What do you think?
Rate this book
The Urban Sketching Handbook 101 Sketching Tips: Tricks, Techniques, and Handy Hacks for Sketching on the Go
Master the challenges of drawing on location with this collection of insider know-how and expert tips and techniques.
Illustrator, architect, and international workshop instructor and Urban Sketcher Stephanie Bower has collected 101 of her best insider drawing tips, hacks, and techniques and shares them in this fully illustrated, portable book. Learn shortcuts to getting your perspective right, determining your composition, and balancing your light and shadow. This book collects many basic drawing techniques into one handy volume: How to draw a great line Using ellipses to draw arches How towers are like wedding cakes The importance of your eye level line in sketching and 97 things more! The book also features beautiful example illustrations from Urban Sketchers around the globe! Whether you are new to sketching or are an experienced artist, this book is chock-full of useful, practical, and clever tips to take your drawing to the next level.
The Urban Sketching Handbook series offers location artists expert instruction on creative techniques, on-location tips and advice, and an abundance of visual inspiration. These handy references come in a compact, easy-to-carry format with an elastic band closure—perfect to toss in your backpack or artist’s tote.
Illustrator, architect, and international workshop instructor and Urban Sketcher Stephanie Bower has collected 101 of her best insider drawing tips, hacks, and techniques and shares them in this fully illustrated, portable book. Learn shortcuts to getting your perspective right, determining your composition, and balancing your light and shadow. This book collects many basic drawing techniques into one handy volume: How to draw a great line Using ellipses to draw arches How towers are like wedding cakes The importance of your eye level line in sketching and 97 things more! The book also features beautiful example illustrations from Urban Sketchers around the globe! Whether you are new to sketching or are an experienced artist, this book is chock-full of useful, practical, and clever tips to take your drawing to the next level.
The Urban Sketching Handbook series offers location artists expert instruction on creative techniques, on-location tips and advice, and an abundance of visual inspiration. These handy references come in a compact, easy-to-carry format with an elastic band closure—perfect to toss in your backpack or artist’s tote.
112 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 5, 2019
116 people are currently reading
241 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
January 14, 2020
I have been a fan of Stephanie's urban sketches , her style and her choice of colors. But this book is one notch above her work. It is a collection of tips which would take a person normally to learn only after several mistakes, books and teachers.This books save all the troubles and sums up all the things a novice urban sketcher should know and Stephanie explains it in a way that anybody can understand. I found this book extremely useful in learning the tips and techniques which I thought were a closely guarded secrets by the masters. But she demystified most of the sticking points in the sketching world. STRONGLY RECOMMENDED for all the Urban Sketchers.
December 4, 2022
The first art book I’ve read that wasn’t weird wishy-washy “just use your eyes” stuff. Really useful tips for how to train your eyes to see the shapes, plus good examples describing all of the ways I had been messing it up.
If I could post a pic, you could see a drawing of my parents’ house that I drew after reading, but goodreads is still on that pre-9/11 UI/UX trip… so just pretend you’re looking at a nice pencil drawing of my parents’ house.
If I could post a pic, you could see a drawing of my parents’ house that I drew after reading, but goodreads is still on that pre-9/11 UI/UX trip… so just pretend you’re looking at a nice pencil drawing of my parents’ house.
November 5, 2019
I really like the premise of this book containing 101 tips for sketching but, in reality, it felt very much like a 'dos and don'ts' book which made me feel as if I were in school and being told what to do (and not do). I would have much preferred 101 sketching tips being provided alongside key exercises which would enable me to explore, develop and grow my own creativity based on that tip. Nonetheless, it is a good starting point
November 16, 2019
The Urban Sketching Handbook by Stephanie Bower
101 Sketching Tips
Tricks, Techniques, and Handy Hacks for Sketching on the Go
With illustrations from various artists this book provided 101 tips and tricks as well as ideas for creating interesting sketches wherever you find yourself. It begins with what to take with you when out and about, how to choose subjects, deals with perspective and light and so much more.
