You, Too, Can Become an Urban Sketcher
McPeet’s Pub in NE Portland
WE CELEBRATED OUR THANKSGIVING a couple weeks early so I've taken this week's holiday lull to dive into my new obsession hobby: urban sketching. Urban sketching is the practice of capturing locations and scenes in loose drawings, usually in a sketchbook. Think: visual journaling or travel sketching on location or indoors, from photos.
I've long insisted I can't draw, but my grip on that story began to loosen last spring when I started playing with my kids' leftover art supplies. The key, I think, was having no intention to draw anything. I just wandered into a new world of lines and shapes and colors. I let myself enjoy the texture of paper under a pen.
I kept it light. I dabbled when I had time. No schedule, no goals, no expectations. This wasn't a self-improvement project, it was playtime!
After a few months of playing, the prospect of sketching something didn't seem so intimidating. I followed some YouTube tutorials and discovered that drawing, like most other things, isn't a magical talent — it's a skill one can learn. I'm not saying anyone can become an artistic genius, but with some time and effort, most of us can learn basic drawing.
While packing for Spain last month, I decided to bring a sketchbook and a few art supplies rather than my usual travel diary. It felt a little like leaving my security blanket behind, but by this point I'd been sketching casually for about six months so travel sketching seemed like a fun experiment.
Sketching during my trip turned out to be a revelation. There was an intimacy I'd never felt with writing. I felt a friendliness toward the places I sketched, as if observing them so closely had connected us.
Cathedral of Granada, Spain
More glimpses of Granada
There's a spark of aliveness that comes with being a beginner. A combo of shock and giddiness when you do something you thought you couldn't do. The intense focus that comes when there's no prior experience to fall back on. The possibility of new and exciting things within your grasp, like finding hidden treasure inside your house.
If someone would have told me a year ago I'd draw these sketches (or anything else, for that matter) I wouldn't have believed them. So if there's an activity you're curious about but are nervous to try, I hope this encourages you.
Karen Walrond's book, In Defense of Dabbling, is a blast of inspiration. Listen to our conversation and look for the book at your favorite bookstore.
If you want to try urban sketching, Sketching Scottie's video tutorials are highly recommended — free on YouTube, with a Patreon community for full-length tutorials.
Portland author Amy Stewart writes a wonderful newsletter and offers sketching lessons to her paid subscribers.
