Description

When we deconstruct a scene to begin drawing, how much information—light, shadows, colors, shapes—should we include? Urban sketchers often feel overwhelmed by busy locations, thinking they must capture every detail. This anxiety and hesitation can lead to unfinished sketches or, worse still, no sketching at all! This workshop helps sketchers overcome this obstacle by using their natural curiosity to prioritize what interests them most, enabling them to start quickly and finish on time.

We achieve this by constructing a spiral of attention on the page. Starting at our point of highest interest—our initial drawing inspiration—we work outward in a spiral, addressing elements of decreasing importance. The more curious we are about something, the more time and attention we give it; the less curious we are, the fewer details we include.

Every busy scene contains elements a sketcher may want to omit, whether from lack of skill or interest. The second half of this workshop explores how to use layering to emphasize your chosen subjects while de-emphasizing less important elements.

This technique not only improves our artistic process but also enhances how others experience our work. By simplifying complex scenes into areas of varying interest, we free ourselves to follow our natural curiosity. This joyful approach is essential for maintaining a regular sketching habit. As viewers examine our work, they instinctively follow our spiral inward toward our source of inspiration. Each sketch becomes a window into the artist’s unique interests, taste and curiosity.