101: The Artistic Journey with Marc Taro Holmes: Urban Sketching (USK) and Beyond
Jun 12, 2023
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Guest Marc Taro Holmes, concept artist and art director in the gaming industry, discusses his journey from BFA to urban sketching and direct watercolor. They explore the impact of AI in the art industry and the use of reference photos for realism. The importance of considering x and y axes in drawing, the 'dot plot' technique, and measurement tools are also discussed. Additionally, they delve into exploring oil painting, painting challenges, and techniques for urban sketching.
Urban sketching is a powerful way to capture the extraordinary in ordinary scenes.
Traditional art, such as watercolor and sketching, enhances observation skills and embraces imperfections.
Digital art has advantages in flexibility and client work, but traditional art offers interactive spontaneity and joy.
Speed is crucial in urban sketching to capture more surroundings, while maintaining accuracy in proportions and composition.
Direct watercolor painting, without preliminary drawing, offers spontaneity, color exploration, and vibrant effects.
Deep dives
Sketching as a Path to Realism
The speaker shares their journey and how they transitioned from working in the gaming industry to exploring urban sketching. They explain how sketching on location helped them improve their perspective and observation skills, and how it became a way to capture the extraordinary in ordinary scenes. They emphasize the importance of quick impressions and spontaneous observations in urban sketching, which allows for the distillation of the most important elements of a scene.
The Magic of Urban Sketching
The speaker discusses the joy and magic of urban sketching, highlighting its focus on capturing the essence of a place and elevating the ordinary through art. They compare urban sketching to photography, noting that it allows for personal interpretation and artistic expression. They emphasize the pleasure of exploring and documenting different locations, finding the extraordinary in everyday scenes, and distilling the best parts of a scene into a drawing.
Transitioning to Traditional Art
The speaker shares their transition from digital art in the gaming industry to traditional art, particularly watercolor and urban sketching. They explain how they kept their hand in traditional art by attending life drawing classes and participating in sketch meetups. They highlight the importance of traditional art in learning observation skills, capturing real-life scenes, and embracing imperfections and spontaneity.
Balancing Digital and Traditional Art
The speaker acknowledges the advantages of digital art in terms of flexibility, client approval, and ease of making changes. They note that digital tools are necessary in commercial projects or when working with clients. However, they express a preference for traditional art, particularly watercolor and urban sketching, due to the interactive and spontaneous nature of the medium, as well as the joy of working directly with the paint.
The Importance of Speed in Urban Sketching
Speed is crucial in urban sketching because it allows you to capture more in a limited time. By working quickly, you can create more drawings and see more of your surroundings. Watercolor is often preferred in urban sketching because it is a fast medium that allows you to cover the entire canvas in one move. While speed is important, it is still necessary to maintain accuracy in proportions and composition to ensure successful drawings.
Direct Watercolor as the Ultimate Form of Sketching
Direct watercolor, also known as ala prima or direct painting, is considered by many as the ultimate form of sketching. It involves painting directly on white paper without any preliminary drawing. This approach allows for spontaneity and the exploration of color effects. While it can be challenging, direct watercolor painting offers the opportunity for expressive and dynamic artworks, where the wetness and flow of the paint create unique textures and vibrant effects.
The Journey of Transitioning to Oil Painting
The transition from watercolor to oil painting is a significant shift, but it offers its own advantages and challenges. Unlike watercolor, oil paint provides more fidelity to the artist's color choices due to its paint mixing properties. Oil paintings also offer a unique texture and three-dimensionality, especially when using impasto techniques with palette knives. However, it's important to note that becoming an oil painter does not guarantee gallery success, as the art market has evolved, and the demand for static oil paintings has decreased. Nevertheless, exploring oil painting can lead to personal growth, improved painting techniques, and the enjoyment of the painting process itself.
Three Times Fast Challenge
One exercise Mark suggests is the 'Three Times Fast' challenge. The goal is to draw the same subject three times in rapid succession, with each drawing taking only 10 minutes. This exercise helps to impose an artificial time limit and encourages you to take risks in your drawings. The first drawing can be seen as a warm-up or study, the second as a more focused attempt, and the third as an opportunity to experiment and have fun. This exercise can be done in any medium, but it particularly lends itself well to direct watercolor or fast-paced mediums such as pencils or graphite sticks.
30 by 30 and One Week 100 People
Mark also mentions two wonderful initiatives he is involved in: '30 by 30' and 'One Week 100 People'. '30 by 30' takes place each year in June, challenging participants to create 30 paintings in 30 days. It aims to stimulate high-level learning and creativity, offering an opportunity to experience the flow state that comes from continuous engagement with art. 'One Week 100 People' invites participants to draw 100 people in one week, providing valuable practice in capturing the human figure. Both initiatives promote community engagement and the joy of daily creative practice.
Mike speaks to a recent workshop and shares news about upcoming fall events. Marc Taro Holmes joins Mike to share his journey from BFA to concept artist and art direction in the gaming industry. Marc discusses how he got into urban sketching, direct watercolor, and his annual challenges. He also talks about his exploration of oils and maybe a new project to come. His homework will keep you busy ;-)
