Talented artist-correspondents from around the globe will share their sketchbooks starting Nov. 1 at www.urbansketchers.com, a new group blog that will showcase drawings from the city streets on at least four different continents.
From dynamic cities like London, Moscow, Barcelona, New York, San Francisco, Lisbon, São Paulo and Tokyo, Urban Sketchers portray metropolitan life — from commuters on packed rush-hour buses to students lingering over coffee at a sidewalk cafe. You’ll see oasis-like parks, soaring architecture and intriguing faces, all quickly rendered by the sometimes furtive scratching of pen to paper.
“It’s like taking photographs but drawing instead of using a camera,” says Nuno Branco, one of the blog correspondents in Madrid.
“Drawing a city isn’t just capturing it on paper, it’s really about getting to know it, to feel it, to make it your own,” adds Nina Johansson from Stockholm.
The project is the brainchild of Seattle illustrator and journalist Gabi Campanario of Seattle Sketcher and the Flickr group Urban Sketchers. After seeing a steady flow of drawings to the group’s pool, Campanario decided to recruit his favorite artists from the blogosphere to launch this group blog.
Participants include, to name a few, New York advertising art director Tommy Kane, Tel-Aviv illustrator Marina Grechanik and Glasgow web designer Wil Freeborn. You can learn more about the rest of the team and see sample drawings at www.urbansketchers.com.
Contact: Gabi Campanario — gabicampanario at gmail dot com
