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CAFÉ SKETCHING
[ Sketches of Presence ]
small-group sketching workshops guided by artist Kristina Mariinskaya.
Over a coffee, you will discover the fundamentals and structure of drawing, learn to observe shapes and light, and capture the essence of what you see in just a few strokes. With guidance tailored to all levels, you will develop your drawing skills, refine your eye and explore the beauty of everyday life
ABOUT
Each session lasts approximately 2 hours.
Materials are not included in the participation fee.
If you are new to drawing, you can simply bring a few pencils and some paper. But don't worry — I can lend you everything you need for your first session (pencils, an eraser and paper), and offer advice on choosing the materials best suited to your practice. Just let me know in advance if you would like to borrow some.
If you already have some experience, feel free to bring the materials you enjoy working with.
In general, having your own materials is recommended, so that you can continue practising independently.
If you are new to drawing, you can simply bring a few pencils and some paper. But don't worry — I can lend you everything you need for your first session (pencils, an eraser and paper), and offer advice on choosing the materials best suited to your practice. Just let me know in advance if you would like to borrow some.
If you already have some experience, feel free to bring the materials you enjoy working with.
In general, having your own materials is recommended, so that you can continue practising independently.
The gatherings take place in different cafés along the Basque coast, from Bayonne to Saint-Jean-de-Luz. The venue for each session will be shared with you when you book.
Whether you are a beginner, an intermediate or an advanced sketcher, I will be there to guide you with care and encouragement, introduce you to the fundamentals of drawing structure and support you throughout the process whenever needed.
Drawing in a café is an invitation to see familiar places and everyday scenes in a different light.
The light falling on a cup, the lines of a chair, the movement of a passing figure or the arrangement of objects on a table — all can become subjects for a sketch. Sketching invites us to capture the essence in just a few strokes, observe shapes and proportions, explore the play of light and discover the visual richness of the things we encounter every day, often without giving them a second thought.
Each session begins with a few guiding principles to help you find your way into drawing, followed by a series of quick sketches that allow you to explore a subject freely. We then take the time to develop a drawing further, according to each person's interests and pace.
These gatherings are rooted in my own artistic practice and more than twelve years of international experience accompanying artists and creative professionals. I guide each participant with care, taking into account their individual level and sensibility, while sharing practical tools and insights that help everyone progress at their own pace. All this unfolds in a welcoming atmosphere, in the company of other creative people, where exchanging ideas and seeing things through one another's eyes naturally enriches the experience.
Looking forward to drawing together,
Kristina Mariinskaya
WHO IS IT FOR?
New to drawing? I will guide you through the fundamentals and help you learn to observe, understand and translate what you see onto paper, simply and at your own pace.
Already drawing? These sessions offer an opportunity to work from a live model, refine your observation skills, develop your hand and further explore your own drawing practice.
Looking to try something new, step outside your usual routine or simply rediscover the pleasure of drawing? Bring your own approach, experiment and let each session open up new creative possibilities.
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11/10 à 10H00 Plage d'Ilbarritz
( dates and venues to be announced )
Café Sketching takes place in small groups of up to 6 participants, allowing for attentive guidance and individual feedback throughout each session
[ NOVEMBER ]
SCHEDULE
3: DEEPEN YOUR OBSERVATION
We take more time to study a subject in greater detail: its shapes, volumes, light, tonal values and finer details
2: MAKE A FEW QUICK SKETCHES
The session begins with several short drawings, each lasting 15 to 20 minutes. They help us warm up our hand, explore proportions and main lines, and gradually find the right composition
4: DEVELOP A MORE FINISHED DRAWING
The session concludes with a longer drawing, which can last up to 45 minutes. I offer guidance tailored to your needs and experience, with practical advice throughout the process
1: BEGIN BY OBSERVING
We take a few moments to discover the café, choose a viewpoint and understand what we would like to draw
[ HOW A SESSION UNFOLDS ]
STRUCTURE
“You never know where a simple sketch might take you”
3: PRESENCE
Take the time to observe, rediscover the pleasure of looking and notice the beauty in simple things. Drawing becomes a way to reconnect with the present moment, sharpen your sensitivity and find inspiration in the world around you
2: TECHNICAL EXPLORATION
Discover and experiment with different sketching techniques, exploring the possibilities of various tools and drawing media. Enrich your practice, play with textures and gradually develop your own way of drawing
1: DRAWING STRUCTURE
Learn how to build a quick sketch, capture proportions, simplify shapes and identify the essential lines. Develop a set of guiding principles to help you focus on what matters and translate a subject into just a few strokes
[ What it brings to you ]
WHAT WILL YOU GAIN?
