Why urban sketching has become one of my favorite hobbies

If someone had told me a few years ago that one Saturday morning I would be sitting in a square simply to draw what I saw in front of me, I probably would have laughed.

And yet, here I am.

With a sketchbook, some watercolors, a pen, and a strong desire to observe.

Urban sketching is one of those hobbies that arrive quietly and end up taking a very special place.

Drawing slowly in a world that is always in a hurry

We are used to passing through places without truly looking at them.

We enter a street thinking about the next task of the day. We sit on a terrace while looking at our phone. We visit a city taking pictures almost without stopping.

When you draw, the opposite happens.

Suddenly, you start noticing the shape of a balcony, the shadow cast by a tree, or how the color of a facade changes as the sun begins to set.

It's curious how a simple drawing can make you discover places you had passed dozens of times without noticing them.

You don't have to draw perfectly

I think this is one of the ideas I like to convey the most when someone tells me they would like to start.

It's not about making a perfect illustration.

Nor about achieving impeccable perspective.

Nor about filling your sketchbook with masterpieces.

It's about enjoying the moment.

Each drawing is a memory of a place and a time spent there.

When I open one of my sketchbooks again, many times I don't just remember the drawing. I remember the conversation I heard at the next table, the sound of a fountain, or the smell of the coffee in front of me.

A different way to travel

Since I discovered urban sketching, my travels are different.

I still take photos, of course.

But I also try to find a quiet corner to sit for a while.

It doesn't matter if I finish the drawing or not.

The important thing is to dedicate time to a place and observe it calmly.

In the end, those drawings are much more valuable to me than many photos saved on my phone.

Drawing also inspires my jewelry

Although it may seem that drawing and jewelry have nothing to do with each other, for me they are very connected.

The colors I find in an old door.

The combination of tones on a facade.

The texture of a stone.

The shape of a leaf.

All of that ends up appearing, in one way or another, in some of the pieces I design.

I believe that when we learn to look more carefully, we also learn to create in a different way.

A hobby that reminds me that there's no need to rush

If I had to summarize what urban sketching means to me, I would probably say that it's a way to slow down.

To dedicate some time to observe.

To enjoy the process without thinking too much about the result.

And, perhaps that's why, I like it so much.

Because it reminds me that not everything has to be done quickly to be worthwhile.

Do you also like to draw or would you like to try it sometime? If one day we happen to meet with a sketchbook and a box of watercolors in front of a square or a beautiful street, don't hesitate to say hello. It's always a pleasure to share this hobby with others.