Does anyone here do any sketches at the places they explore? I got back into urban exploring again recently and my art friends and I have been going to places and drawing there when we have the time.
These are some quick ink sketches done inside the Cement plant- it got a bit cold, so next time I'll have to bring gloves for my hands!
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And a photo from there:
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And here's a watercolor sketch I did right outside the Flour Mill in Seattle. I was looking for a POE but couldn't really find one.
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So my friend and I ended up going to the place next door instead. We wanted to sketch there but we ran out of time.
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Re: UE Sketching in WA < Reply # 1 on 4/29/2017 8:43 PM > | Reply with Quote
A more practical solution is what a watercolor artist I knew, Jack Kaiser used to do. Grab it with cam, recreate it latter on paper, canvas, etc. This flow process worked very well for him.
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Re: UE Sketching in WA < Reply # 2 on 4/29/2017 10:03 PM > | Reply with Quote
That's true. I'll probably do that more in the future. My current camera doesn't capture colors that well though, so I probably could do quick color studies in watercolor depending on the location.
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Re: UE Sketching in WA < Reply # 3 on 4/30/2017 12:57 AM > | Reply with Quote
Posted by Mstein That's true. I'll probably do that more in the future. My current camera doesn't capture colors that well though, so I probably could do quick color studies in watercolor depending on the location.
That's the beauty and leeway you get with painting; you decide what's the right color and shade. The image provides a raw template to build off of. Artist plausible deniability is a good thing.
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Re: UE Sketching in WA < Reply # 4 on 4/30/2017 7:01 PM > | Reply with Quote
2X points to blackhawk for being diplomatic in telling you not everyone wants to see your artwork on our abandoned buildings.
You may think its beautiful Hell maybe everyone else does too, I prefer to see abandoned buildings without the tagging, some of us think these buildings are cool enough in their own way, even industrial buildings.
Re: UE Sketching in WA < Reply # 5 on 4/30/2017 9:26 PM > | Reply with Quote
Posted by 2Xplorations 2X points to blackhawk for being diplomatic in telling you not everyone wants to see your artwork on our abandoned buildings.
You may think its beautiful Hell maybe everyone else does too, I prefer to see abandoned buildings without the tagging, some of us think these buildings are cool enough in their own way, even industrial buildings.
Did I miss something? OP is talking about doing sketches and watercolors of the buildings, not painting on them. Take it easy.
Re: UE Sketching in WA < Reply # 7 on 5/1/2017 5:50 AM > | Reply with Quote
Posted by 2Xplorations 2X points to blackhawk for being diplomatic in telling you not everyone wants to see your artwork on our abandoned buildings.
You may think its beautiful Hell maybe everyone else does too, I prefer to see abandoned buildings without the tagging, some of us think these buildings are cool enough in their own way, even industrial buildings.
Graffiti (and making personal markings e.g. bears on trees or wolves pissing) is a natural phenomenon and is not going away. Even if you care about the A E S T H E T I C the building owners simply abandoned in lieu of cleaning up their failed companies mess' that couldn't be repurposed. Sure it's rude to write on someone's wall but it makes no difference professionally or otherwise since these locations are condemned.
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Re: UE Sketching in WA < Reply # 8 on 5/1/2017 7:31 AM > | Reply with Quote
2Xplorations, I do not vandalize or do any graffiti work. I really dislike tags, and I wish that the buildings I go to weren't so covered in spraypaint, but it's hard to find locations that are untouched by vandalism. I just like to sketch drawings of buildings in my sketchbook or take photographs like most people on this forum.
Re: UE Sketching in WA < Reply # 10 on 5/1/2017 12:19 PM > | Reply with Quote
I think its great that you want to sketch buildings, and if you want to sketch graffiti that's your prerogative, I assumed incorrectly that's what you were doing.
Each to his own I suppose.
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Re: UE Sketching in WA < Reply # 11 on 5/1/2017 2:40 PM > | Reply with Quote
Posted by vivid
Graffiti (and making personal markings e.g. bears on trees or wolves pissing) is a natural phenomenon and is not going away. Even if you care about the A E S T H E T I C the building owners simply abandoned in lieu of cleaning up their failed companies mess' that couldn't be repurposed. Sure it's rude to write on someone's wall but it makes no difference professionally or otherwise since these locations are condemned.
