W7
Integrating Narratives into your Sketches
In today’s social media age, effective storytelling is essential. I will guide you on how to weave visual narratives into your sketches that are both informative and memorable, through exercises in observation, mindfulness, sensing, empathy, engagement and some writing prompts. I will demonstrate how I construct my own artful stories with examples from my travel drawings in Morocco, Japan, and elsewhere; as well as in National Parks, California wildfire landscapes and professional commissions. You will also see how some renowned artists throughout history have crafted their own illustrative journalism.
Supplies
- Your preferred art media
- Blank and lined papers in a variety of colors and sizes
- Bring a short story, memory or poem, as well as a few favorite photos
Bill Russell
Bill Russell works in a variety of creative skill sets, as an illustrator, designer, painter and visual journalist. He served as an Adjunct Professor of Illustration at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco and created “The Bay Folk Sketchbook” as a staff artist for the San Francisco Chronicle, showcasing unique portraits of people at work and play. Russell’s insights on reportage can be found at IllustratedJournalism.com. Based in Marin County, he recently traveled to Japan, Morocco, Tahiti and Buenos Aires on sketching trips.
Instagram @billrusselldraws