5 Creative Ways You Can Enjoy Urban Sketching in Winter

Finding the right place to sketch can be difficult, especially when it’s cold. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t sketch in winter. In fact, even though it might seem like a disadvantage for urban sketchers, the cold means more people sat in cafes, it means more people wearing big coats and characterful hats. Which means you have more potential sketches waiting for you indoors and out! Let’s take a look at some creative ways you can enjoy sketching in the city in any season of the year.

Walk to your Favourite Sketching Spot

Let’s face it: sometimes we just don’t have the energy to sketch for hours - no problem in Winter, when sketching for hours would also leave us frozen. 

What if we harness the power of movement and sketching on the go? There are plenty of opportunities for this in the city, from parks to pavements. When you’re out walking, take a sketchbook and pencil with you. You don’t have to be illustrating the buildings or people around you, you needn't even craft a full scene - the surroundings can be your subject. 

If you’re sketching on a walk, you can draw the buildings, trees, signs, etc. that you see. Do 30second studies of people, and practice your quick thumbnail sketches.

You’ll also want to keep an eye out for other sketchesites. When you find something that catches your eye, make a note of the location so you can return there when it's warmer. 

You don’t have to sketch on every walk - sometimes a walk is just a walk - but you do want to make an effort to sketch when you can. And if you’re sketched out, you can sketch during the walk too!

Draw People

If you’re feeling optimistic, you can always try to draw other urban sketchers. Most cities have sketch groups or meetups, and you can usually find out about these online or in local press. If you don’t know anyone else in the city, you can still sketch people! 

Look beyond the details and try drawing some of the more emotive aspects of someone’s face, such as their eyes, mouth, or even posture. 

You don’t have to draw the person entirely - you can draw the face and focus on other features, like their clothing or pose. Try drawing people with different poses, including ones that are more relaxed, and more intimate poses, like couples or two people hugging.

Do some 'Virtual Urban Sketching'

Urban sketching is, traditionally, an outside hobby - or one done on location. But there is nothing wrong with urban sketching at home.

That might mean sketching your lounge, your garden, your family.

OR...

It might mean virtual urban sketching.

Use your walk to take some photos, instead of sitting to sketch. Or use those thumbnail sketches and sit cosy at home in the warmth fleshing them out into fully worked pieces.

You could also go travelling with google street view - pick a town or city, find a great view and urban sketch from the comfort of your sofa.

Go on a Museum Trip - Find an Object to Sketch

With a little bit of research and imagination, you can find a whole host of objects to sketch. 

Many cities have historical architecture or monuments that can easily be viewed from a lovely warm cafe, or even from the interior of the monument itself.

A brilliant example of this is going to a museum - sketch the statues there, or an exhibit your find particularly interesting.

If you want to try something different, though, you can find objects that are more unusual, like animals, plants, or even costumes from events. You can also find sculptures and monuments that feature interesting architecture, like the Pyramidal Sculpture in Paris.

Turn an Event into a Sketching Opportunity

If you’re lucky enough to be in a city with a large festival or event, you can try to find a way to sketch it. For example, you can sketch the crowd or the performers at a music festival. If you’re at a sporting event, you can try to find a vantage point from which you can sketch the field. You can also try to find an unusual piece of public art or architecture that is at the event, and sketch that instead. If you’re at a festival that draws in a large number of people, you might also be able to find some interesting sketchers to sketch.

With all the energy and people at events, you'll find yourself warming up in no time!

Conclusion

Sketching can be a fun and rewarding hobby for anyone with a pen or pencil, paper, and some creativity. Whether you’re looking to sketch beautiful landscapes or urban environments, there are plenty of ways to enjoy urban sketching in any season of the year. With a little bit of creativity and effort, you can find plenty of sketching opportunities in any town or city. Now that you know how to enjoy urban sketching in winter, you can also enjoy sketching in the spring, summer, and fall as well. Each season offers unique sketching opportunities that can add a different perspective to your sketching. If you’re able to enjoy urban sketches in all four seasons, you’ll have a new hobby to keep you busy no matter what the weather!