Sketching with Watercolors: Keeping it Simple & Small Location: Thiel College Campus, 75 College Ave., Greenville, PA 16125 Date: Saturday, June 7th, 2025 – 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Sketching should be FUN! Subjects don’t have to be “grand” or “important” to be “worthy” of a sketch. A tissue box, sneakers, a rocking chair, a person in the coffee shop, your stovetop, whatever you choose is “important” because you chose it and it’s a trail of your exploration of your world, no outside validation necessary, sketching is not a competitive sport!
This workshop will be all about sketching for the pleasure of sketching! It will encourage participants to notice the extraordinariness of the everyday world by sketching just about anything, anywhere and anytime. We’ll work on this by focusing on sketching small and emphasizing the act of sketching over “the sketch.”
A variety of techniques for working small will be presented using pen, watercolors and water-soluble pencil. We’ll also give some consideration to composition, perspective, color and subject matter but the primary focus will be on sketching for the pleasure of sketching. Sketching as a way to pay attention and “see” more in the process of sketching!
Participants will be provided with a kit that will include a small watercolor sketchbook, waterbrush, small watercolor palette with professional quality watercolor paint, waterproof pen, water soluble pencil, small light duty sketchbook and a case to carry everything in so that you always have your kit ready to go with you because you just never know when an opportunity to sketch will present itself!
The Joy of Sketching
Sketching should be FUN! Subjects don’t have to be “grand” or “important” to be “worthy” of a sketch. A tissue box, sneakers, a rocking chair, a person in the coffee shop, your stovetop, whatever you choose is “important” because you chose it and it’s a trail of your exploration of your world, no outside validation necessary.
Sketching is not a competitive sport! This workshop will be all about sketching for the pleasure of sketching! It will encourage participants to notice the extraordinariness of the everyday world by sketching just about anything, anywhere and anytime. We’ll work on this by focusing on sketching small and emphasizing the act of sketching over “the sketch.”
A variety of techniques for working small will be presented using pen, watercolor and water soluble pencil. We’ll also give some consideration to composition, perspective, color and subject matter but the primary focus will be on sketching for the joy of sketching. Sketching as a way to pay attention and “see” more by sketching!
To make sure everyone has similar materials to work with, please bring $50 for a kit that I will put together complete with a small watercolor sketchbook, waterbrush, small watercolor palette with professional quality watercolor paint, waterproof pen, water soluble pencil, sharpener, small light duty sketchbook and a case to carry everything in so that you always have your kit ready to go with you because you just never know when an opportunity to sketch will present itself!
Date & Time: June 24, 2025 - 9 am - June 25, 2025 - 4 pm EDT
Location: Franciscan Life Process Center, 11650 Downes St., Lowell MI 49331
Sketching to See
Sketching should be FUN! Subjects don't have to be "grand" or "important"
to be worthy of a sketch. Whatever you choose is important because it's a
trail of your exploration of your world. Learn the basics of sketching-from
beginners to practiced artists - this class will build confidence and
have fun while learning.
A variety of techniques will be presented using pencil, pen and watercolor,
but the primary focus will be on sketching for the joy of sketching.
A sketching kit will be provided which is yours to keep after the workshop
because you just never know when an opportunity to sketch will present itself!
One Class - Two Days - May 14th and 21st 5:30-7:30pm
Past Events:
The Joy of Sketching
Date & Time: July 11, 2024 - 9 am - July 12, 2024 - 4 pm EDT
Location: Franciscan Life Process Center, 11650 Downes St., Lowell MI 49331
This workshop will be all about sketching for the pleasure of sketching! It will encourage participants to notice the extraordinariness of the everyday world by sketching just about anything, anywhere and anytime. We’ll work on this by focusing on sketching small and emphasizing the act of sketching over the sketch.
A variety of techniques for working small will be presented using pen, watercolor and water soluble pencil. We’ll also give some consideration to composition, perspective, color and subject matter but the primary focus will be on sketching for the joy of sketching. Sketching as a way to pay attention and “see” more by sketching!
To make sure everyone has similar materials to work with, please bring $50 for a kit that I will put together complete with a small watercolor sketchbook, waterbrush, small watercolor palette with professional quality watercolor paint, waterproof pen, water soluble pencil, sharpener, small light duty sketchbooks and a case to carry everything in so that you always have your kit ready to go with you because you never know when you’re going to have an opportunity to sketch!
A Variety of Sketchbooks from
the last 30 years
Works from Mancuso’s 30-year collection of sketches explore the miracles of the ordinary
GREENVILLE, Pa.-- Works from Bill Mancuso’s collection “The Pleasures of Sketching” will be on display in Thiel College’s Weyers-Sampson Art Gallery from Oct. 25 to Dec. 8.
Mancuso will host an artist talk at 2 p.m. Nov. 10 in the gallery which will be followed by a reception at 2:30 p.m.
Mancuso’s sketchbook drawings were done over 30 years. According to Mancuso, “working small allows me to sketch more, to see more, to explore and discover more about the world around me. Through the years I’ve come to deeply appreciate sketching and realized that, for me, it’s OK to sketch just for the pleasure of it. Sketching doesn’t have to be a preparation for something grander, nor does it have to be a competitive sport. It’s OK to sketch just to enjoy and explore the world I live in, to pay attention, and to notice what I notice.”
He cites a quote from Frederick Franck, author of “The Zen of Seeing,” as his eloquent inspiration.
“I have learned that what I have not drawn, I have never really seen and that when I start drawing an ordinary thing, I realize how extraordinary it is--sheer miracle,” Franck said.
Mancuso earned an undergraduate degree from SUNY College of Brockport where he studied painting and drawing with Robert Marx and ceramics with Bill Stewart. He has a graduate degree in drawing and painting from the University of Buffalo where he studied with Harvey Breverman. He also spent nine years teaching at Thiel College.
Weyers-Sampson gallery hours when class is in session are
12:30-2 p.m. Monday;
10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday;
9-11 a.m. and 1-2 p.m. Wednesday and Friday; and
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday.
Gallery exhibits are free and open to the public. The public also is invited to the gallery talk on Nov. 10.
For more information to schedule an appointment, contact Professor or Art and Curator of Art Sean McConnor
https://www.thiel.edu/academics/departments/art/weyers-sampson-gallery
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ywd14sEQXbk
