how to teach an urban sketching course

by Braden Stark 7 min read

Part of a video titled Urban Sketching course - YouTube
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The pen will teach you to draw cool food trap. And then invite you to a Spanish artists dinner thatMoreThe pen will teach you to draw cool food trap. And then invite you to a Spanish artists dinner that turns into a delicious portrait party.

Can you learn urban sketching at home?

Urban sketching is supposed to be quick and agile so you can sketch on the fly. Artists who paint on location with acrylic or oil paint usually set up an easel in front of a specific scene and spend 3+ hours painting. This activity is usually referred to as plein-air painting and that’s a bit different to the idea of urban sketching.

What is urbansketchers?

The simple step-by-step tutorials follow a logical progression from creating frameworks for successful sketches, understanding perspective, using tonal blocks for a composition to capturing the movement of individual figures and bustling crowds. £ 49.00 Add to cart Gift this Course Do you feel this product is perfect for a friend or a loved one?

Can pen sketching work in the urban environment?

The Basics of Urban Sketching – Peter Jochems. This course features a staggering 13 hours worth of lessons. And the best thing is, right now, it is totally free to watch so go check it out quick! This is an excellent course if you want to learn (or revisit) the fundamentals of drawing.

Can You sketch your surroundings?

Mar 02, 2017 · It’s not necessary but urban sketching will allow you to get LOTS of practice on perspectives. FIGURE DRAWING – This guide covers construction/pose, proportions, muscle structure, hands, feet, face, hair and clothes for figure drawing. You can choose whether or not you want to include people in your sketches.

How do you teach urban sketching?

0:579:59How to Get Started with Urban Sketching - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBut don't expect mastery. Because drawing is a skill not very different from playing music or evenMoreBut don't expect mastery. Because drawing is a skill not very different from playing music or even playing basketball you need time to master the skill.

Which course is best for sketching?

1) Ink Drawing Techniques: Brush, Nib, and Pen Style.2) Character Art School: Complete Character Drawing Course.3) Anatomy for Figure Drawing: Mastering the Human Figure.4) The Art & Science of Drawing / Basic Skills.5) The Ultimate Drawing Masterclass: Start Drawing Better Today.More items...•Feb 8, 2022

What is the meaning of urban sketching?

Urban Sketching is a form of artistic reportage. It's the act of drawing or painting on location in the cities, towns, or villages that you live in and travel to. You are capturing a moment in time in a unique, artistic way.Jun 24, 2020

Why Urban Sketching is important?

Urban sketching has a wide variety of benefits and is perfect for anyone who loves journaling or can appreciate art. It not only gives you the opportunity to explore but to document the world around you. By sitting down and drawing on location, you'll be able to really appreciate the beauty of life.Mar 2, 2017

How long will it take to learn sketching?

The time it takes any person to draw can be longer or shorter depending on how they approach drawing, the time they practice, and how easy they learn new things. Depending on the artist's goals, learning to draw can take from one month to years. Two years work perfectly as an average.

Can I learn sketching online?

Learn to draw at any age When you are ready, you can learn the basics of drawing by taking a free online drawing class. The websites all offer helpful instruction for beginning artists, and many of them offer classes at intermediate or advanced levels.Mar 18, 2020

What are the types of sketching?

4 main types of sketchingInterior sketching. For this kind of sketching, it is highly important to understand the laws of perspective and train your eye to judge scale and proportion. ... Fashion sketching. ... Industrial sketching. ... Travel sketching.Apr 8, 2021

When was urban sketching founded?

2007The Urban Sketchers movement was started on Flickr in 2007 by journalist Gabriel Campanario. In 2009 Campanario established Urban Sketchers as a nonprofit organization (501 (c) (3) tax-exempt). The Urban Sketchers Manifesto has been translated into several languages.

How do you make an architectural sketch?

9 Tips for Hand-Drawing Architectural SketchesAssemble the right tools. ... Hold your pen near the tip. ... To keep lines straight, move your entire arm. ... Use shading, color, and varying line weight. ... Study other forms of drawing. ... Understand the purpose of sketching. ... Integrate landscape architecture and interior design ideas.More items...•Nov 8, 2020

How do you start beginner sketching?

2:267:43Sketching Tips for Beginners | Art Journal Thursday Ep. 21 - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnything you want before you start sketching pay attention to how you actually hold your pencil.MoreAnything you want before you start sketching pay attention to how you actually hold your pencil. Make sure you don't hold the pencil super tightly at the very tip of the pencil.

What is urban sketching watercolor?

Urban Sketching, in a nutshell, is sketching (very loose drawing) on-location. Whether that's outdoors at your favorite park, in front of some great architecture, or sitting having a cup of coffee at a cafe during your travels. Sketch with what you like to use and what you like to see. No pressure!Aug 2, 2019

How do you sketch basics?