I enjoyed the way the book was laid out and found that with each tip I was thinking, “When and where can I use this idea? I would like to have this book and use it daily working my way through each tip a day at a time. I can see using the ideas on perspective and how to make windows pop and thinking about lines and eye level and so much more that I perhaps had not considered before. Living in the Middle East with arched ceilings I only realized when reading through this book that the arches create exes.
This book is packed full of information and I would definitely recommend it to those who are already skilled as well as those just starting out. I definitely learned a few things reading through this book and would love to own a hard copy of my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Quarry for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
101 Sketching Tips
Tricks, Techniques, and Handy Hacks for Sketching on the Go
With illustrations from various artists this book provided 101 tips and tricks as well as ideas for creating interesting sketches wherever you find yourself. It begins with what to take with you when out and about, how to choose subjects, deals with perspective and light and so much more.
I enjoyed the way the book was laid out and found that with each tip I was thinking, “When and where can I use this idea? I would like to have this book and use it daily working my way through each tip a day at a time. I can see using the ideas on perspective and how to make windows pop and thinking about lines and eye level and so much more that I perhaps had not considered before. Living in the Middle East with arched ceilings I only realized when reading through this book that the arches create exes.
This book is packed full of information and I would definitely recommend it to those who are already skilled as well as those just starting out. I definitely learned a few things reading through this book and would love to own a hard copy of my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Quarry for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
December 28, 2019
Ms. Bower has written a book with 101 tips for artists, ranging from high level to concrete detailed suggestions. This is a book that can be read through but would probably be better sipped tip by tip. The tips are split into sections, so one could jump from section to section as well. There were example pictures for each tip -- many from the author but also many from multiple other artists throughout the book. If I had any change to suggest it would only be that in the more concrete tips a suggested exercise to try out that specific tip would complement the tip well for beginners such as myself, however the book would be well worth buying for the tips and the beautiful pictures.
February 29, 2020
Urban Sketching has grown in recent years and now has a strong global following. This type of art has seen increased participation and is a popular hobby for aspiring and accomplished artists worldwide. Amateurs and professional artists participate together in the enjoyment of the architecture of the built environment.
Bower’s manual is the answer to many uninitiated urban sketchers looking to get a foot hold on the tools, tips and techniques necessary to become competent; or just to have fun and make new friends whist painting or sketching.
The text is brief and concise at only 112 pages, but within these pages you will discover 101 tips to aid in improving your artwork. The book is filled with beautiful illustrations by a variety of artists including the authors own works. It is written in a style that is easily accessible to those who like to read a little or who wish to jump from section to section. Whichever method the reader chooses to peruse this book, it is still comprehendible. The book is comprehensive enough to be useful to intermediate artists and basic enough to inform even the most primary beginner.
Amongst the tips included are: the use of coloring; different painting methods, the variety and uses of brushes, how shading can enhance any work, how different line widths add interest to your work and the use of methods for perspective.
Bower’s book is inspiring and esthetically pleasing. A great book to have in your artist’s reference library.
Bower’s manual is the answer to many uninitiated urban sketchers looking to get a foot hold on the tools, tips and techniques necessary to become competent; or just to have fun and make new friends whist painting or sketching.
The text is brief and concise at only 112 pages, but within these pages you will discover 101 tips to aid in improving your artwork. The book is filled with beautiful illustrations by a variety of artists including the authors own works. It is written in a style that is easily accessible to those who like to read a little or who wish to jump from section to section. Whichever method the reader chooses to peruse this book, it is still comprehendible. The book is comprehensive enough to be useful to intermediate artists and basic enough to inform even the most primary beginner.
Amongst the tips included are: the use of coloring; different painting methods, the variety and uses of brushes, how shading can enhance any work, how different line widths add interest to your work and the use of methods for perspective.
Bower’s book is inspiring and esthetically pleasing. A great book to have in your artist’s reference library.
