The Urban Sketching Handbook 101 Sketching Tips: Tricks, Techniques, and Handy Hacks for Sketching on the Go (Volume 8)

I believe I've already written a review for this book, but I would like to review another Urban Sketching product from the same group and cannot find a place to do so. So I will add that review here. PRODUCT: The Urban Sketching Art Pack: A Guide Book and Sketch Pad for Drawing on Location Around the World--Includes a 112-page paperback book plus 112-page sketchpad This is an exceptional little book and I highly recommend it to beginning artists as well as more advanced sketchers. Not just for Urban Sketchers, The Urban Sketching Art Pack contains a wealth of information applicable to all drawing and painting. The tips and the visual examples are clear and concise and presented in logical order. The material has been condensed into a format that delivers - everything you need and nothing you don't. No more wading through pages and pages of text to find that one bit of info you desperately need! The book and the accompanying sketch pad are nestled in a hardback cover with an elastic band to keep the cover closed. It's small enough to carry in hand or in a small purse or sketch pack. What's more, THE PRICE CAN'T BE BEAT. The shipping cost more than the book. I've been delighted by these books. The Urban Sketching Art Pack delivers. It's the price of a latte, have a cup of joe and hit the buy button.

I love Stephanie's work and have had the pleasure of participating in her "Good Bones" workshop in San Antonio, so I was excited for the release of this book. If I'm being generous, I'd describe myself as an intermediate sketcher. I've dabbled in urban sketching for several years, although most of the time I still feel like a beginner. So, for me, this book is a pretty comprehensive list of what many urban sketchers think about or should think about. It's probably not a book for a beginner who has just opened a brand-new sketch book to the first blank page, because it's not step-by-step, detailed instruction; rather, it's tips. It's for someone who has done some sketching and is starting to have questions like, why does one side of my building look crooked? why do my trees look cartoony? and, really, how should I start a sketch? You can read straight through to find these answers or skip around. Reading cover-to-cover may be overwhelming, because there's a lot here. Personally, I'm trying to focus on one question at a time and saving the rest for later. Stephanie is a thoughtful and encouraging teacher who is especially talented at simplifying puzzling concepts. She is an architect, and she loves perspective, so this book does lean into that. Her other book in this series, Understanding Perspective, is completely the more in-depth version of that material. Here, she steps back a bit and gives you basic tips on perspective for a good jump-start into making your buildings believable and fills the rest of the book with tips on other topics like composition, paint, the spirit of sketching, etc. Believable structures are usually a primary concern for urban sketchers, since we're often sketching in structure-filled environments. However, urban sketching is different for everyone. If your interest is primarily documenting people or the natural environment, you may want a different book. For an urban sketching guidebook that's oriented toward buildings, this book's content is right on point and well-balanced. That said, I really think everyone will find valuable information and inspiration here. The book contains many examples of Stephanie's work, and, aligning with the approach of other books in this series, she also explains her points through sketches from other experienced urban sketchers who work in a variety of styles and media. Stephanie works in pencil and wash, and most of the other examples in the book are traditional ink and wash, but ProCreate on an iPad is also represented. As a side note, I find it odd that one reviewer complained about the lack of examples by female artists in the book. First, I've never observed or considered any sort of gender bias in urban sketching, only massive amounts of amazing work by extremely talented artists, so who cares (I'm a woman, btw); and second, refer to the list of contributors in the back.

I preordered this book in July, knowing that it would be fabulous, and it is. It is packed full of useful information, and the 101 tips are illustrated for added clarity. I paid for this book, and despite the fact that I also own Perspective for Sketchers, (Stephanie Bower’s book in a similar format) and have traveled cross country to attend one of her architectural workshops in person, there is great value to me in having these ‘best of’ tips collected in a book. There is information new to me in this book. It’s also an opportunity to view the work of gifted artists from around the world, MANY of whom are women. (I counted 14, but there are probably more!) Stephanie’s writing is quite similar to her instruction in person—clear, concise, and understandable. This book is highly recommended!

I love the tips, the beautiful sketches, the handbook size and would recommend this handbook to anyone who urban sketches. I wish that the handbook would fold flat.