PRICING
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15 EURO
*The price includes artistic guidance throughout the entire session. Any food or drinks ordered are to be paid for separately and directly to the café.
Payment for the workshop is made on-site, in cash or by bank transfer, before the session begins.
If you don't have your own materials, I can lend you everything you need to get started (paper, pencil and eraser) free of charge. Simply mention this in the comments section when making your booking.
Payment for the workshop is made on-site, in cash or by bank transfer, before the session begins.
If you don't have your own materials, I can lend you everything you need to get started (paper, pencil and eraser) free of charge. Simply mention this in the comments section when making your booking.
[01]
Kristina crée une atmosphère si étonnante — elle inspire à travailler, aide à surmonter les difficultés, et les peurs disparaissent comme par magie. Sa curation méthodique, incroyablement claire, et l’atmosphère calme et bienveillante m’ont donné confiance pour mes expérimentations personnelles.
De plus, la possibilité de dessiner m’a permis de voir la beauté dans les choses du quotidien et d’ouvrir de nouveaux horizons — des significations profondes de la vie.
De plus, la possibilité de dessiner m’a permis de voir la beauté dans les choses du quotidien et d’ouvrir de nouveaux horizons — des significations profondes de la vie.
TATYANA
[ COMEDIENNE ]
Kristina welcomes each participant with their own personal experience and individual artistic project. Her teaching approach is both precise and thoughtful. The level of complexity increases gradually, keeping the process engaging and challenging without losing motivation. Thanks to her guidance, I made more progress in three months than I had managed to achieve on my own over several years.
ELLA
[ Psychologist ]
Dès le début, j’ai été très impressionnée par son attention et sa considération pour chaque artiste ! Il est essentiel que débutants comme expérimentés reçoivent des recommandations tout aussi précieuses et individuelles.
Je suis définitivement devenue plus confiante en moi-même et dans ma vie en général. Aujourd’hui, il m’est plus facile d’accepter mes erreurs et de m’exprimer plus librement.
Merci d’avoir été à mes côtés tout ce temps.
Je suis définitivement devenue plus confiante en moi-même et dans ma vie en général. Aujourd’hui, il m’est plus facile d’accepter mes erreurs et de m’exprimer plus librement.
Merci d’avoir été à mes côtés tout ce temps.
LUCINÉ
[ ARCHITECTE ]
Kristina is an exceptional curator. Her sessions are enriching, combining advanced artistic techniques, clear explanations and a variety of approaches.
She shares her experience with ease and offers a wide range of exercises that help build solid technical foundations. Her personalised feedback allows everyone to progress at their own pace, making the process both meaningful and enjoyable.
She shares her experience with ease and offers a wide range of exercises that help build solid technical foundations. Her personalised feedback allows everyone to progress at their own pace, making the process both meaningful and enjoyable.
VALÉRIE
[ PAINTER ]
Kristina est dotée d’une grande sensibilité envers ses élèves. Grâce à son approche méthodologique, structurée, j’ai non seulement amélioré mes compétences en peinture et en dessin, mais aussi appris à mieux me comprendre.
Ses séances ne sont pas de simples cours, mais un véritable espace de croissance personnelle et d’expression créative.
Ses séances ne sont pas de simples cours, mais un véritable espace de croissance personnelle et d’expression créative.
FLAVIA
[ MEDECiN ]
Thanks to Kristina’s guidance, which is both clear and subtle, what once seemed complex and inaccessible has become understandable and fascinating. I stopped being afraid to try, to make mistakes, and began experimenting more freely.
These sessions have allowed me to acquire new artistic techniques and find greater freedom in my approach to drawing.
These sessions have allowed me to acquire new artistic techniques and find greater freedom in my approach to drawing.
ANNA
[ ILLUSTRATOR ]
Working with Kristina was a genuine encounter with a medium I had never quite managed to master. Despite having studied at an art school, watercolour remained mysterious and intimidating to me — I was never satisfied with the results, and the process always felt chaotic.
