ICYMI - Franklin McMahon: Reportage Master

I wanted to bring attention to the final episode of Urban Sketchers (USk) Talks (Season 2/2021) on reportage featuring the art of Franklin McMahon (1921-2012) https://youtu.be/cmshT5JXt0o

This episode features educators and storytellers Mário Linhares and Deborah McMahon Osterholtz who are speaking about Deborah’s father, Franklin McMahon.

This was my personal favourite episode of  USk Talks this season. I am so grateful for Mário Linhares' enthusiasm for the subject of reportage and for his personal interest and knowledge of Franklin McMahon.

"Reportage and urban sketching are part of a continuum and the difference can be your intention. Are you sketching to make a piece of art, to explore color, to record a memory, or are you telling a story to be shared?"

Source: What is reportage? http://www.urbansketchers.org/p/02-what-is-reportage.html

 

According to Gary Embury and Mario Minichiello in their book, “Reportage Illustration: Visual Journalism” (on Amazon.ca here), there are four main areas in which reportage illustration is commonly used:

1. Courtrooms
2. Social events (concerts, protests etc) 
3. News reporting and investigation 
4. Conflicts and wars
   

For excellent examples in each category, visit https://urbansketchingworld.com/what-is-reportage-illustration/ 

"Reportage is consider to be the most difficult form of illustration, because it involves observing, being able to focus and capture moments, recording the everyday, being able to draw people, working with moving figures, having a strong graphic sense, and being able to tell a story." (Source: The Artist as Reporter  )

If you would like to start a practice of reportage sketching, reportage illustrator, Anna Cattermole offers up the following tips:

Source: https://urbansketchingworld.com/what-is-reportage-illustration/

Season 2 USk Talks Summary

Links to every episode for Season 2 can be found at http://www.urbansketchers.org/p/usk-talks.html

USk Talks Season 2 started January 3, 2021 and wrapped up May 9, 2021. It was broadcasted live on YouTube.