Tag Archives: urban sketching

Live-drawing Stella Ahangi and The Walk of Glam!

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Stella Ahangi by Suzanne Forbes July 19 2021I made it to the Walk of Glam at last!

A wonderful event from Stella Ahangi, called The Walk of Glam, always starts right near our place. I had been looking forward to attending it since I met Stella in early 2020.

I didn’t do any walking though! I simply convened where the walkers met. I did some warm-up drawings, and then Stella arrived in her fabulous attire.

The Walk of Glam is open to everyone, and all ages do attend, but many of the walkers are in the 60-plus and fabulous category! So lovely to see seniors dressed up and celebrating themselves. Sir Henry de Winter was there, in tailcoat with peaked lapels!

Walk of Glam ladies seated outside Cafe Einstein by Suzanne Forbes July 18 2021The Walkers meet at Cafe Einstein on Weitzstrasse.

Here you can see two Walkers seated outside the cafe. These ladies had such elegant hats! I dressed up a bit myself, the most dressed up I’d been since Feb 2020!

photographer at Walk of Glam by Suzanne Forbes August 28 2021This is one of the photographers, Baron Ralph Joachim.

Find him here! I made another drawing and I’m working on finishing it 🙂

I am so grateful to my Patreon Patrons, whose monthly financial support makes it possible for me to continue making art as a Covid-vulnerable disabled person. With your support, I can work from home or safely outside and keep telling the stories of Berlin.

First time drawing outside since February 28, 2020!

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Outside Cafe Einstein West Berlin July 17 2021 2 by Suzanne ForbesI didn’t go very far to make these drawings!

A wonderful event from Stella Ahangi, called The Walk of Glam, always starts right near our place. The Walkers meet at Cafe Einstein on Weitzstrasse. I arrived early, not knowing that the 2pm time was the meetup time, not the start time. So I had some time to warm up and see what it was like to draw people in actual space, rather than on a screen!

Although of course I’ve produced hundreds of drawings in the last sixteen months of self-isolation, it was very different being outside, with unmasked people everywhere around me.

I was rattled, and my hand control was very limited. As you can see by the loose, wobbly lines. Which I don’t hate, honestly – my drawings can be dry, because I am so highly trained, and I like it when I can be less technical.

Outside Cafe Einstein West Berlin July 17 2021 unfinished by Suzanne ForbesThis is the drawing as it was when I got home.

I brought my signature neon green eyeball pencil case- easy to spot in dark clubs!- which was a gift from Beloved Friend-Muse-Patron Clear Menser on my 50th. First outing for the pencil case in 16 months too!

I don’t know what was going on with these three people, other than that they spent some time mocking me for my mask and face shield. The woman definitely seemed pissed. Adding whites and solid blacks at home afterwards helped capture the weird mood of the group and the way the hot, humid day kept flashing from sunny to the threat of downpour.

Outside Cafe Einstein West Berlin July 17 2021 seated men by Suzanne ForbesBy the second one I was getting the hang of three dimensional space again.

It felt so good to draw SPACE and AIR! Drawing chairs around a cafe table, drawing the space between people as they move, was like running on a track for a racehorse who’s been cooped up! Just after I finished this one, the Walk of Glam folks began to arrive.

Those drawings coming soon!

I am so grateful to my Patreon Patrons, whose monthly financial support makes it possible for me to continue making art as a Covid-vulnerable disabled person. With your support, I can work from home or safely outside and keep telling the stories of Berlin.