Posted by Submission
https://urbansketchers.org/2025/09/23/log-of-a-path-to-urban-sketching-version-english/
https://urbansketchers.org/es/?p=57568
My name is José María, and I’ve been making urban sketches for over a year. I’ve always had a tentative interpretation of reality through an anti-naturalistic art. So, later than ever, I took the initiative to bring my watercolors and a pen to begin an artistic practice known as urban sketching. I think I’m right when I say it was one of the most treasured experiences of my life as an art student.
I want to show you a compilation of some of my small works, the most important since I started doing this, accompanied by brief comments and impressions to contextualize my initial progress in these sketches. These excerpts, as you can see, are part of a personal and artistic log. Hence the simple reason for the title of this post.
Skatepark Tacna
(September 18, 2022)
“(…) It’s become common to go out to squares or parks and do a quick drawing and painting exercise. You could say it’s a very light and arbitrary variation, essentially, on the in situ method; I recently learned that this activity is known as “Urban Sketching.” Aside from that ignorance, it’s great and relieving to know that there are artists who practice simple urban drawing, and with a professionalism that simply leaves me quite amazed. Although, well, the first thing doesn’t surprise me. At times, it’s healing to make these brief sketches when you can’t bear the sincere longing for hope.
I find watercolor to be a very difficult technique to master…”
Plaza Jorge Chávez
(October 21, 2022)
“(…) I’ve noticed some improvement with my watercolor work. Or at least for a few moments, I felt confident in a style and a mastery of the technique, which could become my own in the future.”
Plaza Mac-Lean
(February 28, 2023)
“I wanted to capture the warm feeling of sunset in this exercise. But I couldn’t do much with the rich manifestation of those colors in the sky, covered by the familiar modern infrastructure; however, I don’t think I was that clumsy. I liked it.”
Plaza Yolanda Contreras Viuda de Cáceres
(March 24, 2023)
“(…) As a child, I would pass by certain places, and for some reason they seemed foreign to me. This at least increased my subtle visual explorations of them. Who would have thought that in later years I would frequently encounter these nostalgic contemplations? This means I walk a lot, and that’s not convenient when I only want to practice for 25 or 30 minutes. At the same time, a small goal has emerged, indirectly: to paint all the streets of the city.
For now, that is far from being achieved, not to mention that at some point it will be necessary to repaint some places. And that number may increase, depending on the progress I’ve made in my mastery of watercolor and the reliability of my strokes.”
Alameda Bolognesi
(April 21, 2023)
“(…) At one point, I had to draw one of my city’s iconic streets. The question was where to position myself to fragment that deep perspective and, above all, how to simplify the entire environment. It was a somewhat difficult exercise, but only due to shyness and lack of experience.”
Plaza Juan Pablo II
(May 3, 2023)
“In urban drawing, certain markers are used for drawing, along with other materials that, in some way, facilitate the process and the final result. For my taste, it seems excessive. And this isn’t an external criticism, but rather a self-criticism that reveals the limitations I accept in these practices. Ultimately, I can’t say I’m very careful in these spontaneous sketches.
On this occasion, I decided to use a marker for the drawing. And I don’t think I noticed a significant difference. But, if I have to comment on something, I appreciate the absence of the risk of excess ink that sometimes occurs with ballpoint pens.”
Museo de Calientes
(November 17, 2023)
“This has to be one of my best sketches of the year; everything seems so precise. The color palette made it easier to work on the commonly used cardboard. It’s not ideal for watercolors, and there were times when I felt dissatisfied with the paper’s behavior. But I think this, like other difficulties I sometimes experience, has allowed me to gradually forget my shyness when painting and prioritize my emotions. As a result, I’ve enjoyed a kind of ephemeral choreography of my brushstrokes.
Although I’m patient, I’m a bit lazy about making reasonable-sized paintings. Perhaps that’s because, unfortunately, I haven’t yet found a true purpose for devoting myself to the process of artistic creation. In the meantime, I enjoy urban sketches, as they provide the perfect opportunity to simply perceive my world.”
Short biography:
José María is an art teacher. He has lived in Tacna, Peru, since childhood.
You can see more of José María’s sketches. aquí:https://www.instagram.com/thesketcher_art23?igsh=MTR1djZpYTNjeGdsMA==
The post Log of a path to urban sketching (version english) appeared first on Urban Sketchers.
https://urbansketchers.org/2025/09/23/log-of-a-path-to-urban-sketching-version-english/
https://urbansketchers.org/es/?p=57568
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