Philip Gill

I was originally a journalist and writer who developed an abiding passion for architecture and architectural history, and in that pursuit started sketching, drawing and drafting classical architecture. I also got involved with Urban Sketchers in my old hometown of San Diego, Calif., though a hectic work schedule left me little time to pursue my passion. Upon retiring last summer I moved to Granada, Nicaragua, a 500-year-old Spanish Colonial city with a vibrant food and art scene. Inspired by my surroundings, I started sketching again and teaching myself watercolors to render my drawings. I think I’m doing pretty well with watercolors from what I’ve seen and read, but I also thought it time to take a more formal approach to my watercolors. I can pretty much draw any building, the more classical architectural details the better, but it’s adding city life to my drawings—people, cars, and so on—that I find to be my current biggest challenge.