Sketch Your World: Essential Techniques for Drawing on Location

by James Hobbs

Discover the Joy of Working on Location!Breathe the air and hear the sounds, and experience the freshness and energy that working on location brings to your work...a quality that says "I was here." And transports your viewer there, too.

In "Sketch Your World," top artists take you back to the scene--be it a bustling cafe, town square, or quiet park--to share the subjects that caught their eye and how they captured them on paper.


Showcases the work and approaches of more than 20 contemporary urban artists.
Covers topics such as how to hone observation skills, sketch moving subjects, and convey a sense of atmosphere.
Features a range of media, from pencil to watercolor.
Explores a variety of techniques, including ways to work with digital tools such as tablets and smart pens.
Uncover the fun and excitement of drawing on location while filling your sketchbook with buildings, people and scenes. The creative possibilities are as unlimited as the world around you!

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Drawing, How To, Reference

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 2, 2014

About the author

James Hobbs lives in Stoke Newington, north London. He went to Winchester School of Art, lived in a camper van for six months as he drew his way around England, worked at magazines and newspapers, and didn't stop drawing. He's written three books: Sketch Your World (2014), Dream, Draw, Design My Garden (2015) and Pen and Ink (2016).

Reviews

[Elizabeth A · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had such fun dipping in and out of this book the past couple of weeks. It is chock-full of inspiration, ideas, and tips for people interested in sketching - with an emphasis on sketching outdoors. The chapters are themed by location with examples of sketchbook pages and materials used. I'd recommend it to anyone who keeps a sketchbook or wants to start doing so.

[Bambi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is beautiful to look at and great inspiration for anyone who loves urban sketching, but is very light on the "essential techniques for drawing" part of the title. It does have some interesting websites listed in the final chapter, as well as a directory of the artists that are included in the book, but overall, I didn't find this book very useful. It's perhaps more useful for people who already sketch in the wild and just want to see what materials and techniques other artists use.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am giving this a 4 star rating because it is a well presented collection of sketches from artists who enjoy drawing out of doors, in cafes, or in public buildings. I am not giving it a four star rating for its instruction on how to sketch. That part is a little, well, sketchy. I think this book is aimed at readers who already draw or have the inclination to do so, already. The sketches are numerous and varied in style. Some are urban, some are rural, some are of the human form. Many are hastily drawn in a matter of seconds or minutes, and the author is certainly encouraging rapid, spontaneous drawing while on site, perhaps while waiting for transportation. Others are more painterly or detailed. The purpose seems to encourage artists to draw frequently and habitually, and to get outside and experience the energy and freshness that working en plein air provides. There are examples of perspective and architectural drawings, contrasted with some very primitive fast sketches. I think some of the illustrations are chosen as examples of how to draw rapidly moving objects or to convey a sense of atmosphere. There is little instruction in how to draw...mostly inspiration to get out there and make a mark.

[Kevin de Ataíde · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book that should be more about sketching your city than world, because it seems mostly aimed at city-dwellers. I much enjoyed running through the pictures and I did think that for a book of this sort, aimed at encouraging the habit of recording memories in sketchbooks, that there was a little too much text. A lot of the text is also quite pretentious about quick sketches and compositions in the way that books of modern art so often are. But the principle is a good one and I much like the associated website and groups coming under the umbrella name of Urban Sketchers (http://www.urbansketchers.org/).

[PJ Ebbrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised by this book, having read a lot of drawing books. I found this one with some good ideas and also links. It is concise, but took short. It has some great pieces and useful ideas.

[Sarah Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

a lot of helpful insight. It was very easy to follow, and gave good examples. I enjoyed and learned a fair amount.

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sketch Your World: Drawing Techniques for Great Results on the Go, James Hobbs presents different aspects of sketching including different mediums, black & white versus colour and different environments including people, places, storytelling, etc. He gives some tips on how to approach en plein sketching. The big strength of the book is that he covers lots of topics and includes examples of sketches by over 60 different international urban artists with different styles and interests. Plenty to look at and ponder. However, it does mean he doesn't give any one area and in-depth treatment and it one can get lost among the sheer volume of art works. Sketch Your World: Drawing Techniques is a book to return to for inspiration and ideas and to garner the courage to go out and just begin sketching.

[Parliament · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don't enjoy leaving one-star, but had to do that. I have to think in terms of, "If I paid full retail price at 24 bucks, would I be remotely rewarded for it" and the answer being, well, this book is like an introductory Youtube video or two minute library seminar. It should honestly cost nothing, because it reads like someone visiting your class, "You can draw on a train, you can draw on a plane"
It is very vague and more interested in encouraging us to draw than it is in giving experienced knowledge. I want James Hobbs to rewrite this one. I love the concept, and the emphasis on city sketches, so please James Hobbs, rewrite and I will buy. Tell me how to train my hand to be steady when something one-of-a-kind sweeps by. Give me deep tips and I will pay.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Hobbs has written a charming book about sketching, complete with some fun pictures from various contributors, including the author himself. It contains some useful tips about getting started in sketching, using traditional and digital media an if you are so inclined it has some tips for sharing and promoting your work online. It also lists some useful resources beyond this book at the end. I feel grateful to the author because his book, even if it is not explicitly stated in it, shows through the drawings within that to make sketching a daily habit that you do not need to be a master of art. Just ignore your inner critic, stop worrying about the results and just go for it. What you produce may end up being a masterpiece or could be so leftfield of what can be considered by many as good art that it will still be so very much worthwhile.
This book was such an inspiration and motivator for met to get back into regular drawing without having fear of making "bad" art, it was a great muse. I'm glad to have read it.

[gisela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this book. I loved all the examples and testimonies and I felt like the advice given was broad and practical enough for anyone genuinely interested in improving their location sketching skills.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for ideas and inspiration, but not for instruction.