Jeeesze. It's more than rude; it's vandalism. It's not -your- property! I've seen 'harmless' taggers turn into arsonists in one tea candle flat. Feel the wuv... not.
One of the great things about sketching and painting a site is you can delete the shit tags...
Re: UE Sketching in WA < Reply # 12 on 5/1/2017 3:57 PM > | Reply with Quote
Ok my apologies. I had to go back and look at the o.p.s thumbnails and re-read her post. I didn't mean to turn this into a debate over graffiti or another pissin match.
Re: UE Sketching in WA < Reply # 13 on 5/1/2017 4:28 PM > | Reply with Quote
Posted by Mstein Does anyone here do any sketches at the places they explore? I got back into urban exploring again recently and my art friends and I have been going to places and drawing there when we have the time.
These are some quick ink sketches done inside the Cement plant- it got a bit cold, so next time I'll have to bring gloves for my hands!
click to view
click to view
click to view
And a photo from there:
click to view
And here's a watercolor sketch I did right outside the Flour Mill in Seattle. I was looking for a POE but couldn't really find one.
click to view
So my friend and I ended up going to the place next door instead. We wanted to sketch there but we ran out of time.
click to view
click to view
I like your sketches! Graphite was my first medium for abandoned buildings in HS art (only things I've ever sold actually). Time and lack of sufficient skill to render exactly what I wanted led to photos pretty quickly 😀
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Re: UE Sketching in WA < Reply # 14 on 5/2/2017 5:46 AM > | Reply with Quote
Posted by blackhawk
Jeeesze. It's more than rude; it's vandalism. It's not -your- property!
Out of sight, out of mind as far as the law is concerned. There's hardly a less harmful place to write bubble letters than a wall someone has forsaken. Locations aren't holy, and the powers that be see us urbexers as some weird visitors in between gentrification projects at worst or dont know because they don't care at best.
Point being I like op's sketches and couldnt really care what material they are on.
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Re: UE Sketching in WA < Reply # 15 on 5/2/2017 3:13 PM > | Reply with Quote
I like your sketches! I think it is an interesting idea as well, I only wish I had a shred of talent to do that. It opens many interesting opportunity on ways you can spin it. There is one place in particular by me that I would love to try something like that. But like I said, since I'm no good at art, I do pictures as art.
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Re: UE Sketching in WA < Reply # 16 on 5/21/2017 5:10 PM > | Reply with Quote
I do this too! Like Blackhawk suggested, I find it a lot less stressful to snap photos of a location and then use them as reference rather than doing it plein air. In a perfect world, I would be able to do it on site, but that world doesn't have petty interferences like bad weather or security guards circling the premises.
In any case, I'm really loving these sketches. I'm digging the use of toned paper as a background and I'll have to keep that in mind for the next time I do some urbex sketches. Do you typically work with ink and marker or have you considered doing ink wash instead? I feel like a wash would really add some interesting texture to the sketches. The watercolor sketch is sweet, you captured the reflections beautifully. Thanks for sharing!
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Re: UE Sketching in WA < Reply # 17 on 6/25/2017 6:19 PM > | Reply with Quote
I think the idea is refreshing and the OP obviously has talent. At first, I thought they were painting these on the actual building walls, but that doesn't seem to be the case, so I'm not sure why anyone would have a problem with it. I wish I had that kind of artistic talent! I would also like to see more of your watercolors if you're so inclined to share them.
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Re: UE Sketching in WA < Reply # 18 on 7/1/2017 3:13 AM > | Reply with Quote
#3 reminds me of something I'd find in some yellowed paperback as a kid. I love that you're doing this, and in spite of the obviously easier logistics of snapping a photo and sketching later, there's something really cool about a person sitting around in an abandoned building working on an art pad in their lap.
Location: Seattle, WA Gender: Female Total Likes: 71 likes
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Re: UE Sketching in WA < Reply # 19 on 7/2/2017 6:26 AM > | Reply with Quote
Thank you for the kind comments, everyone! I've been busy recently (working on my portfolio and other art projects), but I'll be going to some locations soon and hopefully I'll be able to draw some more there! I went to the Satsop Nuclear Plant the other day on a tour, and I ran out of time to draw I'll post more watercolors and pen sketches here soon!
@illuge, I usually work with the markers because it's more portable, but I might try some ink washes in the future, depending on the location! The ink wash would definitely add some cool textures for this kind of art
Also, I would love to see other people's ue sketches as well!