The Urban Sketching Handbook series is flat out the best and most encyclopedic reference for anyone sketching, drawing, or painting on location. The latest title to join the series, Stephanie Bower's 101 Sketching Tips doesn't disappoint either. First off, ignore the title because Bower shares far more than 101 tips and strategies. Illustrations from Urban Sketchers hailing from every point on the globe are included to help readers clearly visualize the concepts being shared, including many of Bower's own fine sketches. As a professional illustrator and a visual art educator for four decades, I have seen a lot of books offering advice; only a few of them have measured up to the hype. Happily, this is one of them. What I really appreciate about this book is the way it's organized into "Keys" - groups of concepts that are related. Thumbing through the book, there are (naturally enough) strategies with many readers will already be familiar. I regularly found myself reading a tip and thinking to myself, "Oh, right! Why haven't I tried that in a while?" Being reminded of things we already know (but don't always put into practice!) is a really good thing. And then there are those brand new ideas that I feel like smacking myself in the head over: "Now why the heck did I never think of doing things THAT way?" There are plenty of gold nuggets sprinkled throughout, and enough to make this a valuable resource for most any artist working in situ. For those who like to carry stuff with them into the field, I also find the books in this series to be really handy in that one will easily fit into the hip pocket of my Levi's!

I am an architect, travel sketcher, and art educator. I have purchased and looked at a lot of books that purport to teach you how to sketch. This is an excellent resource for artists of all levels. It is filled with good ideas and excellent examples for both the experienced and novice sketcher. It is not necessarily a “how to” or primer but rather a collection of helpful hints that will improve your drawing and painting. If you have ever been to a sketching workshop or painting class these are the golden morsels and invaluable tidbits that are sometimes dropped by the instructor that one thinks, “ Oh, that is very useful. I need to remember that!”...and then you don’t. Ms. Bower has carefully and thoughtfully written down what is most likely a lifetime of ideas and strategies to address challenges that face all urban sketchers. Thank you Ms. Bower for making the effort and thank you to the publisher for seeing the value in her work. I highly recommend this book.

This is not a beginners how-to-draw book. However, if you have already pretty much got the basics down and are interested in urban sketching, this book is packed with good tips and techniques to either jump in and start or to improve on your work. There is an excellent chapter on eye level, which you must be able to identify and work from. I always had a hard time with the term “horizon line” because there are so many situations, especially in urban settings or still life drawings, where there is no horizon as I conceived of it. I always thought of the horizon in terms of the prairie or the ocean—you know, where you could actually see to the horizon. I was so grateful to finally find out that “horizon” was the equivalent of your eye level. This author devotes an entire chapter to identifying the eye level and vanishing point, which are so very necessary for determining the correct direction and angles of your lines. If you learn nothing else from this book, that one chapter is worth the price.

With sketches mixed right in with the tips, it is very easy to see what each tip suggests. Also nice to see so many different styles and media types.

Short and very helpful tips to get you started or widen your horizon on the subject. Highly recommend as a practical guide without spending a fortune on books.

Francamente en cuanto al contenido no podría opinar aún no he empezado a leerlo pero lo vi un poco y se ve interesante. Viene en Inglés, en el caso de no saber este idioma posiblemente batalles un poco, si sabes algo de ingles como yo será muy intuitivo( bueno tomando en cuenta de que solo leí poco). Y si viene muy de bolsillo muy práctico para traerlo de en la mochila o bolsa. Francamente para mí fue una buen compra :) espero que para los demás también

Pocket size book with an amazing information about urban sketching

Utilissimo se vi state avvicinando allo urban sketching.

This is one of the easiest to follow and incredibly helpful books on sketching and is great for cross disciplines - it will help with drawing skills and conposition. I bought the book in two formats snd find the Kindle version much easier to use and love having the ability to zoom right in on the images to see the details being examined and explained in each point’s text. It’s like finding that one teacher who understands how your brain learns and then tailors the lessons for you. That’s how Stephanie Bower’s 101 Sketching Tips reads for me. Absolutely improved my sketching within the first 25 tips. I’ll be buying copies for gifts for my young nephews who enjoy making “art” with Aunt T.