Thanks to her attentive and thoughtful guidance, I found it easier to express myself through watercolour, without fear or tension. I felt that I could create something personal and sincere — and that was a wonderful discovery.
Thanks to her attentive and thoughtful guidance, I found it easier to express myself through watercolour, without fear or tension. I felt that I could create something personal and sincere — and that was a wonderful discovery.
CATERINE
[ ARTIST ]
Kristina est une curatrice attentive et inspirante, capable de percevoir et de révéler l’unicité de chacun. Son approche individuelle permet non seulement de développer des compétences artistiques, mais aussi d’explorer son monde intérieur à travers la création.
Dans son espace, on a envie d’explorer, de s’exprimer et de grandir.
Dans son espace, on a envie d’explorer, de s’exprimer et de grandir.
TATY
[ DIRECTRICE ARTISTIQUE ]
[ FEEDBACK ]
STUDENT TESTIMONIALS
Kristina Mariinskaya is an artist, illustrator and storyteller.
Through her artistic and curatorial practice, she explores a subtle, almost elusive kind of beauty that often escapes our attention. She finds it in the quiet details of everyday life, revealing itself to those who learn to look differently. For her, art is at once a language, an inner exploration and a way of inhabiting the world with greater awareness and sensitivity.
Through her artistic and curatorial practice, she explores a subtle, almost elusive kind of beauty that often escapes our attention. She finds it in the quiet details of everyday life, revealing itself to those who learn to look differently. For her, art is at once a language, an inner exploration and a way of inhabiting the world with greater awareness and sensitivity.
After founding and directing a classical arts school in Saint Petersburg and Paris, she now develops Mariinskaya Project, her own artistic initiative, which takes shape through the Universal and Nomadic School of Artistic Practices. This space explores the connections between artistic practice, the perception of the world and self-discovery.
With over 18 years of drawing practice, she has developed her own teaching approach, combining the transmission of artistic fundamentals with the exploration of an individual visual language. For more than twelve years, she has accompanied artists and creative professionals internationally, helping them develop their vision and artistic expression. She has also been a Clairefontaine ambassador in France.
Her approach brings together craftsmanship and intuition, precision and sensitivity, in an ongoing exploration of the subtle beauty of everyday life.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
RÉSERVATION DE PLACE
Merci de vérifier que les informations renseignées sont justes et complètes
Après réception de votre demande, je vous contacterai pour confirmer votre réservation et vous transmettre les informations pratiques. Tout le règlement se fait sur place.
[ EVERYTHING ELSE ]
QUESTIONS
No previous experience is necessary. I take the time to guide each participant individually, explaining the principles of drawing construction and helping you understand how to simplify shapes and translate what you observe onto paper. Everyone progresses at their own pace, according to their level and individual sensibility.
The interior of the café, objects arranged on a table, the play of light, the people around us — or any detail or scene that catches your eye and sparks your curiosity. There is no set subject: everyone is free to choose what inspires them.
Kristina is fluent in French, English, Italian and Russian.
No, food and drinks are not included in the workshop fee. They are to be paid for separately and directly to the café.
Materials are not included in the workshop fee. If you are new to drawing and don't yet have any materials of your own, I will be happy to lend you paper, pencils and pens free of charge for your first session.
For other techniques, such as watercolour or soft pastels, an additional fee of €5 applies.
In all cases, please let me know in advance so I can prepare the materials you need — ideally when making your booking, rather than on the day of the workshop.
For other techniques, such as watercolour or soft pastels, an additional fee of €5 applies.
In all cases, please let me know in advance so I can prepare the materials you need — ideally when making your booking, rather than on the day of the workshop.
To reserve your place, simply fill in the registration form or write to me directly at kristinamariinskaya@icloud.com.
The date, time and venue of each session are listed in the corresponding calendar entry. I will send you any additional information once I have received your booking.
If you are unable to attend, I kindly ask you to let me know in advance so that your place can be offered to someone else.
The date, time and venue of each session are listed in the corresponding calendar entry. I will send you any additional information once I have received your booking.
If you are unable to attend, I kindly ask you to let me know in advance so that your place can be offered to someone else.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED