I’ve been drawing nearly my entire life—sometimes obsessively, sometimes sporadically—but it's always been there for me. Whether it was doodling on the back of homework sheets or carrying a sketchbook on my travels, drawing has been how I process the world. That’s why I’m always curious about books that claim to help people get started with sketching, especially urban sketching, which is one of the most freeing, direct ways to document the world around you.
When I saw The Beginner's Guide to Urban Sketching by Taria Dawson, I had to check it out. I already spend a lot of time walking through cities with a sketchbook and pen, capturing everything from cracked sidewalks to towering buildings to people sipping coffee on patios.
So I approached this book with both curiosity and a bit of healthy skepticism. Could it really offer something new or useful for someone like me, while still being friendly enough for someone brand new to sketching?
Spoiler: yes. It’s not a perfect book, but it’s warm, useful, and encouraging in ways that genuinely matter—especially when you're just starting out.
The Beginner's Guide to Urban Sketching: What to Expect
The book kicks off with a warm and personal tone. It doesn’t feel like a manual or textbook. It feels more like sitting across from a friend at a cafe while they flip through their sketchbook and talk about how they approach drawing. Taria Dawson, who many of you probably know from her YouTube channel and her work at Urban Sketching World, brings that same vibe here.
She takes what can feel like a daunting art form—urban sketching—and breaks it into approachable chunks. There are prompts for what to draw, suggestions for keeping things simple, and lots of encouragement to sketch without worrying about perfection. It pairs well with a few of the urban sketching tutorials I've written, especially if you're trying to build confidence in your lines.
Key Points
- Not overwhelming: The book focuses on simple, step-by-step concepts. It never makes you feel like you need to master perspective or watercolor theory to get started.
- Real scenes, real advice: Taria shares a variety of settings—restaurants, parks, street scenes—with tips that feel genuinely applicable.
- Friendly structure: Lessons build on each other without being rigid. You can jump around and still get a lot out of it.
How the Book Breaks Down Sketching Concepts
This part of the book reminded me why I love urban sketching so much. It’s not about making perfect drawings. It’s about recording your surroundings, connecting with a place, and staying present. Taria introduces readers to urban sketching in a way that emphasizes exactly that.
She covers the basic materials—a pen, a small sketchbook, maybe a bit of watercolor—and then dives right into sketching everyday scenes. I liked that she didn’t overcomplicate the supply list. If you’re building your own urban sketching kit, you’ll recognize a lot of her recommendations as simple and practical.
Starting Small: Drawing Objects and Details
Early chapters encourage you to sketch your coffee cup or the window across from your favorite seat at the cafe. This felt familiar and comfortable to me, and it's how I personally teach urban sketching to beginners. When I started urban sketching, I didn’t sit down and draw entire buildings or street scenes—I started with crosswalk signs and chairs and tree branches. It builds visual vocabulary and confidence, which is exactly what this book tries to do.
Building Up to Full Scenes
Gradually, the book helps you scale up. You start with simple objects, then group them together. You start thinking about how shapes relate to each other, how to layer foreground and background, and how to guide the viewer's eye through your composition.
Taria introduces some basics of perspective and framing, but never in a dry or mathematical way. If you’re craving more technical depth, though, I’d pair this book with something like Understanding Perspective or Urban Sketching Techniques.
Who This Book Is Best For
If I had to summarize this book in one word, it would be encouraging. It’s clearly made for beginners, but not in a condescending way. It assumes you might feel nervous about drawing in public, that you might not know what to sketch, and that you probably don’t want to carry around a giant art supply bag.
It’s especially good for:
- Beginners who want to draw more but feel overwhelmed by where to start
- People interested in documenting their daily life or travels visually
- Fans of nature journaling or visual storytelling who want to explore the urban version of that
What I like is that it speaks directly to the mindset that so many beginner sketchers deal with: fear of messing up, perfectionism, not knowing what to draw. Taria’s guidance is kind and grounded. It’s the kind of book you can flip open on a Saturday morning before heading out to sketch a local market or train station.
My Favorite Parts of the Book
There are a few sections I found myself rereading, just because they clicked so well with how I already think about drawing:
- Sketching People in Motion: Drawing people in public is tough, even for experienced artists. This section shares bite-sized ways to practice gestures and quick poses without needing to render every detail. It aligns with some of my own tips for urban sketching people.
- Capturing Atmosphere in Restaurants and Cafes: I love this part. It's not just about drawing the food (though that’s fun). It’s about capturing the ambiance—the lighting, the mood, the clinking of cups in the background. That’s where sketching becomes storytelling.
- Keeping a Light Kit: She encourages a minimal approach, which I totally agree with. You don’t need to carry a full studio. My go-to setup fits in a small urban sketching bag, and it’s very similar to what she recommends.
A Few Things to Know Before You Buy
That said, this book isn’t for everyone. There are a few caveats I think are important to know:
- It’s not a comprehensive how-to guide. If you’re looking for in-depth tutorials or technical breakdowns, this book might feel a little light. In that case, I'd suggest following it up with Urban Sketching Step-by-Step.
- Some of the instruction is more observational than instructional. By that I mean Taria will describe how she did a sketch, rather than giving you a rigid step-by-step breakdown.
- There’s limited focus on watercolor techniques. She touches on it, but if you want more in that area, I’d recommend Urban Watercolor Sketching or my thoughts on simple watercolor palettes.
Where It Fits in the Urban Sketching Landscape
When I look at my bookshelf of art books, I see two kinds: books that teach you technique, and books that inspire you to draw. This one falls squarely in the second category. It doesn’t go deep into anatomy or complex perspective, but it does make you want to grab your pen and go outside.
It’s a great complement to books like Sketch Now, Think Later, The Urban Sketching Handbook: People and Motion, and The Complete Urban Sketching Companion. If you’re already diving into urban sketching examples for inspiration, this book fits naturally into that mix.
Final Thoughts
Overall, The Beginner’s Guide to Urban Sketching isn’t trying to be the definitive guide. What it does offer is encouragement, relatability, and a gentle nudge to just start. That’s a big deal for beginners. The hardest part of sketching isn’t choosing a pen or learning perspective—it’s believing that you’re allowed to do it. That your sketchbook doesn’t have to be perfect. This book makes that belief easier.
If you’re picking up this book, I’d recommend pairing it with some free tutorials to deepen your skills. My own drawing tutorials, tips for urban sketching, and guides for drawing animals can help round out your practice as you go.
FAQs
Is The Beginner's Guide to Urban Sketching good for complete beginners?
Yes. It doesn’t assume any previous art training and is full of simple, approachable exercises. It's great if you're just figuring out how to start urban sketching.
Does the book cover watercolor?
It touches on watercolor loosely, but not in great depth. If watercolor is your main focus, I’d recommend Gouache Urban Sketching or Urban Watercolor Sketching.
Is there a lot of technical instruction?
Not really. It leans more toward personal storytelling and visual inspiration. For more technique-heavy books, consider something like The Urban Sketching Handbook: 101 Sketching Tips.
Is it worth it if I already follow Taria Dawson on YouTube?
If you enjoy her videos, you'll probably appreciate having her thoughts and lessons in book form. Just know that some of the content overlaps with what she shares online. Think of it more as a curated reference than entirely new material.