Continuous Line Urban Sketching Mexico City with Meagan Burns
Roma Norte, Mexico City
6-Day, 5-Night Urban Sketching Workshop
​Tuesday, August 16 - Sunday, August 21, 2022

As we step into the dawn of a new era where in-person travel workshops have had to be reconsidered and reworked on every level, we're ready to invite curious sketchers to join this 2022 on-the-ground workshop in fascinating Mexico City. We'll be practicing the the art of Continuous Line Urban Sketching while safely enjoying a culturally rich sketch experience in the country's largest city as well as its most important political, cultural, educational and financial center.

There's never enough time to see it all, but in this dynamic workshop we'll be based in the Roma Norte colonia and we'll take time to explore this hip urban neighborhood, the Centro Historico and two of the city's fascinating top-notch museums. We'll start our day with drawing warmups and on-location continuous line practices before we set out to produce a sketchbook of the colorful scenes before us. We'll practice sketching architecture, people, parks, museums and tacos and also take time to sit on a park bench to bask in the magic that is Mexico City.

Continuous Line Urban Sketching is a tool to help you strengthen your drawing abilities and Mexico City is the perfect city to practice this art. At the end of this workshop, your sketchbook will be filled with the magic of Mexico City as only you experienced it.

WHY I BELIEVE IN CONTINUOUS LINE URBAN SKETCHING

WHO IS MEAGAN BURNS

Meagan Burns Artist/Instructor originally from Chicago, first went to San Miguel de Allende in 2001 and now lives in Mexico City where she helps people plow through their drawing fears by practicing Continuous Line Urban Sketching in the fascinating streets of Mexico City and beyond. She rallied the San Miguel de Allende sketching community to become a Regional Chapter of Urban Sketchers in 2016, and is an administrator. Background is marketing and graphic design, she now she provides her community with art making opportunities, urban sketching and tacos. Favorite motto: #makeartstaysane

Art Leap Adventures is a art workshop tour agency Meagan created in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico in 2017. Everything moved to online live Zoom classes when Covid hit, teaching back-to-back sketch classes three times a week in the Zoom Sketch Sessions, as well as Watercolor Drama Watercolor workshops with friend and fellow artist Laurie Richards.

In this new era of workshops and travel, every aspect has been considered to make our workshops a safe and positive experience. We invite you to join one of our artful experiences when you are ready.

MEAGAN'S MEXICO CITY SKETCHES (watch them here) 

Live Video of these Continuous Line Drawings here

Mexico City is a fascinating and diverse city, and I invite you to me on this 5-night urban sketching adventure. Each morning we'll gather after breakfast in our Roma Norte hotel and do drawing warmups and practice lines before heading out for the day. Each evening we'll gather in a local restaurant for a meal and to review our sketches from the day. 
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Bring your sketchbook bag, solid walking shoes and sense of adventure and your appetite, we're going to see and sketch Mexico City like never before.

LEARNING GOALS

Our overall goal is to learn to confidently on location, no matter what the subject matter. This workshop is a travel experience and we will learn to capture it all with a small and versatile kit, and in quick sketches throughout our days:
- We will sketch people, food, architecture and experiences throughout the duration of the workshop
- Push through drawing fears to add more unique character to your urban sketches
- Gain a better understand of composition and logistics on the page by practicing continuous line
- Build confidence and a sense of accomplishment by starting and completing your drawings with unique stroke

WORKSHOP COST: $1,200 USD
Accommodations: $50 USD per night Single x 5 = $250

MEXICO CITY HOTEL

Five Nights, Six Days
Arrive: Tuesday, August 16, 2022
Depart: Sunday, August 21, 2022
​Airport Code: MEX
Hotel Milan in Colonia Roma Norte
​Avenida Alvaro Obregon 91, Cuauhtémoc 06700 Cuidad de Mexico, CDMX 
$50 USD single room per night, includes breakfast*
*you may opt to get a room without breakfast for $45 per night, but it will be your responsibility to breakfast before we gather

​Our hotel for the duration of this workshop is Hotel Milan, and we have a block of rooms reserved. You'll pay the hotel directly, approximately $50 USD per night for a single room that includes breakfast, once your registration is confirmed; Meagan will confirm a room for you at the hotel.

