Lapin (1981) is a French artist living in Barcelona. He defines himself as a "mobile illustrator" and he registers his life in drawings: he filled more than 220 sketchbooks during the past 20 years.

Lapin is one of the pioneers of the Urban Sketchers community and he was nominated official air and space painter for the French army in 2019.

He sketches on vintage accounting books that he finds in flea markets. This old paper with red and blue lines reminds him of the first drawings and observations that brought back the scientist expedition of the XVIIIth century like Cook or Laperouse from unknown civilisations and lands. He wishes to become one of those explorers.

The economy of medium is also what he appreciates. He's traveling light and doesn't need much more than a sketchbook, a fineliner, watercolor and his folding stool. The street is his studio.

He already published 50 books about Barcelona, Paris, Japan, Cuba (...) and for museums around the world: Arts et Métiers, Le Bourget, Deutsches Museum, Qatar Museum (...).

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Big head portraits - the art of capturing people in your sketchbook

Workshop language: English, French

To me, sketching a destination is about sketching the people that are living there and not only a collection of landscapes and architecture. Nevertheless sketching a portrait is a difficult topic and could be very intimidating.

In this workshop, we will explore how to create some quick and alive portraits with line and watercolor using a very limited palette and quoting part of the conversation, to catch the encounter.

We will then include the portrait in an urban landscape, from head to toe, fitting the whole body in the page. After this workshop, you will give life to your urban sketches.

Suggested material:

• black waterproof fineliner 0.2 and 0.5 mm (grey and sepia fineliner are optional)
• at least those 3 watercolor pigments: yellow ochre, cobalt blue and alizarin crimson
• white gelly roll 10
• dinA5 sketchbook or bigger
• Folding stool recommended