I like to think the view chooses me. It can take time to find the perfect viewpoint, and often it depends on my mood that day. I can spend quite a lot of time walking around trying to decide what I want to draw. If I have, say, an hour for a sketch, 10 to 15 minutes might be spent deciding where to draw. What you choose to draw will then determine the best approach for the sketch—whether detailed and precise, or bold and expressive, and all the variations in between.
My recommendation is to start loosely. Do some small practice sketches (thumbnails) to get into the right frame of mind before tackling a more complex and detailed drawing. However, in practice I may often do the opposite; my first sketches are far more precise—uptight even—and it can take a while before my drawing style starts to loosen up. I may start without really knowing where the drawing is going to go. I just start somewhere in the middle of the page—the middle of the view—and then extend out.
Timing a sketch can also be really helpful. Give yourself an allotted span of time, say 20 minutes. There’s a lot of page to cover in this time. Then do a similar view, but over 45 minutes, and see how they compare. Interestingly, the extra time won’t always result in a better sketch. Location drawing is all about capturing the essence of a view, and sometimes a few strokes will do that better than a more labored drawing.
STEPHANIE BOWER
Paris: Last Day, France
The Paris sketch above is by one of my favorite urban sketchers, Stephanie Bower. I love the warm color, creamy stone, rich landscape and the subtle red highlights along the riverbank. Sky and shadows are also beautifully rendered in Stephanie’s trademark color palette. The view is bound at each end by a bridge, effectively creating a 180-degree panorama. This flattens out the image and gives equal weight across the spread by playing around with—and disregarding—perspective.
If you’re planning quite a detailed drawing, you might not want to stand for too long, so do what many urban sketchers do, and travel with a stool. Don’t be nervous about sketching in public, either—although off-putting at first, people are just genuinely curious and usually very admiring. If you don’t want the additional pressure of an audience, sit (or stand) with your back to a wall.