Urban Sketch Blog
Tips, inspiration and stories from the world of urban sketching with artist and educator Ian Fennelly.
Seven Days of Colour, Community, and Confidence Across the Mediterranean
You don't need to travel far to find five completely different subjects. You need to know how to look.
What Makes Sketch Italy Different from Any Course We Have Done Before
Why tonal value, not hue, is the secret to sketches that actually hold together - and how three colours can do the work of fifteen.
Learn how to pick the right scene and avoid overwhelming subjects with practical urban sketching composition tips.
Wales or New York? Beginners or Quick Sketch? A friendly guide to choosing the urban sketching course that suits you.
Your high street is full of extraordinary sketching subjects hiding in plain sight. Learn how urban sketching transforms the ordinary into something gorgeous.
- 0 mins
- Blog
This article reveals why the very things that make old pubs charming - the sagging timbers, faded signs, hanging baskets, and chalkboards - are exactly what make them such forgiving and satisfying sketching subjects that are perfect for beginners.
Every building you walk past is full of signposts and junction boxes. The only difference between them is whether you have learned to tell which is which.*
One Point, Two Point and Three Point Perspective Explained
A simple guide to the rigger, flat and round brushes used in urban sketching, and how each supports washes, detail and water control.
A sketch critique helps because it shows you what you cannot easily see for yourself while you are drawing. A fresh set of eyes can spot the small adjustment that makes the whole sketch feel clearer, calmer, and more convincing.
Using just two colours and white might sound limiting, but it can transform your sketches. A limited palette helps you focus on tonal values, create better neutrals, and reduce perfectionism by simplifying your colour choices.
Learn how the Safari Sketch Course differs from Urban Zoo by placing animals within their landscapes, not in isolation.
How each workshop builds better sketching decisions through control, context, and character.
Four weeks, one plan. Outline, colour, tone, detail. Key lessons and student insights from our live sketching experience.
Using Tone, Temperature, and Visual Variety
Struggling to make time for urban sketching? Learn how even 10 minutes a week can boost confidence, build habits, and reconnect you with your creativity.
Struggling with muddy or overworked watercolours? Learn a softer watercolour brush technique inspired by Ian Fennelly and practise it step-by-step with support inside Urban Sketch+.
Gifting a sketch is not about perfection. It is about sharing time, memories, and something genuinely personal.
Follow Ian Fennelly and his students on Day 2 in Edinburgh as they sketch iconic scenes and learn to see the city with new eyes.
Courage, Companionship, and Confidence Across Five Days in Seville
Confused about what size paper to use for urban sketching? This beginner-friendly guide explains A4, A3, and A2 sizes (plus inches), with tips to help you choose the right format for your time, space, and subject.
What changes when you really start looking?
A Practical Guide to Value, Worth, Time and Materials
How To Tell, When To Use, And Why It Matters
Five Days of Colour, Friendship, and Community
Discover how to capture a person’s character in their portrait.
Discover how inspiration from other sketchers can spark your own creativity. Learn how to borrow techniques without copying, grow your urban sketching style, and find confidence through community.
Discover a simple 5-step sketching method you can use for any subject. Learn how to sketch with confidence, develop your personal style, and bring everyday scenes to life with our beginner-friendly urban sketching courses.
The Stage That Can Make or Break Your Sketch: Mastering Detail in Urban Sketching