Know your pencils. There's a big difference between 4B and 4H. ... Take control of your pencil. Tripod (top) and extended tripod (bottom) grips. ... Try different mark-making methods. ... Vary your lines. ... Avoid smudging. ... Control your edges. ... Use a blending stick for smooth shading. ... Apply the 70/30 rule.More items...•Oct 6, 2021

About This Class

If you wanna learn how to draw people in an urban sketching style, you'd come to the right place.#N#In this class I will teach you how to draw simple lively sketches of people and crowds.

Meet Your Teacher

Hi there! I'm Lasse Voss and i'm an actor and illustrator based in copenhagen, Denmark. I've been illustrating professionally for more than 10 years as a freelancer, I've illustrated for some of the largest companies in Denmark and I've been teaching art for about 4 years.

Hands-on Class Project

Your project for this class is to make a lively sketch with a group of approximately 10 people. If you want to, you may sketch in a simple building in the background using simple shapes such as rectangles. Your sketch can be drawn either from imagination or a reference photo.

Learn From Anywhere

Take classes on the go with the Skillshare app. Stream or download to watch on the plane, the subway, or wherever you learn best.

Transcripts

1. Introduction: Urban sketching is about capturing the moment. To do that, we have to draw fast. My name is Lasse Voss. I'm an actor and an illustrator based in Denmark. In this class, I will teach you how to draw people in an urban sketching style. I have been illustrating professionally for the last 10 years.

Downloading the reference photograph

The photo below can be ‘right clicked’ and ‘Save image as’, so you can use it as a reference image, print it out and follow along with the video above.

Materials you will need

A4 (UK size approx 29 x 21cm) I use a smooth Bristol board about 220gsm weight.

Step 1. – Framing your View

I wanted the drawing to be about the bike but use the architecture of the environment to help frame the scene and our focus.

Step 2. – Using Shadow Shapes to Describe the Subject

The variety in the thickness of the pen acts like using different brushes in a painting.

Step 3. – Adding Texture to the Foreground

Here I swapped the brush pen and used the pen on its side so it doesn’t completely cover the paper (this effect can be more pronounced on textured paper). It gives a texture to the pen marks and an indication of the broken light hitting the pavement,

Step 4. – Thin Scratchy Pens to Thick Brush Pens

Shadow shapes can utilise thin, medium and thick lines, adding variety to the drawing of the shadows.

Step 5. – Cast Shadow Shapes

The Brush pen acts as the larger brush in the set, giving a more broken line when used quickly and a more organic feel to the marks.

About This Class

This course covers the basics of drawing on location. You'll learn about the tools required, how to choose a good spot to draw from, and actual techniques to draw and colours your sketch.

Meet Your Teacher

I'm an artist, visual content creator and urban sketcher based in Singapore. My passion is in sketching outdoors with pen, ink, watercolour, and digitally with portable tablets.

Hands-on Class Project

Sketch along with the reference photos provided. There's also a handout with quick sketching tips.

Transcripts

1. Intro: Hey, everyone, thank you for getting discourse on urban sketching. Now, during this cause I will bring you around this area called combo. Long force. I'm sketching sessions.

What is Urban Sketchers blog?

This later evolved into a blog ( urbansketchers.org) where Gabriel invited artists to share their sketches and ‘reports’ from around the world to allow others to “see the world, one drawing at a time” – the Urban Sketchers motto.

Who is the founder of Urban Sketchers?

Urban Sketchers is a non-profit organisation with a clear mission and manifesto. The movement was started by Gabriel Camapanario in 2007. Gabriel is based in Seattle and is a journalist and illustrator.

What is a thumbnail sketch?

Thumbnail sketches are small shorthand sketches that allow you to play with various elements of your sketch before committing. You can play with composition, angles, proportions, mediums, light and shadow and colour. It’s an invaluable method to get the most from your sketching time and achieve the sketch you want.

Urban Sketching Course

Imagine becoming an artist where your inspiration comes from observing your everyday life.

What would you draw?

You wouldn’t have to wait until you had the perfect view in the perfect place with perfect pencils and the perfect light.

Sketchbook Design – Liz Steel

At the very end of 2020, Liz Steel launched a brand new course to her learning platform, Sketching Now.

Watercolour Travel Journal – Alicia Aradilla

I literally could not contain my excitement when I saw that one of my favourite urban sketchers and illustrators, Alicia Aradilla, has released a course on what is quickly becoming my favourite platform for art courses, Domestika.

The Basics of Urban Sketching – Peter Jochems

This course features a staggering 13 hours worth of lessons. And the best thing is, right now, it is totally free to watch so go check it out quick!

Light, Colour, Shadow: The Essential Triad for Watercolour Sketching – Shari Blaukopf

While this is not a new course for 2021, I feel like Shari Blaukopf’s short (er) courses are not as well known amongst the sketching community as they should be. The fact you can get over 3 hours worth of Shari’s incredible instruction for a mere US$25 is mindblowing.

Architecture Sketching with Ink and Watercolour – Danny Hawk

Danny Hawk is such a fabulous artist, I love everything about his work. His graphic, simplified illustration style using bold colours is right up my street!

What is urban sketching?

