If you’ve ever wanted a single resource to cover all the essentials of sketching architecture, people, color, and perspective, The Complete Urban Sketching Companion delivers. As someone who spends a lot of time filling sketchbooks both at home and while traveling, I was curious if this book could truly combine the most useful lessons from the Urban Sketching Handbook series into one go-to reference.
After using it for several months—and taking it on a few sketching outings—I have a lot to share about what works, what doesn’t, and who this book is really for.
The Complete Urban Sketching Companion: First Impressions
I bought The Complete Urban Sketching Companion mainly because I didn’t want to carry multiple books around or constantly jump between resources. This book promises to merge four of the Urban Sketching Handbooks: Understanding Perspective, Working with Color, Architecture and Cityscapes, and People and Motion. That’s a big promise—and for the most part, it delivers.
Right away, I noticed the book’s compact size. For me, it’s both a pro and a con. It’s light enough to throw into my urban sketching bag, but the small pages and text can feel cramped. I’m used to flipping through larger art books at home, so adjusting to this format took a little patience. If you’ve ever tried to balance a big sketching book on your lap while out in the field, you’ll probably appreciate the portability, even if it means squinting at the smaller print sometimes.
Key Points
- Excellent all-in-one reference if you want to avoid carrying multiple books.
- Practical advice on sketching architecture, figures, motion, and color theory.
- Small format makes it portable but may be difficult for some to read comfortably.
What This Book Does Well
This section breaks down the strengths of the book and how it supports different aspects of urban sketching. Whether you're a beginner or seasoned sketcher, these insights can help you decide if it’s the right fit.
Covers Core Urban Sketching Skills
This isn’t a fluffy coffee table book. It’s packed with strategies that I’ve found genuinely helpful in real-world sketching. If you’re new to urban sketching or want to level up your skills, it walks you through:
- Building a solid sketch composition.
- Simplifying perspective (without the usual over-complicated jargon).
- Approaching color confidently, especially for on-location work.
- Drawing people and capturing motion—always a challenge when your “models” keep moving!
For each of these, the book gives practical exercises. I tried many of them while doing loose urban sketching sessions at a nearby park and later while exploring Seattle for my urban sketching Seattle project. I found the advice on layering sketches and using simple perspective techniques especially helpful. Even though I’m comfortable with perspective, having a clear refresher before sketching a complicated building or plaza always boosts my confidence.
Visual Variety and Real Artist Examples
The three contributing artists—Shari Blaukopf, Stephanie Bower, and Gabriel Campanario—bring different styles and strengths. This variety helped me not fall into the trap of trying to mimic just one person’s look. For example, Blaukopf’s watercolor tips inspired me to revisit watercolor urban sketching, while Campanario’s linework got me thinking more critically about pen and ink urban sketching.
I appreciated that the examples weren’t over-polished or intimidating. They looked like real-world sketches—some refined, others loose and spontaneous. That’s important because it makes the lessons feel doable no matter where you are in your sketching journey.
Portable and Dense with Information
I often sketch in public spaces and when I’m traveling, so having a reference that doesn’t weigh down my kit is a plus. Even though the book is small, it’s dense with actionable info—not filler. I especially liked the quick tips sprinkled throughout the chapters. For example, one tip reminded me to use strong shadow shapes to anchor a sketch—something I applied right away during a simple urban sketching session in my neighborhood.
If you’re into building a habit of outdoor sketching or participating in things like urban sketching workshops or the urban sketching symposium, this book can give you the structure and confidence to keep improving.
What Could Be Better
No book is without its flaws. Here’s what stood out to me after spending significant time with The Complete Urban Sketching Companion.
The Binding and Page Size
One downside: the book’s glued binding can be stiff, and some illustrations disappear into the gutter (center fold). Others have mentioned this in reviews, and I experienced it too. A spiral or sewn binding would’ve been ideal. I actually found myself propping the book open with a clip during some sketching sessions.
Also, while the compact size is great for portability, the small print and illustrations may be a challenge for anyone with less-than-perfect vision. For home study, you might prefer the original handbooks or larger format guides like The Art of Urban Sketching or The World of Urban Sketching.
Some Redundancy for Handbook Owners
If you already own several Urban Sketching Handbooks, much of this content will feel familiar. I personally didn’t mind because I like having everything in one place. But if you already have Working with Color or People and Motion, you might weigh whether the convenience of a single volume is worth the duplication.
How I’ve Integrated This Book Into My Sketching Practice
To give you a better sense of how useful this book can be, here’s exactly how I’ve incorporated it into my sketching routine.
Over the past few months, I’ve used this book in three main ways:
- Pre-sketching Warmup: When I’m headed out for a nature journaling or urban sketching session, I’ll flip through a chapter or two as a mental warmup. The perspective and composition tips help me avoid getting overwhelmed by a complex scene.
- Problem Solving: If I get stuck on a certain subject—like adding believable figures or capturing a scene’s depth—I’ll reference the relevant chapter. Recently, I revisited the people-sketching section before tackling a busy café scene for my urban sketching people project.
- Skill Building Exercises: On days when I’m not feeling particularly inspired, I’ll pick an exercise or tip from the book and turn it into a mini practice session. This keeps me improving even when I’m not working on a finished sketch.
If you’re looking for more structured ways to practice, you might also enjoy my urban sketching exercises and urban sketching ideas that complement the book’s lessons.
Who This Book Is Best For
This book works best for:
- Beginners looking for a single, affordable introduction to all core urban sketching skills.
- Intermediate sketchers (like me) who want a field-ready reference that doesn’t overwhelm with theory.
- Travel sketchers who prefer light, portable books over hefty textbooks.
If you’re new to the practice, you might also enjoy my urban sketching tutorial and some easy urban sketching for beginners exercises.
If you already own several handbooks and prefer large, visually rich books for home study, you might be better off adding something like Urban Watercolor Sketching or Quick and Lively Urban Sketching to your collection instead.
Final Thoughts: A Handy All-in-One Resource
While The Complete Urban Sketching Companion isn’t perfect—mainly because of its binding and small size—it’s still one of the more practical resources I’ve used. It combines the core topics every urban sketcher needs: architecture, perspective, color, and figure sketching. I find myself reaching for it whenever I want a quick refresher before heading out to sketch or when trying to solve specific challenges, like refining my urban sketching trees or adding figures to a street scene.
If you want to keep expanding your skills beyond what the book offers, check out my urban sketching kit, urban sketching supplies, and some simple easy urban sketching tips to keep your creativity flowing.
And for those looking to connect with other sketchers or take their learning further, I highly recommend checking out local sketching meetups, online urban sketching classes, or even considering an urban sketching course if you prefer a bit more structure.