Marc Taro Holmes, Canada

Marc Taro Holmes graduated from Alberta College of Art and Design in 1995. He has worked as a Concept Artist and Art Director designing video games for studios such as Microsoft, Electronic Arts and Sega. His work appears most recently in 2014’s award-winning Dragon Age: Inquisition.

As well, he’ is the author of “The Urban Sketcher: Techniques for Seeing and Drawing on Location” and the online class “Sketching People in Motion”.

Marc joined Urban Sketchers in 2009, served on the Board of Directors for 5 years, including a brief stint as Secretary, and is currently volunteering for the Editorial Committee.

Blog | Flickr

Workshop I: Actors on Stage: Sketching Characters on the Street

Location: Waterloo St (Outdoor Bazaar & Cheng Yan Court)

Workshop Schedule

This people-sketching workshop will consist of four short exercises, each building on the one before:

– Crowd Scenes: The Cast of Thousands
– Character Actors: Costumes tell a Story
– Tell a Story in Three Poses: Beginning, Middle, End
– Actors on Stage: Bring the Street to Life

We’ will practice quickly sketching gestures with the emphasis on getting postures instantly. Then we’’ll try some tricks to make portraits of specific characters. Finally we’’ll apply what we’’ve practiced on real people in action, and finish off with a final sketch of a street or square full of life.

At first, we will be drawing very quickly – one minute, or five minute drawings. It might even feel too fast until you get warmed up!

But don’’t worry – the idea is to practice the real skills we need to capture people on the street.

It’’s important not to concern yourself about the quality of your drawings while we practice. Just have fun, and you will surprise yourself with a few great sketches!

You will come away having tried a method that is fun to practice, always gives you a few good sketches out of every couple of tries, and will help you learn on your own back home.

More details.

For more information about the Symposium, including schedule and registration information, please visit the Symposium site.