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5-Minute Sketching -- Landscapes: Super-quick Techniques for Amazing Drawings
A comprehensive guide to quick sketching of landscapes. The interest in quick sketching is evident in the popularity of tutorial videos on YouTube. Some of the most popular are Tips to Draw Better in 6 Minutes (1.4 million views) and How to Draw Better in 2 Minutes (2.5 million views). The Urban Sketchers community has more than 86,000 Facebook fans and 10,200 Twitter followers. 5-Minute Sketching -- Landscapes is about drawing what you see, mostly in settings away from the "modern world." It's especially appropriate for travelers. There are abundant tips for new and aspiring artists which can be done in any number of locations and as often as desired. All will help to hone skills, increase speed, and help to promote a daily drawing routine. Sketchers will learn how look at a scene and deconstruct its elements quickly -- for example, see the basic shapes in natural features; locate the source of light; divide the scene into planes (e.g., close, mid, far) for accurate perspective and color values; and note landmarks that support their observations. Readers will build an instinctive focus that pays off in speed and results. Experienced artists will refresh their skills, eliminate bad habits, and discover new ways of seeing. Landscapes, of course, feature color, and this is covered in some detail and with expert guidance throughout the book. There is advice on the types of media and their uses, including washes, pencils, ink, and pastels. 5-Minute Sketching is the perfect way to focus and fine tune creative energy, but it helps to know some secrets. Every spread in the book features five expert tips plus inspiration, ideas, and examples to motivate readers short on time.
128 pages, Paperback
Published September 29, 2017
7 people are currently reading
82 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 30, 2019
Enjoyed this book. Not really for beginners as it offers a selection of “exercises” or “approaches” to specific subject. I’m a fan of this series since the books often help me think about thinking about creativity.
June 27, 2023
Starts with excellent primer on illustration techniques before specifics on landscapes.
“Quick sketching is a great antidote to perfectionism, a tendency that dogs many an artist. When you make a regular habit of quick sketching, you being to lose the feeling of disappointment or failure if your sketch isn't exactly what you planned on; you know you can just turn the page and dive in again. This is the attitude of a quick sketch: welcome each mistake and be open to every happy accident as a door to new discoveries.
… the more you sketch, the more you see.
Remember to date your sketches - it's important to keep track of your work and notice the progress!
I have a favorite tool - a pair of cardboard "Ls" - that I use an as adjustable "viewfinder."
Squint at the scene and you will see the light and dark contrasting shapes. Simplify your composition by observing what is most distinctive and important, and extracting the essence of the scene you are sketching. (…) it helps to think "large shapes first."
Let it be. Don't worry about "mistakes" as you create a quick landscape sketch. I don't recommend using an eraser (except for cleaning up the occasional smudge), or doing a lot of paint "lifting" when you're quick sketching on location, for several reasons. It's very easy to overwork a sketch, and just "letting it be" is usually the best course. Erasing lines in your sketch tends to make you second-guess yourself, and slows you down. Let all the "mistakes" be part of the process; believe it or not, that can add excitement to your sketch!
Storytelling in your sketch:
Combine scenes. A great way to expand the story is to combine vignettes on a page - a kind of montage of related scenes. Each little vignette might focus on a different part or aspect of the scene. You could combine a few close-up views of interesting details with a larger view. The way you design the page makes it interesting; sketches can be very casually composed, leaving some white space so each sketch can "breathe" but still visually related to one another.
Do the opposite. There's something very powerful about taking a pattern and doing the opposite. For example, if you notice a lack of unity in the colors you choose, try limiting your palette to merely a few well-chosen colors. Whether you mix on the palette or mix on the page, you can achieve a surprising range with just a few colors, leading to a unified sketch.”
“Quick sketching is a great antidote to perfectionism, a tendency that dogs many an artist. When you make a regular habit of quick sketching, you being to lose the feeling of disappointment or failure if your sketch isn't exactly what you planned on; you know you can just turn the page and dive in again. This is the attitude of a quick sketch: welcome each mistake and be open to every happy accident as a door to new discoveries.
… the more you sketch, the more you see.
Remember to date your sketches - it's important to keep track of your work and notice the progress!
I have a favorite tool - a pair of cardboard "Ls" - that I use an as adjustable "viewfinder."
Squint at the scene and you will see the light and dark contrasting shapes. Simplify your composition by observing what is most distinctive and important, and extracting the essence of the scene you are sketching. (…) it helps to think "large shapes first."
Let it be. Don't worry about "mistakes" as you create a quick landscape sketch. I don't recommend using an eraser (except for cleaning up the occasional smudge), or doing a lot of paint "lifting" when you're quick sketching on location, for several reasons. It's very easy to overwork a sketch, and just "letting it be" is usually the best course. Erasing lines in your sketch tends to make you second-guess yourself, and slows you down. Let all the "mistakes" be part of the process; believe it or not, that can add excitement to your sketch!
Storytelling in your sketch:
Combine scenes. A great way to expand the story is to combine vignettes on a page - a kind of montage of related scenes. Each little vignette might focus on a different part or aspect of the scene. You could combine a few close-up views of interesting details with a larger view. The way you design the page makes it interesting; sketches can be very casually composed, leaving some white space so each sketch can "breathe" but still visually related to one another.
Do the opposite. There's something very powerful about taking a pattern and doing the opposite. For example, if you notice a lack of unity in the colors you choose, try limiting your palette to merely a few well-chosen colors. Whether you mix on the palette or mix on the page, you can achieve a surprising range with just a few colors, leading to a unified sketch.”
February 28, 2018
Filled with tips on quickly capturing what's of interest in a scene. Many tips are similar to the 5 minutes sketching: architecture by another author. I guess because sketching quickly, no matter the subject, uses similar techniques. No earth shattering revelations, but a good solid inspiration book.
March 13, 2021
Have you ever though about creating an illustrated journal? This book could be an inspiration how to paint in watercolor instead (or in addition) to taking road-trip pictures. It contains invaluable instruction how to simplify what you see, and make convincing paintings / drawings. Simply amazing.
October 29, 2018
I really loved seeing the examples from Joshua Tree National Park and the Mojave. I really miss that place.
March 7, 2021
There are so many techniques to learn about and practice mentioned in this book. Many of them are still above my skill level which is why I am keeping this book on my Store-for-reference shelf.
August 8, 2025
Practical book with lots of great information and examples.
September 13, 2019
Great tips and examples regarding quick, minimalist landscape sketching.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews