20130908 - Urban Sketching

NC State Fairgrounds (Source Photo)

In addition to courtroom sketchers, there are many artists that try to capture life as it is lived. They capture the "urban landscape". These are the Urban Sketchers. They provide a great example of what pen & ink drawing / painting can do.

The Urban Sketchers manifesto states:

• We draw on location, indoors or out, capturing what we see from direct observation.
• Our drawings tell the story of our surroundings, the places we live and where we travel.
• Our drawings are a record of time and place.
• We are truthful to the scenes we witness.
• We use any kind of media and cherish our individual styles.
• We support each other and draw together.
• We share our drawings online.
• We show the world, one drawing at a time.

NC State Fairgrounds (Canson)

So, I decided to try my hand at this style of sketching / painting. To do this, I will use various photographs that my wife and I took over the years. These source photographs will teach me how to sketch and capture the essence of a scene. For example, the drawing above of the NC State Fairgrounds provides a good reference photograph. Understand that for a while, I will simplify the scenes that I wish to sketch. But as my skill progresses, I will try to accurately represent what I see in the photographs in my sketches.

One thing to note is that it is important to use the right sketchbook for this type of sketching. It requires the ability of the material to handle both pen & ink and watercolor. It needs to not absorb the watercolor too quickly. It needs to be able to handle scrubbing and not dissolve into a pulpy mess.

NC State Fairgrounds (Rhodia)

I have a Canson Universal Sketchbook that I've been using. While it does quite well for pen & ink, it tends to buckle severely when I add water. Plus, color that I place onto the paper seems to be pretty muted. It is not ideal. I will continue to use it. But I probably won't use it for urban sketching.

I also have Rhodia paper. It's a great paper for jotting notes and even capturing some simple sketches. Unlike the Canson paper, it does a better job of presenting the colors. Colors are fairly vibrant. The Rhodia paper does not absorb water as quickly. But it still tends to buckle when water is added. I will continue to use it for jotting notes and some quick sketches.

NC State Fairgrounds
(Stillman & Birn Zeta Series)

Another sketch book that I have is the Strathmore Visual Journal. Since this particular one is designed primarily for watercolor (and uses 140lb, cold press paper), it's not ideal for pen & ink. The paper will tend to absorb the ink too quickly. So, I'll use it for watercolor sketches (without the pen & ink portion).

Finally, I decided to purchase a Stillman & Birn Zeta Series Sketchbook. This sketchbook is 180lb natural white with a smooth surface. It's ideal for mixed media, including pen & ink and watercolor. The paper tends to buckle a little if you really saturate it. But the color it presents is very vibrant. This is the sketchbook that I will use for urban sketching.