Urbansketching transforms how you see the world—but starting can feel intimidating. Here’s how to build a sustainable practice and embrace the beautiful chaos of plein air work.
Start Small, Stay Consistent
The secret to a sketchbook habit? Stop aiming for perfection and focus on showing up.
Quick wins to get started:
- Begin with 10-15 minutes, 2-3 times per week
- Attach sketching to existing habits (morning coffee, lunch breaks)
- Keep your sketchbook visible and accessible—not hidden in a drawer
- Sketch anything: your houseplant, coffee cup, or window view
Making the Transition Outdoors
Ready to take it outside? Start comfortable, then expand.
First outdoor locations:
- Your own garden or balcony
- A quiet corner of a familiar park
- A regular café where you feel at ease
- Find urbansketchers near you, or like minded people to go sketching together
Essential mindset shift: Outdoor sketches capture moments, not museum-quality studies. The wind adds wobbles, the light shifts, people walk by—that’s the beauty of it.
Your Minimal Outdoor Kit
Pack light so you actually go:
- Small sketchbook (A5 or smaller works great, but bigger can be great as well)
- Small portable watercolor palette (I like the aluminium Arttoolkit palettes)
- A few pencils or pens
- Water bottle (drinking + painting)
- Colored pencils for final touches
Quick Outdoor Sketching Tips
- Let watercolor do its magic with splashes and granulation
- Add bold shadows: Strong, confident marks give structure – use any color you like. It doesn’t have to be realistic
- Embrace happy accidents: Drips, blooms, and unexpected textures add character ✓ Colored pencil = secret weapon: Use it to add final details, depth, and bright touches
- Choose subjects you love: Passion matters more than “impressive” views
- Trust your instincts: Work fast, capture essence over details: sketch what YOU find interesting
- Layer colored pencil details to guide the eye and add extra colored playfulness
This creates sketches with personality—far more interesting than carefully controlled studies.
Join Me in Toulouse!
Join the International Urbansketchers Symposium in Toulouse and be inspired by the creative vibe of people coming to sketch together from all over the world!
I’ll be demonstrating this layered architectural sketching approach at the 2026 Urban Sketchers Symposium in Toulouse, showing how granulation, splashes, and colored pencil bring those gorgeous pink buildings to life. Perfect chance to see the process in action and ask questions!
Check out the full symposium program here: Toulouse Symposium Program
Why It’s Worth It
Your outdoor sketchbook becomes a visual diary—not just of places, but of moments. The temperature, the sounds, how the light felt. These sketches hold memories that photos never quite capture.
Plus, you’ll sharpen your observation skills, learn to work decisively, and connect more deeply with wherever you are. You’ll start noticing architectural details, seasonal shifts, and light patterns you’d otherwise miss.
Your Next Step
Grab your sketchbook, pick a comfortable spot, and give yourself 20 minutes. Your sketch doesn’t need to be perfect—it just needs to be yours. The world is waiting to be drawn.
What’s your biggest challenge with outdoor sketching? Share in the comments—I’d love to hear about your practice!
