I love sketches that are really emotive, that quickly show a moment in time, and I think Evan Turk does this beautifully with his pieces. He’s travelled loads, from Jerusalem and Morocco to Paris and New York, sketching the sights he sees and the people he meets. Plus, he really wants to see the wildebeest migration which is something I’ve wanted to do for a LONG time. I think you’ll love his work just as much as I do!
Your travel illustrations have a lovely, sketchy style to them. How did this develop?
When I am on-location, I try to capture the feeling and people of a place, rather than just the scenery, so that involves a lot of energy and people moving all over the place. You have to work quickly and spontaneously to get it all down on paper. I like that immediacy, because it doesn’t let you second-guess what you are doing. I was trained as a reportage artist with the reportage illustration school Dalvero Academy (dalveroacademy.com), led by instructors Veronica Lawlor and Margaret Hurst. Through classes on-location and from the model in the studio, the emphasis is on spontaneity, capturing movement, expression, and experimentation.
A woman spinning wool for carpet weaving in Anzal, Morocco
Let’s talk about process. What steps do you take when creating each piece?
I usually do research, look at a variety of art from the country, and make small thumbnail drawings in the weeks before getting on the plane to help focus what I am interested in. This usually changes completely upon arriving somewhere, but it helps to have a jumping off point and the beginning of a point of view before arriving and being overwhelmed by all of the new and exciting things. Once I’m there, I draw on-site, using a variety of materials. I try to focus on drawing subjects that are unique to that culture, and can act as symbols to illustrate the values and history of that culture. I always draw the people, because they are the most interesting part!
The Eiffel Tower, Paris, France
Aside from travel, what inspires your illustrations?
I am very interested in learning about culture, different mythologies and folk tales, science, and history. I like thinking about what things make cultures unique, and what things can unite them across borders. I also take inspiration from different crafts like woodcarving, carpet weaving, ceramic, or mosaic and translate those ideas into illustration.
The Lamb National competition (sheep hurdle jumping) in Grange-over-Sands, UK
What do you hope (if anything) each piece tells viewers about the place it depicts?
I hope that aside from just a visual depiction of a place, the viewer can gain a sense of the feeling of a place by the graphics of the drawing. After you come back from a trip, it’s not necessarily remembering the exact look of something that makes you want to go back there. It’s the essence and the feeling of a place that keeps you traveling, and I hope that gets conveyed in the drawings.
Damasquine Metal Worker, Fes, Morocco
It’s obvious you’ve travelled a lot – where has been your favourite place to sketch and why?
That’s a tough question! I would say India, because even though my trip was brief, there was so much new to see and learn about and so much color, pattern, and commotion. The people were also very warm, friendly, and open to being drawn. For instance, I loved traveling to Morocco, but culturally the people there are often somewhat less open to having a stranger draw them. That’s fine, and has its own benefits, but it does make it a little harder to be an unnoticed observer because it is more polite to ask people before you draw them there. What you lose in spontaneity, though, you gain in the conversations you often have while approaching someone to draw them.
Praying at the Western Wall in Jerusalem
If you could travel anywhere in the world to sketch, where would it be and why?
Another tough question! Well, I’d love to return to India because I only saw a small part, and I was still a student when I went. I’d love to be able to go when I can take advantage of the opportunity a bit more. Also, I have always wanted to visit east Africa, Japan, and China. East Africa for the people and the animals (I’ve always dreamed of drawing the wildebeest migration); Japan because of the beautiful design sensibility the pervades everything there; and China because of its immense history, incredible landscapes and architecture, and it’s pivotal role as global power.
The Charles W. Morgan whaleship on dry dock in Mystic Seaport, Connecticut, USA
Finally, do you have any tips for readers who might be interested in making art from their travels?
I think the best advice I can give is to allow yourself to experience the place as you draw it, and allow that to change your art. This helps the art-making process be more of an exploration of a place, rather than just a documentation of the scenery. It also makes drawing and traveling more fun, because you have a more interactive, immersive, and memorable experience. I like to think of it as a conversation starter with locals, and a unique way to connect with people beyond just “point-and-shoot” sightseeing.
You can see more of Evan’s work on his site and on his blog.
