You'll want it on you at all times, for the desire to sketch a moment can strike at any time. So keep it light.<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Compact, discreet, lightweight bag to store all your supplies</li><li class="ql-align-justify">A "cheaper" sketchbook that won't intimidate you from "ruining" the pages.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">The idea is to be loose and fast. No pencils or erasers. Any pen of your choice will suffice.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">A travel watercolor kit will also suffice for color, and usually takes up very little space.</li></ul>

Keep a minimalistic sketch kit

The more you do it, the better you get.

You want to be and to capture as much of the scene as you can in the short amount of time you have. Pick the most eye catching thing to you, expand upon there, but don't get caught up in all the small, surrounding details. Negative or empty space may also be used for annotations and ideas.

Start sketching what's interesting first

The mind likes to fill in the blank. If there is a repetitive pattern, simply start drawing the pattern, and leave the rest of the area blank. Saves time, and then mind translates the detail by itself. If an image is symmetrical, simply drawing about half of the object will give them viewer enough information to fill in the rest.

Patterns

When sketching very famous landmarks, sometimes focusing on the well-known postcard view can be boring, [...] it’s fun to look for the most unusual view to sketch. Sketch the most extreme angle, such as looking straight up at a statue/building or looking at it from the back side.

With a travel watercoloring kit, there usually comes<ul><li>an aquabrush (watercolor paintbrush with a water reservoir for a handle that allows you to quickly wet your paintbrush</li><li>a sponge for cleaning your aquabrush with pigment</li><li>pallete</li><li>watercolor pigment cakes</li></ul>It is advised to use the colors just as they come, straight from the cakes. Use the pallete to gauge color saturation and mix colors on the paper.As a general watercolor rule, paint light to dark.

Color

Always finish a sketch.

We all make bad sketches, but sometimes a sketch that looks bad in the beginning might surprise you and turn out nice in the end.

After you've finished your sketch, take a moment and weigh what you did well and what you can do to improve later.Experiment with different forms of sketching!

Wind down and synthesize your sketch

<ul><li>Avoid standing/sitting in anyone else's way. Sketching entails occupying a single space for an elongated moment.</li><li>Keep your bag and possessions close to your chest, to mitigate fear of theft while you are in focus.</li></ul>Unplug your ears. No music.<ul><li>The natural ambience will enhance your sketch and focus for your surroundings.</li><li>Opens positive social interactions from curious strangers.</li></ul>

Mind your space

<ul><li>Allows you to more easily change the angle you're drawing from.</li><li>The uncomfortable position will encourage you to concentrate and raw faster.</li></ul>

Sketch standing

<ul><li>If you "feel like, maybe..." just do it. Don't just regret it later. Just Sketch it Now.</li><li>Sketch for however long suits your mood.</li><li>Think of each sketch as "just practice." Don't fuss over perfection.</li></ul>

Follow your whims

Sketching 5 minutes a day is better than sketching for an hour once a week.

<ol><li>Find a subject</li><li>Start sketching</li><li>Color</li><li>Finish later</li><li>Repeat</li></ol>

TL;DR

For developing artists that need direction on how to draw ideas and memories faster.

Boston-based urban artist Mike Daikubara gives beginners a crash course in location sketching that you can use in any city in Sketch Now, Think Later. Everyone wishes they could sketch stylish scenes, but busy lives leave almost no room for sitting down with a pad and pen to practicing. Many people give up on their potential hobby (and artistic outlet) because they feel they just don’t have the time to lay the groundwork. Here’s a secret though: you do! All you is a strategy for incorporate sketching into your daily life. Sketch Now, Think Later covers the tools, techniques and tips that author and Urban Sketching Correspondent of Boston Mike Daikubara has developed in his more than 15 years as a practicing artist, and will show you how to fully dive into any sketching situation with limited time and tools, and still be able to produce memorable, great looking, fun sketches!

Sketch Now, Think Later

Alistair Long