Saturday Sketchcrawl: Let's Draw Davis!

Many sketchers who've come along on past "Sketchcrawls" like the one happening Saturday were new to Davis.

"It's a great way to really see a town or a place," says event organizer Pete Scully. "Sketching fine-tunes one's perceptions."

Scully has, he says, been drawing "compulsively" since he was a child growing up in London. He moved to Davis six years ago and immediately began drawing the unique sights around town. "I especially like the quiet places, sort of behind Davis, like the alleys in Old North Davis."

Saturday's event, which begins in front of the Co-op, will involve strolling around the alleys and railroad tracks while on the lookout for interesting things to draw that, Scully says, "strike our fancy."

Learning by doing and talking about technique and subjects are the objects of the Sketchcrawl, says Scully.

"You never stop learning about drawing," he says, noting that many participants from past crawls return to refine their technique and renew acquaintances. "Drawing can make you feel a bit like you're standing out like a sore thumb in public. But there's strength in numbers, which is part of the reason we have such fun on the Sketchcrawls in Davis."

Past Davis Sketchcrawls have drawn from 5-30 particapants.

Scully says he was initially a bit shy about drawing at Sketchcrawl events he held in Armadillo Music among other downtown locales, but after awhile found that drawing while others watch greatly increased his focus.

At least one participant experienced similar effects: her focus improved to the point that she now specializes in drawing birds, a real challenge as you never know when they'll take off. Scully said she even manages with just a few lines to capture some in flight.

Tomorrow's Sketchcrawl concludes in front of the Dairy Queen at 3pm for refreshments and a compare-and-contrast discussion.