The Art of Urban Sketching: Drawing On Location Around The World

Description

The Art of Urban Sketching is both a comprehensive guide and a showcase of location drawings by artists around the world who draw the cities where they live and travel. Authored by the founder of the nonprofit organization Urban Sketchers (www.urbansketchers.org), this beautiful, 320-page volume explains urban sketching within the context of a long historical tradition and how it is being practiced today. With profiles of leading practitioners and discussions of the benefits of working in this art form, this inspiring book shows how one can participate and experience this creative outlet through modern-day social networks and online activity. You'll find more than 600 beautiful, contemporary illustrations, as well as artists' profiles and extended captions where these urban sketchers share their stories, how they work, sketching tips, and the tools behind each drawing. With sketches and observations from more than 50 cities in more than 30 countries, The Art of Urban Sketching offers a visually arresting, story-telling take on urban life from different cultures and artistic styles, as well as insight into various drawing techniques and mediums.

Gabriel Campanario is a staff artist at The Seattle Times and the founder of Urban Sketchers (www.urbansketchers.org), a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering the art of on-location drawing. Campanarios newspaper column, Seattle Sketcher, was awarded first place for blog writing in The Best of the West journalism contest. The blog and weekly print column, which combine location sketches and written stories, have quickly become popular in the Seattle area, where Campanario has been featured in TV and radio appearances. A native Spaniard, Campanario moved to the U.S. in 1998 and has lived near Seattle with his wife and two children since 2006. His journalism career spans two decades, working for newspapers in Barcelona, Lisbon, California, and Virginia. Campanario has a masters degree in journalism from the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain.

"Campanario founded the nonprofit organization Urban Sketchers, and this book showcases the work of over 100 artists worldwide who draw scenes from the cities where they live and travel, posting them at urbansketchers.org. The concept caught on fast, and new groups are forming around the world, connecting with each other online. Here, Campanario offers guidance on tools, techniques, the urban environment, and drawing styles, but the main strength of this book is the 500-plus full-color examples of successful sketches drawn in metropolises and towns all over the globe. VERDICT: Part travel book, part art instruction, this is a great guide to look at before (or instead of) your next vacation." - Library Journal