Introduction to Urban Sketching

Description

Content and Approach This workshop takes the form of an interactive presentation introducing participants to urban sketching, its history, its values, and the principles that define this international movement of sketchers. We will then explore the urban sketcher's approach, essential materials, and the basic tools needed to get started. Finally, we will discuss common situations encountered in urban sketching, including how to choose a subject, organize a scene, and tell the story of a place through drawing.

This workshop may be taken on its own or combined with the two hands-on sketching workshops and the workshops on perspective and composition also offered by Arts Visuels Gatineau.

Level: This workshop is for all skill levels.

Location: Chalet Jean-Chénier, 515 Jean-Chénier Street (Aylmer sector)

Date: Tuesday, September 8th

Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

The course will be offered in French, but the instructor is bilingual.

Minimum of 5 participant, maximum 15 participants

Cost for members: $22 (for non-members $27)

Regarding the instructor:

Largely self-taught, Marcelle Chabot has been actively practicing urban sketching for the past five years, both in the National Capital Region and during her travels. Committed to continually improving her skills, she is also pursuing formal training in drawing and watercolor painting. As a member of the Board of Directors of Urban Sketchers Ottawa-Gatineau, she regularly organizes sketching outings throughout the region.

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Urban sketching is the practice of drawing on location, capturing the places where we live and travel through direct observation. It brings together sketchers of all skill levels in an inclusive movement built around a simple idea: to draw what we see and tell the story of the world, one sketch at a time.

This September, Arts Visuels Gatineau is offering a series of theoretical and hands-on urban sketching workshops designed to develop both technical skills and artistic vision. The program opens with an introductory workshop on urban sketching, followed by two workshops focusing on two essential aspects of drawing: perspective and composition. Participants will then have the opportunity to apply what they have learned during practical sketching sessions, both outdoors and indoors.

Urban Sketching Workshops – September 2026 Schedule