Stephanie Bower - The World of Urban Sketching: Celebrating the Evolution of Drawing and Painting on Location Around the Globe - New Inspirations to See Your World One Sketch at a Time

Sandrine Laperche | France

The Night of the Fire
Also in tears, Sandrine could see the flames from her kitchen roof window.

11.7 x 8.3 | 29.7 x 21 cm; Platinum Carbon fountain pen, black Platinum Carbon ink cartridges, St Petersburg White Nights watercolors, Raphal Petit-Gris Pur brush N8 (803), Canson Montval 140lb/300gsm Cold Press watercolor paper; 10 minutes

Looking at this sketch of Notre-Dames dramatic interior triggers a flood of memories. Sure, I can recall the soaring spaces and gothic architecture, but I can also hear the music of the Mass, the quiet whisper of people around me, even feel the cool air. You see, to create a sketch, you have to be so focused and look so closely at what youre drawing that not just the subject, but the entire experience imprints onto your brain. In sketching Notre-Dame one rainy day in 2013, it had become part of my DNA. As the building burned, I was crying because I was losing a dear friend, one that I had gotten to know very well.

I hear stories like this from sketchers all over the world. Sketching is powerful because its not about creating a perfect piece of art, its about documenting an experience. Whether youre sketching a famous landmark or the barista who made your latte in your neighborhood cafor even documenting the mess in your basement during a global pandemicall are snapshots of our lives that hold a profound personal meaning. In sketching, you are creating a record of your life.

In essence, sketching is all about connections. When you draw on location, you connect with that place and time and learn about the things you see and experience. Sketching taps into your creative side and produces art that reflects your unique point of view and story. When sketching, you experience a sort of flow that calms your mind and lifts your spirits. And when you sketch with others, you share a common connection as part of a larger, supportive family, both in person and online. Sketching has the power to change lives.

In the twelve months spent writing this book during the pandemic isolation, I combed the world online to discover the best work from a wide variety of sketchers. Sometimes, Id cold-call sketchers as far away as Bhutan or Madagascar via Instagram or Facebook, hoping they might send examples of their favorite sketches, which, thankfully, they did. What I didnt expect is that with each click to open their replies, Id literally gasp, fall off my chair, or jump for joy. Their work was stunning.

From around the globe, these sketchers give us glimpses into their lives so that we can walk in their shoes and see through their eyesso important in todays world. The work they share is so absolutely extraordinary and beautiful, their stories so amazing, it inspired me every day. My hope is that with each turn of the page, you, too, will experience the same surprise, wonder, and inspiration that I feltand still feelas the world of urban sketching is truly amazing.

Stephanie Bower

Seattle, USA

INTRODUCTION

Ten years ago when Gabriel Campanario, the founder of Urban Sketchers, wrote The Art of Urban Sketching he probably never imagined that he was launching what would become a global phenomenon. Indeed, in only a short decade The Art of Urban Sketching has evolved and spread to become The World of Urban Sketching!

Mark Alan Anderson | USA

Signs

5 x 5 |12.7 x 12.7 cm; uni-ball Vision pen, Pitt Big Brush marker, Canson 180 sketchbook, photographed using an iPhone and then additional fill shapes and lines added in Procreate in situ using an Apple Pencil and iPad, cropped in Snapseed; 1 hour

So, what IS urban sketching?

Quite simply, its recording moments of everyday life by drawing or painting from direct observation. Just look at the hundreds of thousands of sketchers around the globe on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube, and youll see that there is a vast and passionate community out there. All these folksacross all ages, nationalities, and walks of lifesketch live and on-location, capturing their experiences in a sort of visual diary.

Then, what is Urban Sketchers?

Urban Sketchers is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization that started when Gabi created an online forum on Flickr in 2007. Its grown from a handful of people to more than 350 official chapters in over 70 countries. Its home is www.urbansketchers.org where work from around the globe is featured. USk offers everything from opportunities to sketch together, sharing work both in-person and online, to workshops, live online talks, annual symposiums, and much more. Just about all the artists in this book actively participate in these groups and when they post online, they tag #urbansketchers and #usk, telling us that the sketch was done on-location. The World of Urban Sketching encompasses both urban sketchers and the supporting efforts of the Urban Sketchers organization.

THE URBAN SKETCHERS MANIFESTO

Manifesto sounds a little intense, so think of these as general guidelines and principles that unify the intent of the global Urban Sketchers community. And dont let the word urban throw you off... you dont have to only draw cities! Landscapes, people, and even food can be urban sketches too.

1. We draw on location, indoors or out, capturing what we see from direct observation.

The key words here are on location. If you go to www.urbansketchers.org or see the tag #urbansketchers or #usk, youll see a sketch done in the real world, not from a photo, computer view, imagination, set up still lifes, or in a studio. Urban Sketchers are encouraged to explore and see their world better by drawing it.

2. Our drawings tell the story of our surroundings, the places we live and where we travel.

Urban Sketchers are visual reporters, your sketch should tell a story about your experience, no matter where you are.

3. Our drawings are a record of time and place.