ultraMARIN Sketch

Even at a rainy day there are plenty "models" for a hungry sketcher at the Jaffa Fleamarket :)

Milonga in Jaffa, in the heart of the old city, between churches, minarets and synagogues, hummus and baklava eaters, fitted somehow perfectly to the colorful atmosphere of this place. Last year during our trip to South America , I was lucky to sketch milongueros in the place were tango was born - Buenos Aires. I was surprised to discover that our local community looked not less professional! Dancers came equipped with their dancing shoes, dressed as it supposed from tango dancers, in different ages and origins, but all burning from inside with similar passion, they created magic when they moved together with music. It's so inspiring to see  a group of people united by common passion. Especially when they so beautiful as tango dancers! It took to me a while to start to sketching - I was fascinated and felt like sketching with my eyes. But after a few clumsy lines, little by little I entered to the pace... It was real fun!

I'm in Jaffa again, having some sketching time with my friend Nathan. We're looking for the perfect spot, were we can combine drinking coffee and sketching. When we pass near Dr. Narghile shop, the decision comes to us simultaneously. We sat down in front of the shop on the heavy old chairs padded with red and black stripped cloth. I'm starting to sketch three men smoking narghile near me, but they're taking out their wallets and paying - what a pity! I need to wait for a new victim. It comes immediately - young bearded guy, looking for some calm moments and the last rays of the spring sun. My second sketch - glance to the opposite side, to the busy junction with Jeffet street. There is so much going on all the time - tourists, locals, Arabs, Jews... looks like everybody have enough place and understand each other in different languages.  I'm looking for the spot for the another sketch, decide to sketch the view just opposite me. It looks boring, big motorcycl...

Sunny spring afternoon, we're having coffee at one of the corners of Jaffa. I'm pulling out my gouache set and starting to arrange the colors on the palette. "And what about the paints?"- the waitress is asking me while she brings ours coffee. "What about them?" - I'm asking her. "They wouldn't dirt the table?" "No, please don't worry! They are water based!" Recently I'm in love with gouache and acrylic. I want to back to painting, the real one, as I did in the art school, but I   don't have proper time for it. So I'm trying to bring it to my Urban Sketching. It requires more arrangements than just watercolor and pencils. And my bag is getting heavy. But I don't give up, and it pays back - I enjoy it a lot. In my first sketch I'm trying to capture the whole scene - the street, the coffee drinkers and especially the sun coming from theirs back and giving all the characters kind of    aureole. The couple ...

Sketches from our last Sketchcrawl at the Fleamarket of Jaffa - always vibrant place, full of colorful characters and stories! started sketching together with my guest from Germany, Karin people at Shafa Bar municipality official arguing with a peddler, both of them cursing in Russian Ethiopian boys managing the bussuness after the sketchcrawl - hummus at Danny's buffet - yummy! What a fun day!

Last Friday we met for the our group sketchcrawl at the Jerusalem boulevard in Jaffa. Our sketchcrawl started from the guided tour about the history of this beautiful 100-years old boulevard. We learned about this place, full of layers of history and different cultures influences. The silent witnesses -  tall green trees, giving a great shadow and so unique look to the boulevard - are going to be uprooted soon, because of building there one of the lines of the light train. By the initiative of Orna Marton, one of our group members, USk Tel Aviv decided to join the struggle for keeping the trees. Tel Aviv sketchers documented the Jerusalem boulevard, each one from his authentic point of view and small group exhibition, which will be open soon, will help people to rise an awareness about this place and hopefully we will help to save the trees. warming up at one the coffee shops at the boulevard huge trunks and small coffee shop at the background all kinds of people...

Friday morning we meet at the Greek Market in Jaffa for the sketchcrawl. It was perfect spring weather, little by little narrow streets started to become full by merchants and buyers. Here every merchant feels like an owner of his street. At least Arik, who manages used bicycles shop, feels as a king of his corner. He yells on his workers, bargain with clients, arguing with competitors, chatting with passers by. He was very proud to be our "model". "In real life I'm ugly! Draw me young and beautiful!" - asked Arik the wish of the most of models ;) Later I sit down to drink a coffee at one of the coffee shops, full of models as well.

Some sketches I did on one of Jaffa's beaches at one of perfect November days. Dog and his owner - don't they look alike? tourist in red swimming suit and a fisherman beach panorama pigeons - the lords of the beach the food at the end, as usual!

Jaffa Flea market is one of the most colorful places in Tel Aviv, full of authentic characters, patterns, smells, sounds and stories. After I came back from Singapore, where I was fascinated by the chess players "club" in the middle of the Chinatown, I was looking for opportunity to sketch street games players here in Israel. This week I found them at the Jaffa . Small table and two chairs in the middle of the street, two players surrounded by the group of men - was really the best show in the city! I think that Olympic Games competitors need to learn the worrier's spirit from these backgammon players! Suddenly we saw at the opposite site of the street group of men organizing something... What are they up to? They turned to Jerusalem direction and started to pray: Of course, there is no sketching day without food - we couldn't resist to have some humus! Small cup of black coffee and Nathan, very concentrated by sketching people around :)  It was p...