Let’s Learn About Urban Sketching: A Creative Way to Capture the Essence of City Life

We love photos and souvenirs from our travels. They’re a wonderful way to bring our journey home and remind us of our adventures.

But what about getting more creative?

If you’re an artistic type, or if you’re interested in trying a clever new hobby, you might just love urban sketching!

Picture this: you’re at a little cafe enjoying an espresso and people-watching, laptop closed and phone turned over, and you’ve got a perfectly-sharpened pencil and clean pad of paper. Soak in the scenes around you and let them inspire you to draw something: it might be a couple sitting catty-corner to you, or an intricate detail of a building you find beautiful, or even a happy dog on his twice-a-day walk. It could be an abstract doodle of the hustle and bustle of the streets, a forceful illustration of the tall buildings surrounding you, or a cozy vignette that you want to capture your own way.

Urban sketching is a dynamic way to capture street scenes and city life in the pages of your journal or sketchpad. This practice is more than just drawing—it’s about experiencing and preserving the essence of a place.

What is Urban Sketching?

I’m a huge fan of “wonky” urban sketching. I know—the mission of global urban sketchers is to draw what you see, to “report” in a journalistic fashion. But, I think seeing the world in a uniquely colorful and out-of-kilter way is so much more fun! Ian Fennelly is a master of this craft, and I take his online classes, buy his books, and try, not as successfully, to harness the inner “wonk.” This sketch is of a century-old restaurant that stands on the edge of an island in Florida. It has such charm and character despite myriad tropical storms and hurricanes. The rugged, clapboard siding is faded and chipped, and the screens shade the wide walkways that surround both floors. Despite my mostly faithful rendering, it has enough lean and natural distortion as a first start.

Urban sketching is exactly what it sounds like: drawing on location in public places!

Whether you’re in a big city, a small town, or a quaint village, you can create your art with pen and ink, watercolor, colored pencils, or any other artistic medium that will help you encapsulate the spirit of your surroundings. The goal is to convey the atmosphere, architecture, and inhabitants of urban environments through art.

It’s a fantastic way for you to connect more deeply with your environment and the community. If you’re more of a solo artist, spending time outdoors and focusing on art can help you unwind and unplug—and if you’re looking for fellow creatives or some guidance and ideas, look for local sketching groups who might be meeting up while you’re in town. They’d be delighted to host you!

Related: Join a Community of Creative Minds—Artist Residencies Explained

Why You Might Love Urban Sketching

There are so many reasons to get into urban sketching! You’ll improve your drawing skills, gain a greater appreciation for the details of your environment, spend some time outdoors or in a very cool space you might have passed over otherwise, capture the essence of your travels, and can even make new friends—people are bound to be curious about what you’re working on.

If you’re a beginner, start with simple subjects and embrace your mistakes. It’s a pursuit for you to enjoy, so don’t be hard on yourself or negatively compare your drawings with someone else’s. As Professor Elemental says, “Forget about the outcome; make good art.”

And there’s no shortage of places you can go! Here are a few of our favorite destinations that could be the perfect inspiration for you:

• If you love getting lost in large cities, you can’t go wrong with New York, London, Paris, or Tokyo
• Find big cities a bit overwhelming? Well, consider Verona (Italy), Seville (Spain), or Reykjavik (Iceland)
• Just because it’s called “urban sketching” doesn’t mean you need to be in a huge city—villages like those in the Cotswolds, the Scottish Highlands, and the French countryside are perfect for capturing peaceful, idyllic scenes

And if you’re traveling outside of the city during your trip, remember to take your sketchpad to any parks, beaches, or other natural areas you’re visiting.

How to Get Started with Urban Sketching

You can get started on your urban sketching journey with just a notebook and a pencil, but if you’d like to bring more art supplies on your trip, make sure they’re portable!

We love Pentel Sharp Mechanical Drafting Pencils, Sakura Pigma Micron fine-liner pens, and Tombow’s Mono Zero erasers. Add shadow and depth to your sketches with Tombow’s Dual Brush Pen markers.

If you love using watercolor with your urban sketches, we recommend a simple Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolor Paint Set. The field kit is lightweight and pairs nicely with the Chromatek Water Brush Pens set.

If you are a fan of cunning and compact art supplies, check out Art Toolkit, a supplier of bespoke art supplies for urban and wilderness adventurers. Located in Port Townsend, WA, the Art Toolkit team offers all-in-one field kits to start your sketching adventure. These versatile and rugged kits are available in two sizes and multiple colors—and their pocket-sized watercolor palettes include a mixing surface and magnetic tray to mix and match the refillable watercolor pans.

No matter where you choose to sketch, the most important point is to enjoy the process and let your creativity flow! Urban sketching is a journey of exploration and expression that transforms everyday scenes into artistic narratives.

