The Liège USK book: presentation days

Last thursday the Liège Urban Sketchers book was launched, by a well orginazed press conference.

the book was an initiative by Gèrard Michel and the “Emulation” (they organize cultural and architectural events in Liège).

The book recounts the drawings of our group of 13 sketchers, that we made last year in september. We did 4 days of sketching on a 5 meter long strip of paper each. Imagine: 65 meters of sketches!

And the book is fantastic! With drawings of Florian Afflerbach, Simo Capecchi, Fabien Denoël, Rolf Schroeter, Miguel Herranz, Lapin Barcelona, David Emdé Magli, Antoine Michel, Gérard Michel, Corinne Raes, Luis Ruiz Padrón and Inma Serrano. And myself, Rene Fijten.

(for those interested, the book can be ordered through the following Liège bookshops): http://www.livreauxtresors.be/; http://www.librairiepax.be/ ; http://toutesdirections.be/wp/ ; http://www.lecomptoir.be/.

Of course, for the occasion we took the opportunity to roam the city and make some new sketches.

Here are some of my drawings: Gerard Michel, Florian Afflerback and I thought it was a good idea to sit on the roof of a 6 storey apartment building overlooking the river Meuse/Maas. Lapin was too much used to Spanish temperatures and decided to draw downstairs.

You have to imagine that it is winter in these part: cold, barely above freezing point, and windy. Only if you sat behind one of the chimneys, protected against the wind, the sun was okay.

The top drawing shows the view over the city centre, the other drawing the view to the hills, towards the Montagne de Buren. It’s a long staircase against the hill, counting 373 steps, with houses on both sides.

Just to show that I am not exaggerating about the rooftop: Florian and Gèrard Michel in action.

The things we do for art.