Hong Kong, 18 October 2021 ————– FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
ILLUSTRATION AND TRAVEL: ARCHITECT ADDRESSES ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY
Award-winning architect, author and illustrator Tom Schmidt discussed his new book, The Bumbling Traveller – Sketching the World, in an event hosted by the Royal Geographical Society Hong Kong (RGS-HK) at 7:30 pm on Thursday, 28 October 2021. With over thirty RGS-HK members and guests in attendance, the book discussion was held at the Pacific Place Galleries of Bonhams (Hong Kong) Limited.
Schmidt’s discussion of his global travel sketches was prefaced by a brief overview of the role in-situ illustration has played throughout history. This included the documentation of expeditions before the advent of photography, the development of plein air painting, and the continuing evolution of urban sketching. The artist elaborated on his various techniques for creating select sketches, shared humorous anecdotes associated with the creation of some images, and conveyed the emotional connection with a place when sketching a subject on location. Schmidt remarked, “Every sketch is a grand experiment,” relative to pushing the boundaries of media when sketching outdoors under uncertain lighting and weather conditions.
The presentation discussed how travel journals and sketches can be effectively used to document the journey, as well as various destinations and environments. In addition to how sketches can become “visual notes” during a trip, Schmidt explained how travel experiences could also be made into storyboards — a technique that he used in the creation of his award-winning Bumbling Traveller Adventure Series of educational graphic novels. The one-hour presentation concluded with a period of questions and answers.
The Bumbling Traveller is filled with over three decades of Schmidt’s highly detailed architectural sketches and analyses of various destinations around the world. From subjects of architecture and the built environment to local people and handicrafts, readers will experience the age-old tradition of putting pen to paper to remember the world around them, capture moments in time, tell stories and daydream. With over 250 hand-drawn illustrations in a variety of media, readers will see the genesis of the award-winning Bumbling Traveller™ Adventure Series. Schmidt hopes that the book will inspire younger generations of travellers, artists, and architecture students to sketch the world around them, and better appreciate the places they visit.
The Bumbling Traveller is the fourth installment in the award-winning Bumbling Traveller™ Adventure Series, a book series that seeks to promote environmental and cultural awareness through entertaining mysteries and adventures. The book is available in regional and international bookstores, can also be ordered online from the publisher, Kakibubu Media Limited (www.kakibubu.com), and is available on Amazon.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR / ILLUSTRATOR:
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tom Schmidt is an award-winning architect, writer, illustrator, musician, and part-time stand-up comedian. Born in the United States, following his studies of Architecture and Environmental Design at the University of Colorado, his wanderlust has carried him through various bumbling adventures in over 70 countries around the world, across all seven continents.
Schmidt is a licensed architect in the US and New Zealand, an Accredited Professional in the LEED® and WELL building certification programs, a founding member of the Hong Kong Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), and a member of the American Society of Architectural Illustrators (ASAI). He has resided in Hong Kong since 1997 and is founder of Sepia Design Consultants Limited (www.sepiadesign.com), an architectural consultancy specializing in sustainable hospitality design.
