FAQs about the Urban Sketchers movement

The Urban Sketchers movement is a movement in which artists and the general public come together to capture and share what they see. The goal of this movement is to make a world in which everyone can capture their own observations of the world around them through photography, painting, or drawing. When looking at an urban sketcher’s work one might see that it might seem difficult to create something with such different techniques but it actually looks quite easy when you try.

There are currently more than 120,000 members of the Urban Sketchers movement, with national groups in dozens of countries. They abide by a manifesto that stipulates that all drawings must be made on the spot, observing reality.

What kind of art movement is it?

Urban Sketchers should be based on “real-world observation and recording” using “any and all media”. The Urban Sketchers manifesto says that there are no restrictions on categories of subjects on the subject matter and that methods are unrestricted. It then goes on to say that Urban Sketchers is not a group but a growing number of individuals sharing a common interest in observational sketching.

Urban sketcher’s biggest competition is their own creativity.

Who started Urban Sketching?

Urban Sketchers was founded by Michael Gundlach in 2011. There is very little known about the man himself but many people have done research on him to try and get to know him better, though it doesn’t seem many people have come across anything that gives a full history of him.

How Urban Sketchers are funded?

Urban Sketchers receives no funding from any public or private agencies. They are all self-funded through their artwork and memberships. With a strong sense of community, Urban Sketchers members contribute to their movement by hosting meetups, participating in exhibitions, and traveling the world to spread the word about what they do.

How do I join Urban Sketchers?

Urban sketching is a free movement and anyone can join in. Urban sketchers give numerous ways to join them. You can start with an introductory workshop in your area or a tutor-led online class, to get you started.

To become an active member of the Urban Sketchers community you will need to become a member, which costs $60 per year, though this is refunded back should you host a meetup group or exhibit your work too.

How many members do Urban Sketchers have?

Urban Sketchers has grown rapidly since its conception in 2011. They have over 120,000 members and growing across the world and are stronger than ever before.

How can urban sketching be improved?

Urban Sketchers is continuously improving in many ways. They are working on different projects and tools that will help further Urban sketching. They have a map on their website that shows all the locations of sketchers around the world so it is easier to find other sketchers nearby.

What kind of skills are needed to do Urban Sketching?

Urban Sketchers has a brief list of skills that members must have in order for them to be accepted into the movement. The essentials are: To be able to draw, observe and sketch from life.

How do you teach urban sketching?

Urban sketchers are focused on collaboration and learning from the mistakes of each other. There are both online and in-person workshops, as well as tutorials on their site to help teach others how to sketch.

Can Urban Sketching be turned into a job?

Yes, there are many ways that an Urban Sketcher can turn their hobby into a job. The most common way is by working at an art gallery or museum; they usually hire artists to sketch everything the visitor sees at the museum or gallery, which the sketcher can then sell framed prints of. There have also been many Urban Sketchers working within the fashion industry now too.