Product Review

A comprehensive guide to quick sketching of landscapes.

The interest in quick sketching is evident in the popularity of tutorial videos on YouTube. Some of the most popular are Tips to Draw Better in 6 Minutes (1.4 million views) and How to Draw Better in 2 Minutes (2.5 million views). The Urban Sketchers community has more than 86,000 Facebook fans and 10,200 Twitter followers.

5-Minute Sketching -- Landscapes is about drawing what you see, mostly in settings away from the "modern world." It's especially appropriate for travelers. There are abundant tips for new and aspiring artists which can be done in any number of locations and as often as desired. All will help to hone skills, increase speed, and help to promote a daily drawing routine.

Sketchers will learn how look at a scene and deconstruct its elements quickly -- for example, see the basic shapes in natural features; locate the source of light; divide the scene into planes (e.g., close, mid, far) for accurate perspective and color values; and note landmarks that support their observations. Readers will build an instinctive focus that pays off in speed and results. Experienced artists will refresh their skills, eliminate bad habits, and discover new ways of seeing.

Landscapes, of course, feature color, and this is covered in some detail and with expert guidance throughout the book. There is advice on the types of media and their uses, including washes, pencils, ink, and pastels.

5-Minute Sketching is the perfect way to focus and fine tune creative energy, but it helps to know some secrets. Every spread in the book features five expert tips plus inspiration, ideas, and examples to motivate readers short on time.