Leisure Painter - UK (2019 - Summer)

36 SUMMER 2019 http://www.painters-online.co.uk

I

f you’ve ever drawn or painted

something you’ve seen in front of

you – perhaps the view from the

living room window or maybe people

in the coffee shop – you’re already

halfway to being an urban sketcher.

The other half involves ‘sharing’; more

of that later.

So what exactly is urban sketching?

Borrowing and paraphrasing from

the urban sketcher’s website –

http://www.urbansketchers.org – it’s drawing

on location (not from photographs,

memory or imagination), indoors or

out, capturing what you see from

direct observation, using any medium,

in your own individual style and

sharing your drawings online.

Here are my top six reasons for

suggesting you give it a go, if you

haven’t already, together with my

photograph of Cotswold Cottages

at the end of this article to use as a

stepping stone to going outside and

trying it for real.

1 No special kit

One of the biggest advantages of urban

sketching is that you don’t need special

equipment. More often than not, I use

just a small A5 sketchbook, a pencil and

a fibre-tipped pen (above). If I want to

add colour I take a small watercolour

set and two brushes or waterbrushes

(left). Others prefer to work larger,

sometimes with an easel; or to use

marker pens, coloured pencils, or

perhaps an iPad.

Similarly, as I’m more interested in

capturing a quick, spontaneous

impression rather than accuracy and

detail, my sketches rarely take more

than 20 minutes to complete, whereas

others who like detail and precision

might take a couple of hours or more.

So, as with materials, it’s very much

a case of personal choice.

Part 1Be inspired by urban sketching as Tony Underhillexplains the basics,

benefits and sharing aspects of this popular sketching movement

Step out

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

nAn introduction to urban

sketching

nSketching just for the pleasure

of it

nSharing with and learning

from others

No special kitAn A5 sketchbook which opens to 8^1 ⁄ 2 x11in. (22x28cm) as a double-page spread, a pencil and fibre-tipped pen, and you’re good to go!

t

Tony’s watercolour kitA small

lightweight watercolour travel palette and

two brushes, large and medium (or, for

added convenience, waterbrushes with

built-in reservoirs).

t

Urban sketching

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