If you prefer to stay elsewhere for the duration of the workshop, please note your plans in the registration comment section. For ease of access, it is suggested to stay close to Roma Norte in either a hotel or Airbnb of your choice. 

TRANSPORTATION

Mexico City (MEX) is a major hub and easily accessible from almost every corner of the world. Upon you arrival at the MEX airport, there are verified taxi stands where you can purchase your taxi ride with a verified taxi driver. Our hotel is located less than 30 minutes form the airport, depending on traffic, and the taxi should cost approximately $125 pesos, or about $10 USD. 

**Note: Mexico City is adding a new large airport to its profile, and the unfortunate news is that it's located a good distance from the city proper, about 1.5 hours away. It's unclear when the transition of arrivals and departures will take place, but please be aware that at some point in the near future when traveling to Mexico City, you may land at the new AIFA airport.

WORKSHOP AGENDA detailed agenda will be sent upon registration

Arrive Tuesday
Welcome Dinner   

Wednesday meet after breakfast
Drawing warmups and practice continuous lines with local subjects
Travel by taxi to Art Museum
Lunch
Sketching Time
Dinner

Thursday meet after breakfast 
Drawing warmups and practice continuous lines with local subjects
Walk to Bus for City Tour 
Lunch
Sketching Time
Dinner

Friday meet after breakfast
Drawing warmups and practice continuous lines with local subjects 
Food tour with Guide, will include Lunch
Sketching Time
Dinner

Saturday meet after breakfast at 10am
Drawing warmups and practice continuous lines with local subjects 
Taxi to Anthropology Museum
Lunch
Sketching Time
Final Dinner, Sketchbook Review

Sunday local breakfast
Check out and goodbyes - END

WORKSHOP COST: $1,200 USD
Accommodations: $50 USD per night Single x 5 = $250

50% Deposit due now to reserve your spot: $600 USD + $23 Transaction Fee = $623
Balance Due July 8, 2022, $600 USD + $23 Transaction Fee = $623
​**See below for cancellation policy

PRICE INCLUDES:
Meagan Burns 5-Day Continuous Line Urban Sketching Workshop
Welcome Dinner
Transportation to two Museums
Admission to two Museums 
Walking Food Tour with Guide and Lunch 
Last Night Dinner
Tour management by Art Leap Adventures

NOT INCLUDED:
Airfare/Transportation to Mexico City (MEX)
Transportation to Hotel Milan in Roma Norte
Hotel (see hotel information above)
Food & Drinks except for Welcome Dinner, Mercado Food Tour, Last Night Celebration (breakfast is included in your hotel reservation)
Alcohol, shopping, incidental food, taxi and tips at your discretion
PayPal Transaction Fee
Required Proof of Vaccination
​Required Trip Insurance: suggested providers (but please use your own if preferred):
Allianz Travel Insurance
Mexico Insurance Advisors

CDMX WEATHER

Dress in Layers!  Mexico City enjoys almost year-round ideal weather, although it does have a pretty thick rainy season which begins around May. Your smartphone weather app may say rain for the day, but generally speaking the rains move in around 3pm and are done by 6pm, so most people know to do what they need to do by 3pm, and be tucked in by mid-afternoon so they can be out by dinnertime. Dressing in layers is your best bet, having some rain gear and a back-up pair of shoes in case we get caught in the rain. 

COVID SAFETY PROTOCOLS

Although Mexico never officially closed their borders throughout the Covid pandemic, much of the country followed strict safety protocols even as vaccinations became available, and as Covid numbers have been in decline. Foreigners living in Mexico also were able to get vaccinated, although not as easily as in the United States nor Canada, but none the less the vaccination program throughout Mexico has been successfully employed as a Temporary Resident of Mexico.  Currently mask mandates are in place, however this seems to be a fast-changing topic. The workshop is designed to be mostly outside and many of Mexico City's restaurants are now out in the streets, although much of life has always been lived in the streets in Mexico. Proof of vaccination is required to attend this workshop, as it is show of respect and regard for being a tourist in Mexico. If you have any further concerns about the Covid situation in Mexico, please feel free to reach out to me, but I have been living in Mexico City since 2021 and have found it somewhat easy to navigate an outdoor existence because so much happens outside. Personal responsibility is required, and I am here to help make this an enjoyable experience even in an uncertain world.