Urban sketching is the act of drawing while on location in areas that you live in or traveling to. You can sketch out your local farmer’s market, museums, beaches, temples, concerts, parks –you name it, you can sketch it! It’s a great way to document the world you live in or the attractions you visit while on vacation.

Why is urban sketching important?

Urban sketching has a wide variety of benefits and is perfect for anyone who loves journaling or can appreciate art. It not only gives you the opportunity to explore but to document the world around you. By sitting down and drawing on location, you’ll be able to really appreciate the beauty of life.

Who is Gabriel Campanario?

In 2007, a Seattle-based journalist and illustrator named Gabriel Campanario founded a blog and online forum for urban sketchers.

What is spiral bound sketchbook?

Spiral bound sketchbooks allow you to complete flip open to a particular page. However, drawing on the edge might be difficult. Hardbound sketchbooks may be difficult to keep open. Some urban sketchers even work on accordion-bound sketchbooks to create an expansive panorama.

Who is the founder of SketchCrawl?

Around the same time, SketchCrawl was founded by Enrico Casarosa, a Pixar storyboard artist and director. SketchCrawl is like a bar crawl but without beer. You meet other local urban sketchers to walk around and sketch various sites throughout the day.

Can you mix colors on paper?

You can mix on these palettes but colors can be mixed on paper from adding washes anyway. When using watercolor, try not to paint your highlights and use the paper color as a highlight instead. Focus more on the mid-tones and shadows when using watercolor to add color to your urban sketches.

Do you need a sketchbook for urban sketching?

Most likely, you’ll want to carry a sketchbook for urban sketching . Not only does this keep all your sketches in one place, but it’s also more convenient and portable. There are a few things you should consider while picking out a sketchbook that’s right for you.

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A Step-By-Step Urban Sketching Lesson

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How do you start a sketch?… One of the first things to consider is the layout of the page – portrait or landscape. For this sketch, from a side street in Florence, I wanted to use the environment to help set a context for the bike, so I went for a portrait composition. When sketching buildings I often work from the larger abstr…
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Downloading The Reference Photograph

  • The photo below can be ‘right clicked’ and ‘Save image as’, so you can use it as a reference image, print it out and follow along with the video above. You can also download a High-Resolution Image here. In the demo, the sketch is 6 x 4 inches (15 x 10cm) Pro tip:I draw a light pencil rectangular guide of 6 x 4 inch on my drawing paper and positioned the reference image at the same height. …
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Materials You Will Need

  • Paper 1. A4 (UK size approx 29 x 21cm) I use a smooth Bristol board about 220gsm weight. Pens 1. Micron 0.2mm– Permanent fine line pen 1. Faber Castell PITT Artist Pen– Black permanent fibre tip pen 1. Muji 0.5mm Fine line Pen 2. Pentel Brush Pen– Permanent black brush pen
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Step 1. – Framing Your View

  • I wanted the drawing to be about the bike but use the architecture of the environment to help frame the scene and our focus. The one thing you’ll always notice in Florence is the amazing architectural windows and doors that just seem to appear out of all of the buildings on the side streets. By including the crumbled window within the top of the drawing frame, it helps to tell a g…
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Step 2. – Using Shadow Shapes to Describe The Subject

  • The variety in the thickness of the pen acts like using different brushes in a painting. The choice of the nib along with the speed of the application, help to describe the material quality of what you’re drawing. So, a fine line pen used speedily will create a broken line. Which would be perfect to indicate crumbling brickwork. If I was to use the same pen at a slower speed I would create a m…
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Step 3. – Adding Texture to The Foreground

  • Here I swapped the brush pen and used the pen on its side so it doesn’t completely cover the paper (this effect can be more pronounced on textured paper). It gives a texture to the pen marks and an indication of the broken light hitting the pavement, 1. Cast shadow reveals the shapes and angle of the wheels 2. Broken dark shapes add a texture to the foreground Where is the light co…
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Step 4. – Thin Scratchy Pens to Thick Brush Pens

  • Shadow shapes can utilise thin, medium and thick lines, adding variety to the drawing of the shadows.
See more on willkempartschool.com

Step 5. – Cast Shadow Shapes

  • The Brush pen acts as the larger brush in the set, giving a more broken line when used quickly and a more organic feel to the marks.
See more on willkempartschool.com

Step 6. – Composing Qualities of Light

  • For the next stage, I use a 0.5mm Muji fine line pen. This pen has a great flow to it and gives you an even mark if you’re working upright at an easel or quickly in a sketchbook. (It’s also available as a 0.38mm if you prefer a finer feel, Vanessa swears by the 0.38mm!) Adding hatch lines to your drawing gives an extra texture and mark to the surface and the diagonal direction brings movem…
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Step 7. – Large Shapes to Smaller Shapes

  • Now I’ve got the two extremes of the top and the bottom drawing in place, I can start to draw the bike. Approaching a drawing this way: 1. Establishing the shadow shapes first 2. Indicating the light direction 3. Checking the framing of the composition 4. Adding variety in the thickness and weight of the line Will all help to bring the final drawing together quickly and with a sense of ease!
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