Is Urban Sketching the same as plein air painting? Or drawing? Or painting?
These questions have come up many times when I tell people that I’m on the Saugerties Artists Studio Tour this year and that I do Urban Sketching.
The Saugerties Artists Studio Tour is held every year, always the second week in August in Saugerties, NY. This year is the 22nd anniversary of the Tour. Artists with many different types of media are on the Tour. They open their studios to the public that weekend, so people can see where the art is created and talk to the artists.
Before the Tour, there’s a show at The Barn (part of the Saugerties Historical Society) where a number of the artists display their work. There are artists on the tour who create in many types of media. I decided to be on the Tour because I love Urban Sketching, and I thought there were people who may not know what it is. I love to introduce new things and new ideas. Sure enough, there were people who weren’t familiar with Urban Sketching.
I created a framed piece for the Barn Show that shows the difference between drawing, painting and sketching. It shows 1) a pencil drawing of 3 shells that I did some time ago when I was concentrating and learning drawing, 2) a watercolor painting I did of sunflowers when I was on the Saugerties Artists Studio Tour a few years ago with watercolors, and 3) 4 sketches that I did on location (a requirement for Urban Sketching).
For me, sketching is observing and recording moments of time that you’re experiencing. Something that catches your eye. It could be people, a festival, a building, a street scene, an interesting café or coffee shop.
It’s usually done in a sketchbook rather than separate sheets of paper. You can use any materials you like – from paper and pencil, to ink, fountain pens, brush pens, markers, pastels, watercolors, and any combination. Your sketchbook is your own – you don’t have to show anyone your sketches if you don’t want to. A sketch can also be an initial observation and study of a subject that you’ll later turn into a drawing or painting.
One of the things I love about Urban Sketchers is that when we do a group sketch, we share the work we’ve done and learn from each other It’s not a critique. It’s a chance to see different styles and interpretations and learn from each other.
I think of drawing as having a different purpose. For me, drawing is studying something carefully and using pencil, charcoal and similar materials to document what’s in front of you. It’s often done in a more accurate style than sketching, often following design and composition principles. To me, it’s a more detailed style than sketching.
While watercolors and other paints are used sometimes in sketching and Urban Sketching, a painting to me is designed to be framed and on display or sold to an appreciating audience. Again, it’s a different purpose than sketching.
Remember, you don’t have to have any artistic experience to sketch and do Urban Sketching. If you do, great. If not, great. You can start sketching if you can draw a line, a circle and a square.
