I’m pretty bad about keeping up a daily practice of just about anything…diet, exercise, sketching, blogs–you get the idea. But during these dark days of a Seattle winter, I realized that my sketching skills were getting a bit rusty. To keep the gears oiled, I decided to work from photos in a sketchbook in my studio. It’s been good practice, and I’ve been posting the sketches on IG and FB, but in so doing, I noticed that there is a big difference between the studio sketches and the ones I do on location. Here is a perfect example.
The sketch above was done on location one sunny morning sitting in a corner on the backside of the Catedral in Barcelona in 2019. Yes, I can feel the heat, remember the sounds of the people walking by…all those details that are magically infused into a live, on location sketch.
The sketch below on the right is the same scene, done a few days ago in my studio in Seattle from a photo that I took. A big difference that I didn’t realize until well after it was done. Why so different?
In many ways, working in the comfort of a warm and dry studio is easier than battling the elements, the truck that blocks your view and all the things we urban sketchers deal with when working out in the world. I think that’s why my studio image, while I like it a lot, is calmer, has more subtle watercolor washes, etc. But it also lacks the energy, contrast, and I don’t know what else that the on-site sketch has–that energy infused into a sketch is a bit part of why I love being an urban sketcher. It’s less about making pretty art and more about capturing the experience. But studio work is great to do too, and pretty art is wonderful…and it’s certainly good practice for me. We are always working on improving what we do, right?
And if you are curious, that is an Escoda sketchbook (approx. 5″ x 8″) that was given to me and small group when we visited the Escoda factory a few years ago. The paper buckles a bit under the wet washes, but it does take the color and pencil work nicely. I hope to fill this book with small studio sketches!
Anyone who has ever done one of my workshops knows that I love teaching how to analyze the proportions and perspective in any view I sketch (does anyone else do this?), so I had to include the analysis for this one. 🙂
Drawing Perspectives 
This is an amazing analysis because it really is accurate or it seems from my experience. So many remarks about situation, absorbing the sights & sounds, feeling the temperature are on the mark and come back when you look at the image later. Yes, I do love working in the studio, perhaps some background music, but the tactile sense is not the same somehow, your senses don’t seem to come alive. Thank you for writing this because it made me think about my experiences.
Frank B
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Hi Stephanie,
Fascinating just how much more lively your drawing on location is from the studio painting of the same scene. So much greater value and depth of colors on location, and somehow just way more vitality and excitement! Thanks for sharing the comparisons.
Lura
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It s a great to see your works and very precious guide lines as allways my dear tutor…
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Sinan! How very nice to hear from you! And you are way too kind, you certainly need NO tutor!!!
Hope all is well with you and your family in Turkey!
S
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