Chapter 3
Choosing the subject
It is no good dashing off a sketch on your first visit to
a new city or to an interesting building. Such hurried
sketches are generally poorly composed or suffer from
having the light in the wrong direction. It is worth taking
your time and planning the drawing carefully. The chief
points to consider are:
- what drawing materials are best for the sketch in
question; - from where you should draw;
- what time of day is best for the sketch, bearing in
mind the angle of light, especially sunlight; - what position is best to bring out the character of
the subject and produce an attractive compostion.
Taking the first point about materials, you will probably
find that certain subjects suit a particular sketching
medium. For example, a highly decorative subject such as
the west front of a cathedral would suit a line drawing in
pen and ink, perhaps with depth being created by a sepia
or grey wash to indicate shadows. The interior of the
cathedral, on the other hand, may suit a charcoal drawing
since the darkness and solidity of the columns, vaulting
and arches could be brought out in thick, grainy lines and
smudged tones. An Italian hill town may be best rendered
in watercolour as this may suit the delineation of the pink,
brown and orange walls and roofs. A classical terrace by
John Nash may look its best in pencil with a soft wash of
cream added. A modern ‘high tech’ building such as the
Lloyds Insurance offices in London or the Pompidou
Centre in Paris could be tackled in pen and wash with
brightly coloured felt-tip pens being used to pick out the
externally placed lifts and services. Whatever materials
are employed, the artist should try to establish a
relationship between the qualities of the subject and the
drawing medium.
Deciding where you should sit to draw on location
raises both aesthetic and practical issues. You will often
find that your subject is near the town centre and hence
very busy, or so frequented by tourists that you can hardly
obtain an unobstructed view. Hence you will need to plan
your sketch to fit in with siesta times (if in Europe), or to
take place in the early morning or late evening if in the city
centre. Sometimes you can find a quiet corner even in the
busiest town, but often it will be dirty or the odours will
not be conducive to good sketching. If you have a
sketching stool then your options may be greatly
increased, but try to avoid positions where crowds of
curious children can peer over your shoulder (and maybe
steal your spare pencils!). If you have to find public seats,30 Understanding architecture through drawing