Thursday, October 30, 2014

Urban sketching - is it for you?


If you've listened to this week's podcast, you might be in the market for some more information about urban sketching. Do you already know about urban sketching? I'd never heard of it until Jann Gray gave me the scoop during the podcast. (Be sure to listen to the The ScrapGals podcast weekly and to visit our website with comments/questions.)  Jann's book of sketches is amazing, and I'm totally jealous of the work she's doing with it. 

Well, I am dying to try this!  Here are some examples I found by just searching urban sketching in google images. These examples are things that I aspire to be able to imitate someday.


Whether it's watercolor or ink or just pencil, I find these images to be utterly captivating. How is it possible that I've traveled like I have in the last 10 years and not known about urban sketching? How have I visited all of the amazing places I've been and not tried to sketch them? Shame on me!


It's worth mentioning at this point that I am definitely not someone who draws well. When I look at these examples though, there's something about them that makes me feel like I could do this someday. Maybe it's because they're often building which are geometric shapes. Maybe I'm just delusional. Either way, the desire to try urban sketching and do it well has started to burn within me.


I'm actually really afraid of failure though. I didn't really like the art journaling process I tried, and that's related to urban sketching in some ways. I wasn't very good at it, even though I did give it a try. If I attempt urban sketching and I suck, I think I'll be really heartbroken.


I can just picture myself with a sketchpad and pencils at a cafe in the south of France next summer sketching a church that I can see above the rooftops down the way. I can just picture what it would feel like to be that immersed in my location, to be that involved with the scenery around me. I want that so badly - all of it. If I visualize it, can I really make it happen?


I've been reading some at Urban Sketchers and lurking through a series of books on Amazon, just trying to work up my nerve to dive in headfirst. I tried a couple of sketches the other night in the car that went horribly wrong, so I'm thinking I do need to invest in a book for some specific tutorials. I also want to watch several youtube videos about the process, but I haven't made the time yet. 

Urban sketching is calling to me. I wonder if I'll heed that siren's song...


18 comments:

  1. This is awesome and something I want to try also! Loved this episode of The Scrap Gals!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh my, I'm also finding myself coming back to this again and again. I would suggest taking an online class and see if you like it!

    ReplyDelete
  3. My heartiest congratulations to the writer on writing this.
    free walking tour stockholm

    ReplyDelete
  4. This blog is so precious. A gift for the blog readers.
    segway stockholm

    ReplyDelete
  5. There is noticeably a lot of money to understand this. I suppose you have made specific nice points in functions also. Custom Diamond Painting

    ReplyDelete
  6. Standing easels are a decent with the goal that you can tolerate backing and take a gander at the canvas, it will likewise be about a similar point and stature as it would when held tight the divider. swans painting

    ReplyDelete
  7. It can be possible that sketches are not exactly accurate in dimension or looks with respect to the original object. At times it can be debated that it is an inappropriate way to show the ideas by an artist. Portrait malen lassen

    ReplyDelete
  8. Vielen Dank für diesen netten Beitrag. Wenn Sie diese Art von Service benötigen, klicken Sie einfach hier Portrait malen lassen

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hey, vielen Dank für deinen netten Beitrag! Wenn du Interesse an einem Portrait hast, kannst du gerne hier klicken, um mehr Informationen zu erhalten und den Service in Anspruch zu nehmen. Wir bieten auch einen Express-Service an, mit dem du dein Porträt innerhalb von 7 Tagen erhalten kannst. Schau gerne auf unserer Webseite vorbei: Portrait Zeichnen Lassen.

    ReplyDelete