Urban sketching is a popular pastime amongst creatives. It’s all about capturing the essence and everyday life of a city. A place can provide endless inspiration for your work. However, if you have never done urban sketching before, it might daunt you a bit.
Here are my three tips for urban sketching as a beginners:
How To Start Urban Sketching
Bring a minimal sketching kit
When going on your first urban sketching adventure, don’t overload on supplies. The beauty of this practice is about spontaneity and the ability to set up shop wherever you are. You definitely don’t want to schlep about a bunch of heavy supplies all day.
Instead, pack a small and portable set of essentials, such as:
- a small, durable sketchbook
- a versatile pen
- a pencil
- an eraser
- a small watercolor set (and maybe one of those fancy brushes with the built-in water reservoir)
Carry your sketchbook everywhere
Don’t ever leave the house without your sketchbook on you! You never know when inspiration will strike. By constantly carrying your sketchbook with you, you can seize these moments when they happen.
Plus, drawing regularly, even for a small amount of time, sharpens your urban sketching skills. Over time, your sketchbook becomes like a personal diary.
Don’t focus on the outcome
One of the most important parks of urban sketching is not trying to make a perfect sketch. Like all art, urban sketching is more about the process than the final result. Take it as an opportunity to observe, learn, and connect with the environment around you.
Embrace the imperfections of your sketches, as this is what makes your work unique. In fact, often it is best to just capture the “vibe” of the place rather than depict it accurately.
Visit the Michael Ferro Chicago blog for more tips about urban sketching, as well as all the latest in the Chicago art scene.
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