December 24, 2019
This is another great drawing book from Quarto, one of my favorite publishers for all things art. The author covers the major techniques as well as some more motivational ideas to get you sketching what you see in the world outside your door, no matter who's watching. I especially liked that she featured works of other artists as well as her own, so you get a chance to see a greater variety of ideas and techniques. Some works felt way beyond my abilities, but there were others that inspired me to try something similar.
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for a digital ARC.
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for a digital ARC.
November 9, 2019
Get out your sketch pad
Stephanie Bower divides her book "The Urban Sketching Handbook: 101 Sketching Tips. Tricks, Techniques, and Handy Hacks for Sketching on the Go", published by Quarto Publishing Group - Quarry, into seven keys (e.g., "On Your Mark Get Set", Compelling Composition", or "Good Bones"). In the introduction she states that some of her favorite and fun sketching "ah-ha" moments have to do with relating complex subjects to thing we experience every day. She shares her top tricks, techniques, and insights with the readers in order to help them to see familiar things in new ways and to guide them toward their own "ah-ha" moments. Bower includes vocabularies (e.g. of Line Weights or Hatch Marks) and various its (e.g., "Key points to consider when shading" or "Tips for creating a strong focal point"). She closes the book with some challenges for the readers and reference to those who have contributed with images.
The book is presented with a great design, images, and drawings and is very informative. It is challenging for beginners because of the examples that are complex, but can be a real help to all artists to learn about the techniques Bower uses. I really appreciated that she is not only sharing examples from her own artwork but also from other artists. I highly recommend the book for beginners and advanced artists. It would also make a nice gift for them.
The complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley free of charge. I was under no obligation to offer a positive review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#TheUrbanSketchingHandbook #NetGalley
Stephanie Bower divides her book "The Urban Sketching Handbook: 101 Sketching Tips. Tricks, Techniques, and Handy Hacks for Sketching on the Go", published by Quarto Publishing Group - Quarry, into seven keys (e.g., "On Your Mark Get Set", Compelling Composition", or "Good Bones"). In the introduction she states that some of her favorite and fun sketching "ah-ha" moments have to do with relating complex subjects to thing we experience every day. She shares her top tricks, techniques, and insights with the readers in order to help them to see familiar things in new ways and to guide them toward their own "ah-ha" moments. Bower includes vocabularies (e.g. of Line Weights or Hatch Marks) and various its (e.g., "Key points to consider when shading" or "Tips for creating a strong focal point"). She closes the book with some challenges for the readers and reference to those who have contributed with images.
The book is presented with a great design, images, and drawings and is very informative. It is challenging for beginners because of the examples that are complex, but can be a real help to all artists to learn about the techniques Bower uses. I really appreciated that she is not only sharing examples from her own artwork but also from other artists. I highly recommend the book for beginners and advanced artists. It would also make a nice gift for them.
The complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley free of charge. I was under no obligation to offer a positive review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#TheUrbanSketchingHandbook #NetGalley
November 14, 2019
This is a handbook, as the title suggests, and not an in-depth art instruction book though Stephanie Bower does a terrific job of getting a lot of useful, concise information within the 112 pages. As she is a celebrated architectural illustrator and the book is part of the Urban Sketching Handbook Series, most of the emphasis in the book is architecturally-related yet many of the ideas can be applied to any type of sketching. The book is very well organized and Bower's 101 Sketching Tips can be broken down into four basic areas: general sketching tips, perspective tips, and tips on working in watercolor. She provides good information on composition, line, value, perspective and technique. All of the 101 individual tips are well-thought bullet items that every artist at every level should strive to know and remember. The book is a great primer for beginners and a nice review for the more advanced artist. The reader is best suited to read the book cover to cover though one can open the book at any page and gain useful information. A very nice feature of the book is the variety of other talented artists Bower includes in the book as well as her own, inspiring drawings which are used to emphasize key ideas. She is careful to add notes from herself and the other artists on medium, tools, size, and time used to produce all drawings used throughout the book. Her challenges (drawing exercises) for the reader at the end of the book reflect her sound teaching abilities. A good book for any artist's library.
November 5, 2019
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
The Urban Sketching Handbook is a tutorial and instruction guide for sketching in various media. Released 5th Nov 2019 by Quarto on their Quarry imprint, it's 112 pages and available in flexibound and ebook formats. This is the 6th book in the Urban Sketching series.
This is a well written, accessible, and useful book for beginning to intermediate artists who are looking for guidance to improve their technique. The book begins with a very short introduction. Tools and specific methods and use of color and negative space aren't covered (but this information is easily accessible with the briefest online search). Instead, the page content is densely filled with good 'bite sized' tips (101 of them in fact) which cover coloring, shading, specific tips on varying drawing speed, line shape and density and other tips for adding interest to the reader's sketches.
Five stars. Definitely a worthwhile addition to the artist's library.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
The Urban Sketching Handbook is a tutorial and instruction guide for sketching in various media. Released 5th Nov 2019 by Quarto on their Quarry imprint, it's 112 pages and available in flexibound and ebook formats. This is the 6th book in the Urban Sketching series.
This is a well written, accessible, and useful book for beginning to intermediate artists who are looking for guidance to improve their technique. The book begins with a very short introduction. Tools and specific methods and use of color and negative space aren't covered (but this information is easily accessible with the briefest online search). Instead, the page content is densely filled with good 'bite sized' tips (101 of them in fact) which cover coloring, shading, specific tips on varying drawing speed, line shape and density and other tips for adding interest to the reader's sketches.
Five stars. Definitely a worthwhile addition to the artist's library.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
May 3, 2020
This is one of my favorite books from The Urban Sketching Handbook series. 101 tips for all level artists, from the very beginner (lucky you, take advantage of all these wonderful tips gathered in one single book) to the more experienced one.
From and intermediate watercolor artist, let me tell you, these tips are gold. Some of them I already knew, gathered from courses, books and interactions with other artists. Many others were new to me or little explored. All of them felt simple enough to understand and extremely useful. From basics (yet important and many times ignored by beginners) like “start with a simple subject”, to more refined tips for the intermediate or advanced like “Shade vs. Shadow in color”.
Each tip has concise but very well drafted explanations and images illustrating the concept. Well organized book, divided in different “keys” (chapters) with themes that progressively advance in complexity.
If you want to give a try to this series, I would recommend to get at least this one. I loved it.
From and intermediate watercolor artist, let me tell you, these tips are gold. Some of them I already knew, gathered from courses, books and interactions with other artists. Many others were new to me or little explored. All of them felt simple enough to understand and extremely useful. From basics (yet important and many times ignored by beginners) like “start with a simple subject”, to more refined tips for the intermediate or advanced like “Shade vs. Shadow in color”.
Each tip has concise but very well drafted explanations and images illustrating the concept. Well organized book, divided in different “keys” (chapters) with themes that progressively advance in complexity.
If you want to give a try to this series, I would recommend to get at least this one. I loved it.
October 26, 2019
Be inspired with all the great sketches within from the author and a plethora of urban artists. I have been inspired to sketch by this author and several of the artists spotlighted in this book through classes I have taken from them.
Along with inspirational pictures, this book contains a lot of helpful tips on shading, lines, perspective, painting, brushes, plus more; all skills needed to help improve any sketch. I wish I had the paper copy to carry in my sketching/painting pack, it would be great to reference.
This book is full of tips to inspire me to grow with the skills needed to create a great sketch of the world around me. Yesterday, I did my first foray into drawing in a small local restaurant. I felt a little silly at first, but then, as I started drawing the scene, I became less self-conscience and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I will be doing a lot more!
I received an electronic copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest opinion.
Along with inspirational pictures, this book contains a lot of helpful tips on shading, lines, perspective, painting, brushes, plus more; all skills needed to help improve any sketch. I wish I had the paper copy to carry in my sketching/painting pack, it would be great to reference.
This book is full of tips to inspire me to grow with the skills needed to create a great sketch of the world around me. Yesterday, I did my first foray into drawing in a small local restaurant. I felt a little silly at first, but then, as I started drawing the scene, I became less self-conscience and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I will be doing a lot more!
