Urban Sketching in Paris: From Color Blobs to Art

Bonjour de Paris and welcome to Draw Tip Tuesday!

In today's episode, I'm in Paris, fresh from teaching the workshop City Drawing Trip back in June. I had an amazing time and the morning I filmed this, I squeezed in a few sketches before heading home. I will share the process of one of my favorite drawings from this morning.

Walking through Paris, my eye caught the orange awnings and chimneys. I grabbed my palette and started with bright orange blobs for the awnings, chimneys, and flowers. To be sure everything fits on the page, I began with shapes and then added lines using my fountain pen.

I started with the flower details above the door, then the ledges above the awnings. As I sketched, I connected the shapes, trying to make everything fit. Making it fit meant editing out a floor or row of windows. Yes, you can do that! It's a drawing. Life is too short to count windows! It’s all about having fun and embracing the wonkiness.

I filled in the bottom with darker bits to explain the scene and added details at the top. The colors and drawing on top may not line up perfectly, but that’s the joy of it— it makes for a playful drawing. From the end result, I can tell I was having fun exploring.

I hope you found this helpful or at least fun to watch.

Materials used in this video:

• Daniel Smith watercolors

• Pentel Aquash waterbrush

• Fabriano Venezia Sketchbook 15x23cm / 6”x9”

• Sailor fude fountain pen with 55degree calligraphy nib, filled with Platinum Carbon Black ink

If you'd like to join me on one of my trips, check out this link.

Au revoir!