Makings and Musings Community

Hi everyone,

I have just uploaded the recording from last night's urban sketching class to the library. It is the first video under the Line & Wash Header Here

I thought it was such a fun session. I absolutely love urban sketching, and if you are watching the recording later and joining in at your own pace, I just want to remind you that your lines do not need to be perfect. They do not need to be straight. The whole point is simply to enjoy the moment, notice what catches your eye, and quickly put it down on paper.

There are so many different styles of urban sketching. Some people enjoy working in a very meticulous and precise way, but for me it is all about messy lines, quick splashes of colour, and capturing the feeling of being somewhere rather than creating a perfectly accurate representation of what I see.

When I look back through my sketchbooks at sketches I have made in different places, I can instantly remember being there. I can remember what I noticed, how I felt, and what was happening around me. It is a completely different kind of memory from taking a photograph. Taking the time to draw a place changes your relationship with it. You become part of the experience rather than simply recording it. I am not sure if I explained that clearly during the lesson, but I wanted to share a little more about what urban sketching means to me. It is not really about perfection. It is about observation, experience, memory, and enjoyment.

I would love to see what you create, so please do share your sketches in the community, whether they are finished or unfinished, neat or messy. I genuinely enjoy seeing all the different interpretations and approaches.

Next week we will be looking at plein air painting, taking a slightly different approach and focusing more on nature and green landscapes.

Thank you all for being part of this wonderful community. I will see you soon.

Irene x