I received an electronic copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest opinion.
October 29, 2019
"The Urban Sketching Handbook" provided 101 drawing tips with a focus on urban drawing. The author provided tips that would be helpful to an absolute beginner at drawing as well as some tips that would be helpful to someone more experienced who wanted to learn to draw urban environments better. She started by talking about what materials to use for urban drawing and the basics about drawing lines and shading. She gave some very good tips on determining and including perspective in your drawings. She also gave tips on composition and how to use watercolor with your drawings. Overall, I'd recommend this book to artists interested in learning how to make more expressive and accurate urban drawings.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
December 9, 2019
The Urban Sketching Handbook: 101 Sketching Tips by Stephanie Bower and contributors is chock full of tips and tricks for sketching. It is not a step by step guide book for sketching a picture. What it is, however, is an instructional guide for do's and don'ts to improve your sketching game while capturing experiences. The author and contributors have provided examples of making pieces your own, while adding life to the sketch., I enjoyed learning ways to make my sketches pop and ways to let the energy flow. I appreciated the tips that this book provides and will reference back to it often. Many thanks to Netgalley and Quarry Books for the opportunity to review an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for this honest review.
February 21, 2024
So great! Seasoned artists and beginner/intermediates will all benefit from this wonderful reference. Illustrations and example drawings and paintings for almost every concept really put it over the top. Captions include the artist, materials, and an estimated time spent to really give a sense of the creation. Even concepts that are not new to me were brought to life through these examples. And with so many topics covered, I definitely came away with a fresh perspective and fantastic tips on how to tackle challenges in drawing and sketching. Will be referencing this again and again and trying out many of the exercises and techniques. Well constructed and very inspiring! Committed to a daily sketching habit this year and this book is the perfect companion to keep me on track/get to the next level.
May 10, 2023
Fantastisk og meget inspirerende. Bogen er fuld af små teknikker og tips som virkelig giver en lyst til bare at teste det hele af nu og her. Der er mange teknikker i den hvor jeg bare tænker okay det er derfor det driller og ser forkert ud når jeg tegner for jeg har glemt at tænke på …… Bogen indeholder mange gode eksempler på kunstnere der har brugt den nævnte teknik så man kan se hvordan det ser ud. Bogen kan varmt anbefales og jeg bliver nødt til at købe den for der er så mange teknikker jeg gerne vil teste af og blive bedre til fx vanishing point, stregtykkelse, hatching og meget meget mere. ♥️
November 24, 2019
When you feel intimidated to draw urban scenes, get this book! It is jam-packed with tips to get you started. From the tools, skills like perspective and shapes. And how to use lines to create shades and use hues of watercolor to create depth. Almost everything is covered.
This book is an excellent starting point for a beginner, but also helpful for artists who want to expand their art outside of the studio. Even my husband, a photographer, found some great insights about perspective and leading lines.
Don't feel intimidated by the beautiful examples of art in this book; study them!
This book is an excellent starting point for a beginner, but also helpful for artists who want to expand their art outside of the studio. Even my husband, a photographer, found some great insights about perspective and leading lines.
Don't feel intimidated by the beautiful examples of art in this book; study them!
January 27, 2021
What an inspiring book. The sketches throughout are amazing and, yes, intimidating. However, this handbook covers such a wide breadth of topics that I think most people will be able to benefit from it. The experienced sketcher will have a comprehensive source of inspiration. The novice will be able to look at an ideal version of their goals as an artist and then select sections to work on an improve. From expressive use of color, to line weight and perspective, I want to try it all!
Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 17, 2019
I'm in love with this sketching handbook. It is filled with solid suggestions to improve your drawing techniques. Most of these sketches are beyond my skills but the techniques provided will give me plenty to focus on to improve my drawings. This book is a treasure for me and I plan to reference it from now on when I draw (or until I have mastered these lessons). I will definitely be looking for more from this author. I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review.
