Urban Sketching Around Town

I have a couple of good buddies that love to get together and prowl around different places doing urban sketching.
We are trying to be present and more authentic in our lives.
We want to document our lives through drawing our surroundings.
And one solid truth has continued to be in the forefront...

The more that you draw what you see - the better you begin to SEE what you draw.
It's true.
You notice things that you never saw before...or took for granted.
You see the shadows that the afternoon sun cast, or the way that a small stream appears to be brown as it reflects the soil around it.

You begin to notice the sheer beauty in the landscape around you.

These are a few of the quick sketches that I did while wandering around Falls Park in Greenville SC.
I spent no more than 10 minutes on each sketch.

Hopefully I can go back later and add some color.
But if I don't, I won't let it bother me...I'll just go on to the next page.

This sketch was made while sitting down towards the side of the Reedy River, near the bridge in the sketch above.
It's the back of the building that houses "A Postcard From Paris" boutique.
My husband and I rode our bikes back down there today - I wanted to sit and add some color to my sketches but a storm blew in and cut my painting time short.
I was able to add a few shadows and that was it.
Overall I am pleased that I am beginning to be able to leave out a lot of the "noise" of the scenes but I continue to work on getting things more..um, not quite so wonky...

This was my view of the "Overlook Grill" at the entrance of Falls Park.
I loved all of the umbrellas at the outside tables. I really want to go back and add color to this one...I may change the color of the umbrellas since theirs were so bland.
You know - artistic license...a wonderful tool.

I truly love to sit and draw my surroundings. I would love to have a large "Urban Sketching" group here in Greenville SC.
My fellow sketchers and I want to put our pin on the worldwide "Urban Sketching" map.
Won't you join us?
Or begin your own group in your town.
You can check out the manifesto here.