Urban Sketching: Create Expressive Cityscapes

Each cityscape encapsulates a fleeting moment in time. From the silhouetted skyline to the bustling crowd, everything changes by the second, and sketching on location is a chance to immortalize it all on paper. Illustrator Eleanor Doughty embraced this opportunity and found her niche as an urban sketcher. Her drawings, which have been featured in publications like VICE, offer expressive portrayals of the hidden gems she uncovers during her travels.

In this online course, take your urban sketching to the next level by experimenting with mixed media. Hit the streets and illustrate a spot that inspires you, applying an intuitive approach to create evocative depictions that capture the essence and movement of a city. Invite the world to view a scene through your eyes with immersive works of art.

Start by getting to know Eleanor and discovering how she found her place in the art world as an urban illustrator. Take a look at her eclectic sources of inspiration, from films and graphic novels to the art of kintsugi.

Prepare for your adventure by choosing a location that moves you and packing the essential mediums. Experiment with watercolor to achieve organic textures before exploring other effects with water-soluble materials. Once you’ve gained an understanding of composition and perspective, create several thumbnails to identify your focal point and framing.

Head outside and let your intuition guide you as you sketch out the overall structure of your scene. Loosely apply the first few layers of watercolor to highlight the main elements and establish the overall mood. Then use dark ink to make the buildings in the foreground leap off the page with crisp linework and flesh out the secondary details in permanent marker to add hints of color and depth.

Infuse your piece with a burst of motion, harnessing the fluidity of water-soluble ink to convey the aliveness of your street scene. Fill in empty spaces with details that tell an intriguing story and top it all off by incorporating some white highlights for maximum definition and contrast.

To wrap up the course, Eleanor shares tips on how to scan and photograph your piece. Explore different ways to showcase and sell it, sharing your unique corner of the world within a lively urban illustration.

Create an expressive illustration of an urban scene using mixed media.

Anyone who wants to take their urban sketching practice to the next level.

Solid drawing skills and familiarity with watercolor are necessary.

As for materials, you need a sketchbook, a small watercolor set, and brushes, as well as any assortment of water-soluble and permanent pens, pencils, or markers.