Drawing Week 2024
Some drawing pads with coloured pencils.
Freelance Graphic Artists (Freelance-graafikot)

From the Freelance-graafikot website: Freelance-graafikot is a professional association of freelance and self-employed graphic designers, illustrators, animators and other visual communications specialists. We provide members with a forum for discussion and co-operation on matters concerning their profession as well opportunities for professional development, educational travel, exhibitions and workshops plus an annual ”Drawing Camp” during the summer. We also offer support and advice with contract and copyright issues.

This is my journal from the Drawing Camp in July 2024. This year’s event was organized in Ulrikanhovi in Loviisa, about 90 km from Helsinki.

Monday 22 July 2024

I took the bus from Helsinki to Loviisa in the afternoon. It was an easy 15 min walk from the Loviisa bus station to Ulrikanhovi.

I took a walk around the harbour with two other participants. In the evening I met the rest of the participants, and we ate together in the accommodation. There were six of us in total, and we had an entire wing of the building to ourselves.

On the first day, I mainly familiarized myself with the building, doodled a little bit, and tried out my drawing tools.

 

Female traveller wearing a green dress, sunglasses, a red backpack on her back, and a yellow backpack on her front.
And old brown phone with a long red cord. There is a light green miniature dictionary in front of the phone, and two green candles in candle sticks behind the phone.
A drawing made with black pen on white paper, depicting three items: peas in a pod, a flower with stem, and a key.
Tuesday 23 July 2024

It was a very hot day, so I spent the morning indoors. There was a cute bunny statue in the building that I drew with black markers and coloured pencils.

The afternoon was still hot, so I just went for a walk in the neighbourhood. I took some photos of plants and other things that I could draw later. I drew a picture of the tofu-kale pasta I cooked for lunch.

A drawing of rabbit holding a basket with plants.
A drawing of a bowl of spaghetti with pasta sauce.
Eleven towels in different colours hanging on a laundry line between two trees.
Wednesday 24 July 2024

Started working on a collage. It’s a technique that I’m not very familiar with, and I wanted to experiment while at the camp.

Found a Loviisa local to show me around. We walked all around town, about 8 km in total. I picked some blueberries in the nearby forest. The mosquitoes enjoyed biting my legs. Drew a nature scene on my iPad.

A small house structure made entirely out of old books.
Digital artwork of a bee flying among colourful flowers.
A woman in a flower top and jeans shorts standing by a birch tree.
Thursday 25 July 2024

Had a lovely massage in the morning, and a tasty lunch at a vegan café. The café had interesting decor, and I drew one of the matryoshka dolls on display on my iPad.

Bought a dark chocolate ice cream from a local ice cream stand. Went to the library. Drew watercolor artwork.

A digital drawing of a Russian nesting doll.
A watercolor painting of a laundry line with colourful towels, hanging between two tree trunks.
A vegan meal with potato purée, charred cabbage, and bread with green paste.
Friday 26 July 2024

Continued with my collage. It was a surprisingly time-consuming technique, as I had to find the right colours in the magazines, tear out the pieces, lay them out in a nice way, and glue them down.

Walked around in the neighbourhood. Loviisa is picturesque!

 

A red and white statue of a woman in front of a green house.
Saturday 27 July 2024

Participated in morning yoga in an open building on the shore; lovely! Had breakfast at a café, and continued working on my collage.

Walked back to the accommodation, and continued with the collage. Finished the collage! I estimate that the collage took me about 8 hours in total.

A wide door opening showing trees and water.
A couch, a low table, and a lamp in front of a brown wall.
Colorful art collage made from torn magazines, depicting a birch tree on a flower field in sunset.
Sunday 28 July 2024

We had a final showing of our artwork for each other and said our goodbyes.

It was nice to draw something everyday, but also have a lot of time to myself.

An open glass door and windows leading onto a wooden patio.