroshi Yuasa, who is moving to other area. He want to give something to this community, which will keep a good memory.  He put inside the glass box semiprecious stone and coral, on both sides of ship. 

What is to live in Japanese neighborhood association ? Orchestra musicians make a rehearsal in your bedroom. 自治会館に住む の生活といえば、音楽者は住むの部屋で演奏することだ! Had such a lucky chance to hear them playing and make sketches! 聞いてくれてとても嬉しかった！ This is the rehearsal of the concert for cultural Festival in Iwase. 岩瀬自治会 文化祭のためにのコンサートでした。 They improvised Katusha and Tchaikovsky for me, when get to know that I'm Russian （^^） 彼らは私がロシア人であることを知ると、カチューシャとチャイコフスキーを即興で演奏しました！ Couldn't finish cello at the time! Musicians, who played in Iwase neighborhood association, where I live, is from Chiba New Town Philharmonic Orchestra. Grateful to them. ほんとに、どうもありがとうございました！

World Wide Sketch Crawl 53 for me was half-day, but even the short time I got powerful support of drawing together with many people around the world. It feels different! I drew room view with TV at home:  A nearby street with the Kannon statue. 松戸の雰囲気　 And a way from Matsudo station. I thought the building facade remind mount Fuji. I want to see it :) So I wrote: むかし昔から富士山に行ってみたいけど、また松戸にいるんです。

この間に 21世紀の森と広場 に行って来ました。とてもいい場所ですね。森、水、田んぼ：里山の風景がでてきます。　外はどんどん寒くなります。スケッチをやりたいなら、暖かい服、お茶、準備はしないといけない。この時とても寒かったから、植物を拾い上げてすぐ帰りました。あとでゆっくりこの 21世紀の森と広場 へ何回も行きたいと思っています。 Collected some plants in the park close to Matsudo. Easy sketch of them.

Jazz concert in Chiba University, Graduate school of Horticulture.  It was difficult for me to draw musicians at work. Moreover, many people around and public atmosphere can make me a little nervous too. I really admire sketchers, who draw "live" on the concerts! 

9月24-25日松戸市、岩瀬祭り 地域人はさんま、えどまめ、生ビルを売っている。。。 岩瀬のキャラはタヌキです。のぼりで書いてあるタヌキの顔です。 枝豆が売りながらこのスケッチをしました。 Autumn Festival in the local community Iwase in Matsudo city.

Last weekend in Matsudo was a cultural festival Bon Odori Festival called Last Summer Fest. I met with Arnie from France, before he got home and drew a few sketches of Tojotei historical garden and festival atmosphere.  松戸のラストサマーフェス＆盆踊りのスケッチと戸定邸・戸定が丘歴史公園のスケッチです。 I was also working as a volunteer this days, selling ice with sweet syrop.  甘いシロップとかき氷が売っていました。⬇︎  We talked about staff we use for drawing and how we draw... So good to meet! :)