Category: Europe
Urban Sketches at Afternoon Tea, the Steering Alignment Garage, and on the Boardwalk (Day 82, 83, and 84)
Day 82, 83, and 84 of sketching people at the cafe, garage, and on the boardwalk. Not a huge output, but took the opportunity of sketching in the cracks of life. Making the most of time I spent waiting around. Better than doom-scrolling.
Urban Sketch of my MIL resting on the couch (Day 81)
Day 81 of sketching people in ink and watercolour. A detailed sketch of my MIL relaxing on the couch.
Urban Sketching People at the Railway Station and on the Train (Day 79 and 80)
Day 79 and 80 of sketching people. Urban Sketching people during my train journeys around the UK. I sketched at Kings Cross, Doncaster, and Hull, on the train, and at the cafe. Experimented with some limited palette compositions.
Urban Sketching People and Statues in London (Day 76, 77, and 78)
Day 76, 77, and 78 of sketching people. Urban Sketching people and statues I encountered in London, and sketching the audience at the Royal Albert Hall during a concert. Merging colour and monochromatic sketches to increase the focal point, add depth, and simplify the composition.
Urban Sketching People at the Airport and on the Plane (Day 75)
Day 75 of sketching people. Urban Sketching people in the departures long of Faro Airport, and on the plane from the front row – so lots of toilet queue sketches. Experimenting with different compositions using an outlined oblong shape in the background to tie people and objects together on an A6 page layout.
Urban Sketching People at the Cafe (Day 72)
Day 72 of sketching people. Urban Sketching people at the cafe at the end of the street. Playing around with compositions to leave enough negative space so my sketches can breathe. Also added text, social commentary, and overheard conversations to turn these urban sketches into reportage.
Urban Sketching People at Cafes and a Mobile Screening Unit (Day 71)
Day 71 of sketching people. A morning urban sketching people at cafes and a mobile screening unit in Tavira. Experimenting with different backgrounds and page layout compositions.
Urban Sketching Day out to Ayamonte Spain to Sketch the Town and it’s People (Day 69)
Day 69 of sketching people. Traveled to Ayamonte Spain for a day of urban sketching. I sketched people at the cafe, a few buildings and an iconic statue in the square in old town. My watercolour pencils saved the day, and I used this day trip to experiment with page layout ideas and using spot colour for areas of focal point.
Quick Urban Sketches at the Cafe (Day 68)
Day 68 of sketching people. Urban Sketching at a local cafe at the end of the street. Combining people sitting in different parts of the cafe together at a table, and experimenting with compositions for a reportage post.
Urban Sketching People at Tavira Plaza (Day 66 part 2)
Day 66 of sketching people. Urban Sketching afternoon at the Tavira Plaza to capture people in ink and watercolour. Experimented with a V-shaped Composition, tonal shading with a spot colour background, and creating depth with desaturated colours.
Pétanque and Café urban sketches of People on Shrove Tuesday (Day 61)
Day 61 of sketching people. Urban Sketching at a cafe, I used a comparison between objects to build a composition and plan the story I want my sketches to tell. Then Urban Sketching at a Pétanque game, where I had to rely on capturing a scene that developed organically into a pleasing composition. On this sketch I also used a collage element to fill some negative space.
Sketching People with Urban Sketchers Algarve at the Tavira Municipal Museum (Day 58)
Day 58 of sketching people in ink and watercolour. A visit to the Tavira Municipal Museum with the Urban Sketchers Algarve chapter of the Urban Sketchers Org. A warm-up sketch of Tavira rooftops and washing line, and while other sketchers were sketching the Tile Exhibition, I focused on sketching my fellow sketchers.
Urban Sketching People at the Tavira Saturday Market (Day 47)
Day 47 of sketching people, a busy day at the Tavira second hand market, municipal market, and at a nearby café. Also sketched my uber driver going there and coming back. Different people sketching styles, and some interesting perspectives and colour choices.
Urban Sketches of People at Faro Airport (Day 42)
Day 42 of Sketching people in ink and watercolour. Three urban sketches capturing daily observation commentary at Faro Airport in Portugal. Experimenting with reportage by adding text to two of the sketches, and a short poem about my urban sketching experience at the airport.
Day 36 of 365 Days of Sketching People in Ink and Watercolour Challenge
Day 36 of sketching people. This sketch is from a photo I took of the water taxi ride from Cabanas Beach to the mainland. I used a continuous line style, and evaluated how I could add more depth to this sketch with colour and line variation.
Day 32 of 365 Days of Sketching People in Ink and Watercolour Challenge
Day 32 of sketching people. Out and about at Tavira Market, in search of sketching shoppers with dynamic poses. I urban sketched in Pencil and then added ink and watercolour later.
Day 28 of 365 Days of Sketching People in Ink and Watercolour Challenge
Day 28 of sketching people in ink and watercolour. Today was an urban sketching session at the Tavira Plaza Mall, where I spent a couple of hours in the Food Hall sketching and painting diners.
Sketching People from Photos and Speed Sketching with Drawing is Free (Day 14)
Day Fourteen of a 365-day people sketch challenge, exploring colour combinations and personal interpretations rather than exact replicas of reality. Plus sketches inspired by photos from Cordoba with dynamic focal points, and a speed sketching event.
Day 10-13 of 365 Days of Sketching People in Ink and Watercolour Challenge
In my ongoing 365 Day Challenge, I sketched during a trip to Córdoba, Spain. I sketched from photos. I explored different sketching styles, balancing detailed and loose, based on the urgency of the situation.
Open Mic Event in Tavira
Sketch of participants a the Open Mic Event in Tavira for the 2025 Festa dos Anos de Alvaro de Campos, where I performed a poem in Portuguese and English.
Urban Sketching at the Vila Real Santo António Fair
A day out at the Vila Real beach fair to sketch people, and using it to learn what art tools I actually need in my urban sketching kit.
Page Layout Experimentation for Urban Sketching People
Some ideas and inspiration for creating interesting sketchbook page layouts when urban sketching people.
Tips for Sketching Bougainvillea in Ink and Watercolour
My practice sketches for creating ink and wash bougainvillea in vibrant watercolour.
Urban Sketching while Traveling
Travel Urban Sketching at Lisbon Airport and a scene from my hotel window in Istanbul. Pen and Ink sketches.




