Seated on folding camping chairs, the artists enjoyed the cityscape in small groups as they tried to capture it on paper, each in their own style. Antonio was one of them. He had traveled from Murcia with two friends to draw one of the Basilica del Pilar’s towers from the view along Alfonso Street. “These kinds of gatherings are really lovely. The truth is, we’re enjoying the city a lot,” the artist explained, highlighting the chance to draw “as part of a group.” “You feel a little more protected, and it’s a way to overcome some of that fear of going out into the street to draw, because the gathering is worth it,” he said.
As he reached Plaza del Pilar, surrounded by curious onlookers asking what he was doing or congratulating him on his illustration, Copla was putting the finishing touches to his work. And it was no surprise: the artist from Cáceres had just finished drawing and painting the Basilica del Pilar from one of the monument’s most beautiful viewpoints. “The experience is always incredibly rewarding. You meet new people and reconnect with friends who share your passion,” Copla said of the day. In his case, the choice to draw the cathedral was simple: “You stand in front of it and it’s almost an ecstatic experience.”
Two friends from Madrid, who usually meet every month to draw around the Spanish capital, also attended. It was their first time in Zaragoza, and they were surprised by its “beauty” and “cuisine,” they said with a laugh. “You learn so much, especially when it comes to framing, using materials and applying color,” they explained about the national gathering.
The event brought together around 200 people this Saturday. Photo: Aragón Press
Although the Pilar featured prominently in many of the illustrations, the Central Market and views of the Pilar from the Stone Bridge were also captured in numerous drawings. For Paco, a Zaragoza native with experience at this kind of gathering, it was clear that he had to move beyond the most familiar subjects, so he chose the tower of the Church of San Juan de los Panetes. “I sat down on a bar terrace and the hours flew by… I’m very happy; it’s been a wonderful morning. You feel accompanied, you look to either side and you don’t feel odd. Besides, people stop to look,” the Zaragoza resident said.
Tatiana and Mariano, a married couple, also took advantage of the “sunny” morning to capture a small piece of their city. “I’ve drawn all my life because I really enjoy it. Without overthinking it, I completed this sketch in just five minutes,” Tatiana explained, holding up her sketch of the Pilar. What she likes most, she said, is “drawing landscapes, flowers and portraits of dogs.” Her husband, meanwhile, had made a somewhat more abstract drawing in crayon: “I drew when I was 15 or 16 until I finished my degree. Then I devoted myself to my profession, which is decorating, and now I’ve started painting a little again,” Mariano said.
FIRST NATIONAL OPEN SKETCHERS GATHERING
Behind the successful gathering is Diego Usón, an interior designer. Used to going out into the streets to draw, he decided two years ago to create a group in the Aragonese capital, following the example of other cities. Since then, around 50 people have met every month to draw together, and they have had the opportunity to access emblematic sites such as the Aljafería and the Teatro Principal.
Diego Usón, an interior designer, was behind the successful gathering. Photo: Aragón Press
This year, Usón wanted to take things a step further and bring together Zaragoza’s different Open Sketchers groups in what became their first national gathering. The event brought together around 200 people this Saturday. “Around 130 came from outside Zaragoza, from places such as Burgos, Cáceres, Bilbao, Madrid, Barcelona and Teruel, while many others were people from Zaragoza who have been drawing with us for several years,” he explained.
The interior designer said he was “very happy” to see that an idea that had begun almost as a spur-of-the-moment thought had become reality. The intention now is to continue the initiative and ensure that the national gathering is held every year in a different city in Spain.