November 26, 2019
This is a useful book with great information on art theory and techniques, but I must admit to being underwhelmed by the complex artworks used throughout the book which, in my opinion, seem to be aimed at a different artist than would be looking for the information provided. I felt they were trying to show off how great they were at drawing rather than using the artworks to support the text.
I received a free digital copy via NetGalley, but the opinions expressed are my own.
I received a free digital copy via NetGalley, but the opinions expressed are my own.
March 4, 2020
One of the Best "How To" Art Books I Have Found
I used this book as a workbook and experimented with most of the tips and little tricks. By far, the best and most useful section included techniques for getting perspective just right.
I went to Paint My Photo (www.pmp-art.com) and worked out perspective for a dozen or so street scenes. I am delighted with the results.
If you are interested in Urban sketching, this is an excellent book to help you improve your work.
I used this book as a workbook and experimented with most of the tips and little tricks. By far, the best and most useful section included techniques for getting perspective just right.
I went to Paint My Photo (www.pmp-art.com) and worked out perspective for a dozen or so street scenes. I am delighted with the results.
If you are interested in Urban sketching, this is an excellent book to help you improve your work.
June 8, 2021
Excellent! I've read a lot of books about Urban Sketching and this one not only covered all the bases, but included excellent tips I had not considered, explained tricky bits and common mistakes and included a wide variety of examples from many great urban sketchers. I particularly like that each sketch included a time estimate. Highly recommended. This might be one to purchase and have on hand to refer to.
July 3, 2021
Excellent primer for Urban Sketching. I picked up so many tips, especially those dealing with perspective for architecture/building elements. At first, I wished it was a bigger book, as it was hard to see all the details in the many, excellent examples in a variety of styles. As I moved on to the last 25%, that changed, as I realized that I would be keeping this with me as a portable reference/inspiration until I can master a lot of the tips. If you are new to this media, pick it up.
July 23, 2023
I was curious how in-depth this would get to share 101 tips in such a compact book but there were a lot of fantastic nuggets of tips and techniques!
I particularly loved the section about the “a-ha moments” (starting at tip 77), where Stephanie breaks down how to tackle curves, archways, domes, towers, etc. I took down a lot of notes and looking to put it into practice! This was a really great, really well-explained handy reference book.
I particularly loved the section about the “a-ha moments” (starting at tip 77), where Stephanie breaks down how to tackle curves, archways, domes, towers, etc. I took down a lot of notes and looking to put it into practice! This was a really great, really well-explained handy reference book.
November 3, 2019
This is a fantastic book written by a very talented artist with clear points and descriptions covering everything you need to know when urban sketching. Perfect for both people new to sketching and those who need to have ideas and tips reinforced. Great sketches throughout the book and a pleasure to read. Worth every cent.
November 7, 2019
A really fun book on sketching, with lots of practices and without any inhabitions. This book has 101 tips on how to improve your sketching experience with some of the topics covered being line, tone, composition, perspective, and watercolour.
I found this book really fun and very helpful to just picking up a pencil and sit down and just sketch what you see.
I found this book really fun and very helpful to just picking up a pencil and sit down and just sketch what you see.
December 10, 2019
This was by far one of the best art books I found this year - plus it's so short, and it only has the information you need. Easy to read and understand, and most importantly put in practice. It's sketching time now!
*I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are entirely my own.
*I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are entirely my own.
July 3, 2025
Lots of good tips, though naturally nothing can go into much depth in this format. Still probably good for beginners, especially. What I most liked was how there was such a good variety of artists represented in the book, with a lot of different styles. Also a nice touch that many of them added an estimate of how long it took to do the sketch.
October 24, 2019
I think this book is definitely in a tie for my favorite art book of the year. It's perfect. Everything about it is perfect. As someone who sketches in their spare time, I found this to be so helpful and I loved everything from the instructions to the beautiful picture quality. 5/5 stars
December 23, 2019
Great tips! I've read through it while traveling to get some ideas and a good overview over the techniques. I'm sure I will return to bits and pieces of the book while I'm sketching different subjects as I go, or try a few new things.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews