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What's Sketch flash mob?

My name is Natalie Ratkovski. I'm an artist, an illustrator, a designer and a non-fiction writer. In 2011 I started a drawing from life project "Sketch flash mob" for artists, designer, illustrators and for all those who likes drawing or painting from life with watercolor, acryl, oil, ink, pastel, marker, color pencils and more. One week – one theme, a lot of sketches, drawings or paintings from life only (no photographs, no computer graphics).

For many creative people in the world it’s really important to create something true and tangible in the century of computers. I created Sketch flash mob as a challenge to improve my drawing skills and to do something true. It has since grown into a worldwide endeavor with hundreds of artists taking part in the challenge every month.

Anyone can join in Sketch flash mob, just pick up a pencil and start drawing. For any questions or collaboration please contact me via email.

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Related themes


1. Sketch flash mob rules
2. The official themes list
3. My tools and materials
4. Project in 2017
5. Project in 2018
6. My YouTube channel

spaceAchtung Sketch flash mob rules

1) Look to the topic of the week on my Instagram.

2) Make a drawing or painting from life.
Note: don't use photographs as a reference or computer programs to create your works.

3) Post your work online (Facebook, Blogger, Instagram or something else).

4) Hashtag it with #sketchflashmob and #sketchflashmob2020 and with "art project @natalie_ratkovski.

Note: you can do it daily or once a week. What ever you decide, just be consistent with it. Sketch flash mob is about growing and improving and forming positive habits by drawing from life, the more the better.

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spaceAchtung Appointments and themes

The Sketch flash mob in 2020 starts on 12th January. We will create 25 works this year. The themes for the Sketch flash mob will be publish once a week on my Instagram @natalie_ratkovski Helpful hashtags on Instagram #sketchflashmob and #sketchflashmob2020


Winter
12.01. - 19.01.2020
19.01. - 26.01.2020
26.01 - 02.02.2020
02.02 - 09.02.2020
09.02. - 16.02.2020

Christmas ornaments
coming on 19.01.2020
coming on 26.01.2020
coming on 02.02.2020
coming on 09.02.2020
Spring
12.04. - 19.04.2020
19.04. - 26.04.2020
26.04 - 03.05.2020
03.05 - 10.05.2020
10.05. - 17.05.2020


Summer
12.07. - 19.07.2020
19.07. - 26.07.2020
26.07 - 02.08.2020
02.08 - 09.08.2020
09.08. - 16.08.2020

 
Autumn
11.10. - 18.10.2020
18.10. - 25.10.2020
25.10 - 01.11.2020
01.11 - 08.11.2020
08.11. - 15.11.2020

 
New Year's Eve
27.12.2020
28.12.2020
29.12.2020
30.12. 2020
31.12.2020
 

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spaceAchtung My tools and materials

1. Pens

I use some waterproof ink liner for creating fine lines in my drawings. Top down: Staedtler Pigment Liner, Derwent Graphik line maker sepia, Derwent Graphik line maker graphit, Faber-Castell PITT artist pens, Uni-ball Signo White Ink pen.

Please click on the pictures to follow the product description at the shop.pens Natalie Ratkovski
2. Pencils

I use some mechanical pencils Faber Castell, 0.5 mm, blue and red with graphite 0.5 HB and color lead - TK-COLOR-lead 0.5 mm, blue, TK-COLOR-lead 0.5 mm, red. Please click alternative on the link below the pictures to follow the product description at the shop.Mechanical Pencil

I like erasable colored pencils for the under-drawings much more than graphite pencils. The erasable colored pencils don't make noise on the paper: Col-Erase Erasable Colored Pencils , Staedtler Norris Club erasable, Faber Castell 116612 erasable. Please click alternative on the link below the pictures to follow the product description at the shop.
Erasable Color Pencils

I use these colored pencils for my drawings: Faber Castell Polychromos, KOH-I-NOOR Polycolor. Please click alternative on the link below the pictures to follow the product description at the shop.
Colored Pencils

Pastel colored pencils Faber Castell Pitt Pastel, Caran D'Ache Pastel Pencils. Please click alternative on the link below the pictures to follow the product description at the shop.
Pastel Colored Pencils

