I began this year with the intention of creating a new artist's book, but due to the demands of graduate school, my creative time has been very limited.
I decided to use my sketchbooks as my primary outlet for creative expression this year and became more dedicated to urban sketching and painting. While I had done some outdoor painting before, it was never serious or consistent. For those unfamiliar with the term, "Plein Air Painting" refers to this practice.
In my free time, I visited local public parks to sketch, enjoying both the environment and the sense of community. I took the opportunity to learn from two remarkable female artists, Jacqueline Roch and Maru Goda, who use different media and styles but share a love for bright colors and nature in their outdoor art.
I also joined "Urban Sketchers Miami," who are part of Urban Sketchers https://urbansketchers.org/ https://www.instagram.com/urbansketchers?igsh=d2R3Njd3N3hjenpz a global nonprofit that fosters a community of people who enjoy drawing outdoors. Living in Miami, we meet every Saturday at a designated location in our city, starting with a group introduction, drawing session, and ending with sharing our work and taking photos for social media (though this last step is optional).
My intention is to share my work as I progress through this journey and to share the lessons I learn along the way.
My urban sketching lessons so far include:
- Relax and have no expectations.
- Always bring a foldable chair; you might find a shaded area more comfortable than benches.
- Limit your supplies to avoid complicating your process; basic supplies like a pencil, eraser, watercolor, water container, oil sticks, thin marker or pen, and a sketchbook are sufficient.
- Focus on shapes and space (foreground, middle ground, background) rather than details.
- Choose at least three color schemes (complementary colors work best, in my opinion).
- Paint playfully, using unconventional colors for nature and objects.
- Enjoy the process and connect with the environment as if no one is watching.
I still have much to learn and will continue to share more tips as I practice this enjoyable outdoor activity locally and, hopefully, worldwide in the near future.
Key Biscayne nature center (left and right photos) Jacqueline Roch was the instructor during these two different sessions.
Maria Patino
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