Description
Content and Approach
Sketching on location requires making quick decisions. Artists must create a convincing sense of space, suggest volume without measuring every detail, and organize often complex scenes to emphasize what matters most and capture the viewer's attention. This workshop takes the form of a theoretical presentation designed to expand the sketcher's toolbox through the introduction of a few essential concepts. We will explore two fundamental tools that support this process: perspective and composition. Perspective provides the structure needed to create believable space and produce sketches that are clear and convincing. Composition helps artists choose a subject, organize shapes, values, and focal points, and create sketchbook pages that are both balanced and engaging.
Level: Ideally, participants who have completed the introductory workshop, already practice observational drawing, or wish to improve their skills
Location: Chalet Jean-Chénier, 515 Jean-Chénier Street (Aylmer sector)
Date: Thursday, September 10th (Perspective)
Tuesday, September 15th (Composition)
Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
The course will be offered in French, but the instructor is bilingual.
Minimum of 5 participant, maximum 15 participants
Cost for members: $30 (cost for non-members $35)
Materials: Art supplies are not provided. Registered participants will receive a recommended materials list in advance to help them prepare for the first session.
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
| Date | Workshop | Target Audience | Format | Duration |
| Tuesday, September 8th
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. |
Urban Sketching Introduction
(This is the same workshop that was offered on April 30) |
Beginners
(This is the same workshop that was offered on April 30) |
Presentation | 3 hours |
| Thursday, September 10th
9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. |
Deepening Your Urban Sketching Practice: Perspective | Participants who have completed the introductory workshop, already practice observational drawing, or wish to strengthen their skills | Presentations | 2 hours |
| Tuesday, September 15th
9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. |
Deepening Your Urban Sketching Practice: Composition | 2 hours | ||
| Thursday, September 17th
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
Outdoor Sketching Workshop (outside session) | All levels | On location practice | 2.5 hours |
| Thursday, September 24th
5:15 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. |
Sketching at the National Gallery of Canada (indoor session) | 2.5 hours |
