Another Look Inside: “A Personal Journey through Sketching: The Sketcher’s Art”

GETTY CENTRE, CONSERVATION FOUNDATION, LOS ANGELES

 Tuesday 28th October 2008

Last Sunday, I met friends at the Getty Centre, another of my favourite buildings. The visit stimulated my interest to return there. I had purchased an A4-size sketchbook and was eager to see what views at the Centre would encourage me to sketch.

It was a busy day, with many visitors wandering across the podium. I was not really interested in the gallery interiors, as I had read earlier that Richard Meier was not involved with their interior decoration. So instead, I went looking for areas that I thought could make interesting exterior sketches.

My exploration through the podium took me from the Museum Lobby to the South Restaurant, over to the Research Institute, down to the lower level of the South Café, across the Arrival Plaza, and then towards the Conservation Foundation. At this point the view north towards the Auditorium, with the Conservation Foundation to the east, seemed interesting.  I stood in a secluded spot opposite the tram elevator, and using my old A5 sketchbook I did this sketch. 

I started with the handrail and the screen wall, including the beams to set the vanishing points; then I drew the elevator wall, handrail and beams, with the Auditorium building in the background. I found this view quite dramatic, but even more so after I had sketched in Meier’s 600 mm square porcelain panels that link the buildings together. I wanted to sketch a wider view, so I headed back towards the Museum Lobby again.

Order Errol’s Sketchbook directly from the author via email, errol.hugh@gmail.com, and receive an autographed version at no extra cost.  US cost (postage included) US$65.00. Canadian cost (postage included) CAD$70.00.  Hong Kong cost (postage waived) HK$288.00.