Ian Fennelly is an artist, specifically an urban sketcher. More precisely, he creates art in busy locations, drawing inspiration from buildings and street furniture. To learn more about him, you can click play on the video below.
Ian has always been drawn to urban environments, where people interact with the bustling spaces around them. He aims to capture the essence of people without actually drawing them, partly because they never stay still. Instead, he focuses on the spaces they occupy—the cobblestones they walk on and the windows they look through. Ian loves location drawing because it allows him to record the experience of being in a busy place.
His process typically begins with a painted wash to break up the space in front of him, establishing the broad shapes of his composition. This part of the process is very emotional, as it involves color, which affects people in unique ways. Watercolors are ideal for this stage, softening easily and creating a layering effect that allows him to build up tones and glazes.
Next, Ian works over the color with brush pens to add depth and tonal value to the image. Liner markers are then used to introduce texture and detail. This stage of the creative journey is significant because capturing the details of an urban scene requires careful observation, which brings in a deeply human element—being out on location and fully experiencing the world.
Finally, if everything goes well, the sketch is complete. During the process, Ian is often on the move, bouncing around, nipping to the toilet, or grabbing a coffee and cake. He doesn’t sit still, so his perspective may shift. If a car or van parks in front of him, he either draws through it or moves around it—either way, he immerses himself in the scene, both physically and imaginatively.
Ian’s urban sketches typically take around 2-3 hours to complete. He used to be faster, but now he notices more. The more he looks, the more he sees, and the more he understands.