3. Watercolors
I like watercolor more than anything and I use different colors from manufacturer. Top down: Winsor & Newton watercolor, Sennelier Artists' Watercolors, Schmincke Artists' Watercolors, Van Gogh Artists' Watercolors.
Please click alternative on the link below the pictures to follow the product description at the shop.
Watercolors

5. Brushes
To draw with watercolor is the standard practice to use natural red marten-, squirrel, wolf's hair or goat hair brashes. I do it too, but I use even some synthetical brushes for my sketches and watercolors: Boesner Series 10/300 | retouch, round (Nr.4 and Nr.8), Gerstaecker Aqualon (Nr.2 and Nr.4), Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolour Brushes 3 rigger 333 , Da Vinci tinkerer / Series 5519 | Nr.8, Derwent 2301975 Waterbrush Set

Please click alternative on the link below the pictures to follow the product description at the shop.
Brushes
6. Eraser
Tombow Mono Zero eraser, Factis BM2 eraser pen, Faber Castell Art eraser, Faber Castell Sleeve eraser/182402. Please click alternative on the link below the pictures to follow the product description at the shop.
eraser
7. Other helpful things

Caran D'ache Pencil-sharpening Machine (455.200), KUM The Masterpiece (Automatic long point)

sharpener

For gessoed backgrounds AMI Paint foam roller Set, Liquitex 7608 Professional Gesso, Lefranc & Bourgeois Gesso Universal Primer
gesso

For the brush bath Ars nova brush cup, Princeton Artist brush bucket and watercolors REEVES 8490528 Folding Plastic Palette, Large
helpful things
For UV protection and color protection Schmincke universal fixative, LASCAUX UV Protect 2, Sennelier Satin Varnish with UV protection
fixative

 
 

8. Sketchbooks and paper

Top down: Beta Hardbound Sketchbook by Stillman & Birn, Delta Sketchbook by Stillman 14 cm x 21,5 cm, Canson Imagine Mix-Media A4, Canson Imagine Mix-Media A3, Strathmore Bristol.


Please click on the pictures to follow the product description at the shop.

Stillman and Birn
Sanson Imagine Mixed Media
Bristol Smooth Surface

Enjoy!

 
  Design and programming Natalie Ratkovski, Copiright Natalie Ratkovski 2011-2020  
Staedtler Pigment Liner Derwent Graphik line maker sepia Derwent Graphik line maker graphit Faber-Castell PITT artist pens Uni-ball Signo White Ink pen Faber-Castell, 0.5 mm, blue and red Faber Castell mechanical pen graphite 0.5 HB TK-COLOR-lead 0.5 mm, blue TK-COLOR-lead 0.5 mm, red Col-Erase Erasable Colored Pencils Staedtler Norris Club erasable Faber Castell 116612 erasable Faber Castell Polychromos colored pencils KOH-I-NOOR Polycolor colored pencils Faber Castell Pitt Pastel pencils Caran D'Ache Pastel Pencils Winsor & Newton watercolor Sennelier Artists' Watercolors Schmincke Artists' Watercolors Van Gogh Artists' Watercolors Boesner Series 10/300 | retouch, round (Nr.4 and Nr.8) Gerstaecker Aqualon (Nr.2 and Nr.4) Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolour Brushes 3 rigger 333 Da Vinci tinkerer / Series 5519 | Nr.8 Derwent 2301975 Waterbrush Set Tombow Mono Zero eraser Factis BM2 eraser pen Faber Castell Art eraser Faber Castell Sleeve eraser/182402 Caran D'ache Pencil-sharpening Machine (455.200) KUM The Masterpiece: Automatic long point sharpener AMI Paint foam roller Set Liquitex 7608 Professional Gesso Lefranc & Bourgeois Gesso Universal Primer Ars nova brush cup Princeton Artist brush bucket REEVES 8490528 Folding Plastic Palette, Large Schmincke universal fixative LASCAUX UV Protect 2 Sennelier Satin Varnish with UV protection Stillmsn and Birn mixed media sketchbook white Stillman and Birn Mixed Media Sketchbook egg white Canson Imagine Mixed Media A3 Canson Imagine Mixed Media A4