Creating an Urban Sketch of Monterey, CA
Here's my process for drawing Cannery Row in a new cartoon journal.
One Photo From Your Phone Can Become a Piece of Art
As a family, we enjoyed visiting the Monterey, CA, coast, running around on the beach, and dodging the tourist crowds at Cannery Row near the aquarium.
It was too busy there to take out my cartoon journal and draw on site. Spending time with my wife and daughter was my main goal, so I took photos to draw from later.
Here’s the one I used for this sketch.
I know it’s not officially an Urban Sketch if you’re not outside, drawing in the location, but I like to think that visiting the area in real life counts. You know and experience the energy and life of the place you’re drawing (even if it’s from a photo), and that can come through in your sketch.
Using my new Etchr Sketchbook at a 6”x6” size, it works well for drawing, mixed media, and painting at a small size.
I wanted to try opening it up flat and using both sides for a long sketch.
Where to Start Sketching?
When I urban sketch, figuring out where to start is an important decision.
Typically, I begin by drawing with a pen rather than a pencil, so I can’t erase. Look at your location, or photo, and see if there’s a focal point or feature you’d like everything to revolve around.
For this one, the bridge in the center connects everything and acts as an anchor for both sides of the street. I started there, but didn’t leave enough space to write all of the Cannery Row Company sign. No worries! I shortened it and kept moving.
All the details in your sketch will not look exactly like the actual image or place, and that’s okay. Give yourself the freedom to interpret when necessary.
Remember, this is my way of creating this image. You could take my photo above and choose an alternative approach. There are times when I start at the top of the page or image and draw downward, or do the opposite, drawing upward from details at the bottom.
When you’re urban sketching, it’s essential to move relatively quickly.
No long pauses trying to figure things out. It will feel like scribbling at times or throwing your lines on the page to give motion and energy—but that’s what you want.
Even when sketching people walking on the street, pencil in dark silhouettes with a general human shape. Making one leg longer than another helps it look like they’re walking. Cars can be scribbled, too!
After the details are sketched in, you have to decide when to stop. With a pen, you’re adding hatching lines and cross-hatching for shadows and details, but you can get carried away. Move on to color when you feel you’ve filled the page adequately enough.
Color With Care
I used a small Watercolor Set by Winsor and Newton for painting details. The nightmare happened as soon as my brush hit the paper; the black ink from the pens started to run. I thought the thin Sharpie I used was water resistant, but nope!
Even though I was unhappy with black ink spreading, I continued as best I could to finish the entire image. Then, to top it all off, and help things a bit, I used a marker for some of the orange on the hotel and a whiteout marker for highlights and white lines.
All in all, it came out looking pretty decent.
Try taking some photos while you’re out on a walk or visiting a new area on vacation, and see if you can create an urban sketch in your cartoon journal later.
Good luck, have fun, and let me know how it goes in the comments!
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Love this, Khalid! Thanks for sharing.
I like how the colors you used made it richer.