Take a Class

I teach an Urban Zen Sketching class at Flax Art & Design, at beautiful Fort Mason in San Francisco. I talk about the connection I’ve found between brain plasticity, Buddhism and sketching. I share practical techniques for overcoming Fear of a Blank Page, approaches to urban sketching, and hints on making compelling compositions and drawings that feel alive.

more sketching resources

Urban sketching

Sunset Sketchers Sunset Sketchers, now nearly 1,000 strong, covers sketching on the west side of San Francisco

SF Sketchers - Meetups SF Sketchers now has nearly 4,000 members, and you can find a sketching session to join nearly every week

Urban Sketchers The global community of urban sketchers. Chances are, there’s a sketching group anyplace you’re likely to visit

Drawing Attention The monthly e-zine of Urban Sketchers

John Muir Laws John is a legendary nature journalist. His work has been a major inspiration to me.

perspective

What is atmospheric perspective? Smarthistory explains how atmospheric perspective works

How one-point linear perspective works Smarthistory explains where linear perspective came from, and how it works

color

Philosophy of Color An overview of how colors interact, and how people see color

How I Mute Colors (desaturate technique) Liron Yanconsky’s excellent demonstration of mixing watercolors

Benefits of sketching

Letter of Letter of Recommendation: Blind Contour Drawing New York Times article about the benefits of blind contour drawing

To Draw Nature, Pick Up a Pencil and Really Look A New York Times article about taking a few minutes to connect with nature

How to heal in the Anthropocene The BBC explores what immersion in nature really means

sketching abroad

I’ve traveled with these people and recommend them highly.

Diane Olivier Local art legend, Diane teaches travel workshops

Plein Air Holidays Small group painting and drawing holidays in Europe

My Farm-Fresh instagram feed!

For older art, visit my instagram page.

Why Zen?

Sketching has become my shortcut to a state of mindfulness. The practice of urban sketching delivers benefits besides a notebook full of drawings. The process of careful observation requires focus; translating what you see to a drawing builds your powers of memory. “Losing track of time” while drawing is my goal. It has familiar names—the zone, being in the flow, mindfulness—this state of mind is synonymous with what Buddhist monks practice. I want to silence the internal chatter and noise, and exist, for a while, in the moment. I want to immerse myself in the process of drawing. Careful attention and observation transform into empathy and compassion. Sketching makes me more human.

Urban sketching is, for me, a practice, like running, like playing an instrument, like meditation. The doing is more valuable than the result. A finished drawing is like a ticket stub in your pocket, a souvenir from the play you attended.

urban sketching, defined

Urban Sketchers, an organization devoted to expanding the reach and depth of the practice, has a manifesto:

1. We draw on location, indoors or out, capturing what we see from direct observation.

2. Our drawings tell the story of our surroundings, the places we live and where we travel.

3. Our drawings are a record of time and place.

4. We are truthful to the scenes we witness.

5. We use any kind of media and cherish our individual styles.

6. We support each other and draw together.

7. We share our drawings online.

8. We show the world, one drawing at a time.