If Covid protocols are required by Mexican Government and/or City Officials, we will abide and you must agree to abide.

ART MATERIALS REQUIRED*

I suggest having at least two sketchbooks; one larger one for Continuous Line Urban Sketches in the streets and a smaller one for quick street scenes. Just make sure they are quality sketchbooks!
I use Canson XL Watercolor 140 lb 9"x12" spiral bound book for this workshop. For watercolor paintings I use Fabriano Artistico and I also carry my hand-sized, handmade Fabriano 50 5"x7" sketchbook for my quick street sketches. You'll need a lot of Sharpies "fine point", I recommend bringing a box, but they are widely available in CDMX if you run out. I will supply paper for our drawing warmups and exercise, then you many use your arsenal for urban sketching.

Sailor Dude de Mannen Fountain Pen (or similar of your choice)
Sharpie Fine Point Markers
Quality Watercolors in Travel Pan Set (Daniel Smith is recommended)
Quality Watercolor Brushes
Pentel Brush Pens
Platinum Carbon Ink (for Sailor and Pentel Brush)
HB Pencil
Gum Eraser
Two Water Containers
Paper Towel
Water Bottle (for you to drink)
Backpack to carry all your supplies
Tiny stool for sitting (highly recommended to have a handy portable stool to sit on; I have the Cooseon 10" folding stool, folds up nicely and fits in my backpack)
Sun Hat + sturdy walking shoes
Layers of clothes for chilly mornings, warm afternoons, rainy evenings
A regard for the safety of yourself and others
Your enthusiasm and sense of adventure

Additional art supplies of your preference
*It is not an option to attend this urban sketch workshop and not participate in the sketching activities

Your workshop organizer and host, Meagan Burns in Roma Norte, Mexico City, 2021

Complete agenda will be emailed upon registration

FOLLOW MEAGAN HERE:

FOLLOW ART LEAP ADVENTURES HERE:

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SMALL PRINT, PLEASE READ

Minor agenda changes may occur, but the substance of the tour will remain.
Please always be armed with your walking shoes, N95 masks, sun hat, sketch bag and sense of adventure, as there will be sketching prompts throughout the workshop, as well as unforeseen circumstances that naturally occur in Mexico. We'll roll with the changes and ask for your patience if a change in the agenda is necessary.
Group is limited to 9 participants + Meagan
​During our group meals; we will have one bill per table and you must pay for what you consume plus a 20% tip. Please keep track of what you consume.
Food sensitivities can be accommodated with proper notification, but please know that corn is an extremely important ingredient in the food and culture in Mexico. Vegan and vegetarian options exists, with diligence.
​Physical ability to walk unassisted and stand for extended periods is absolutely necessary.

​50% Deposit due now to reserve your spot: $600 USD + $23 Transaction Fee = $623
Balance Due July 8, 2022, $600 USD + $23 Transaction Fee = $623
​
​When paying via PayPal, a 3.9% USD fee will be added, for payments from the US, and 4.9% from Canada; please contact Meagan directly for specific information. ​If you require other travel arrangements, please allow Meagan to assist you. 

CANCELLATION POLICY

1) All individual cancellations must be made in writing and are effective upon receipt. 

2) If you have paid your deposit or trip fee and are unable to attend due to medical emergency or pandemic affiliated issue  you will receive a 100% refund up until July 29, 2022.

3) If you need to cancel after July 29, 2022, please contact Meagan and we can discuss the options.

4) If a waiting list of interested participants has formed, we will put you in contact with the first person on the list to whom you can offer your class spot. If the person accepts and then pays the workshop fee in total, you will be reimbursed for your workshop fee.

5) If there is no waiting list, you can transfer your paid fees to another ALA travel workshop within 12 months.

6) Participant expenses incurred in preparation for the trip (e.g., non-refundable purchased airline tickets) are not the responsibility of ALA. It is required to obtain medical/trip cancellation insurance for this reason.

7) If an emergency occurs and you must make a change to your participation status, please contact Meagan to discuss.

Register:
Continuous Line Urban Sketch CDMX with Meagan Burns

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PREVIOUS 2019 MEXICO CITY SKETCH PHOTOS

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Where in Mexico City?