A step by step approach to adding tonal shading, adjusting saturation, and emphasising lines to add depth to a Toulouse street scene sketch, and create a strong focal point.

Using a sketchbook page full of overlapping people from a cafe during a recent urban sketching outing, I’ve analysed the different ways to improve the composition and layout of the sketch using thumbnail sketches. Experimenting with different layouts by adjusting focal point, increasing negative space, and creating a dynamic shape on the page, and making sure to leave space for a title.

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.

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.

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.

Day 66 of sketching people. Ink Sketches and tonal shading, with vivid spot colour added during the Pencils4tea speed sketching event on zoom, where every pose is the length of a music track.

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.

Day 48 of sketching people. Used the daily prompt from Urban Sketchers Org to sketch a couple of Toulouse-inspired sketches to minimise being overwhelmed by sketching complex buildings. Also a selection of ink sketches with tonal shading.

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.

Day 29 of sketching people in ink and watercolour, was all about not liking my first pass at Doug Jackson’s 10 minute ink challenge and the Sketching Earthworld’s Challenge. So I had a second attempt at both challenges and learnt a couple of valuable lessons about using the right pen for the job, and the value of walking away from a subject if it doesn’t inspire you.

Day 25 of sketching people and I experimented with painting tonal shapes then adding ink afterwards, and Inking figures first and adding tonal shading. Two different approaches with different results.

My sketch for Boatober 2025 Day 16 with step by step assessments for the pencil, ink, and watercolour stages.