Recommended Supplies for Urban Sketch Artists

Traveling light but having every single pencil, yes, carbon black and color, makes urban sketching even more fun. Instead of carrying bulky heavy tin or plastic cases, use a canvas roll-up pencil case like this one. It even has spaces for erasers and pencil sharpeners. When the mood strikes me to use a pencil to sketch and color my art, I have it ready.

Books

• The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling
• How to Journal Like an Artist: A Beginner’s Guide to Keeping a Sketch Journal

Cases & Caddies

• Accurasee Sketch Caddie
• Heavy Duty Tool Bag 15-Inch, 16-Pocket Tote
• DIYOMR 24/36/72 Slots Pencil Wrap Pencil Rolls
• KOKUYO Neo Critz Pen Case, Large Size
• Loustni Collapsible Travel Cup

Sketch Pads and Journals

• U.S. Art Supply 5.5″ x 8.5″ Watercolor Book
• MEEDEN 10X7″ Cotton Watercolor Paper Block
• Scribbles That Matter A5 Dotted Journal Notebook

Pencils, Pens, and Paints

• Pentel® Sharp™ Automatic Drafting Pencils, 0.9 mm
• Derwent Inktense Pencils Tin, Set of 12
• Castle Art Supplies 72 Colored Pencils Set
• Faber Castell F110012 Polychromos Colour Pencils
• SAKURA Pigma Micron Fineliner Pens – Archival Black Ink Pens
• Uni-Ball UM 153 Signo Broad Point Gel Pen – White
• Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pen
• Hongdian 1862 Fountain Pen, Iridium Fine Nib with Ink Converter
• Uni Ball Signo Gel Ink Pens -Medium Point 1.0mm-gold & Silver & White Ink
• Tombow 56189 Dual Brush Pen Art Markers
• Derwent Push Button Waterbrush Assorted Set
• Derwent Inktense Paint 12 Pan Palette
• Kuretake Zig Watercolor System Brush2O
• Daniel Smith Watercolor: Jean Haines Master Artist Set 10 Watercolor Tubes
• Derwent Graphitint Paint 12 Pan Palette
• Derwent Inktense Paint 12 Pan Palette
• Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolor Paint Set

Renowned Urban Sketchers and Their Insights

Urban sketching has a vibrant community with artists worldwide who have significantly contributed to the field. Here are some of the world’s most popular urban sketchers, along with words from each:

Gabi Campanario: A journalist and illustrator, Gabi Campanario founded the Urban Sketchers movement. His work is known for capturing the essence of Seattle’s cityscape. He says: “Urban sketching is not only a way to document what I see, but also a way to find a connection with a place.”

Lapin: A French illustrator living in Barcelona, Lapin is known for his distinctive style and use of old accounting books as sketchbooks. His words: “Over the past 20 years, I have archived my life in sketchbooks, over 200 companions that record the people I have met and the places I have travelled. Every time I look at them, it’s a trip back in time to the exact moment I was drawing.”

Suhita Shirodkar: An artist and educator based in California, Suhita Shirodkar’s vibrant sketches capture the energy of urban life. Her process: “I love working directly from life and on location. My mobile studio setup is always on my shoulder: a bag with my art supplies.”

Marc Taro Holmes: A Canadian artist and author, Marc Taro Holmes is renowned for his urban watercolor sketches. His advice: “Artistic skills, like any rewarding activity, take time and practice to develop. You might not notice a change one day to the next; only after weeks or months can you look back and see your progress. The important thing is to enjoy the process, and keep at it.”

Liz Steel: An architect turned sketcher from Sydney, Australia, Liz Steel combines her architectural background with urban sketching to create detailed and dynamic works. Her advice: “Look for interesting compositions, focus on how edges intersection and shapes overlap. Look for interesting effects of light and shade. Try to find beauty in the ordinary.”

Ian Fennelly: An artist and urban sketcher from Liverpool, UK, Ian Fennelly was a former art teacher with a background in traditional studio painting. He discovered urban sketching in 2015 when he realized he wanted to focus more on the narrative aspect of art. His advice: “The more you look the more you see the more you understand.”

Over to you! What are your favorite ways to get creative while traveling? Share your insights, stories, and advice with the Frayed Passport community!

About the Author

Robin Van Auken, MA, RPA, is the CEO of Hands-on Heritage. She is an anthropologist and registered professional archaeologist (National 15069). She specializes in working with communities, galvanizing individuals to contribute their memories, photographs, and artifacts to develop legacy projects. Through in-depth, sensitive interviews, she learns the important stories that connect people through time and space. Robin especially enjoys the challenge of hunting for historic photographs and artifacts that highlight America’s history. As a professional archaeologist, she has directed multi-year public cultural heritage projects, working with hundreds of volunteers and educating thousands of visitors.

Featured image by Kai Oberhäuser on Unsplash; other images in article courtesy of the author.