If you’ve ever tried to capture an expansive city skyline or a towering cathedral in your sketchbook and felt like you just couldn’t quite pull it off, you’re not alone. That’s exactly why I picked up The Urban Sketching Handbook Panoramas and Vertical Vistas. I’ve been drawing for years, but translating sweeping views or tall, narrow subjects into a cohesive sketch still challenges me sometimes. This book, part of the well-loved Urban Sketching Handbook series, promised some fresh techniques and insights—and it delivered.
Let me walk you through my honest take on this book, what it offers, and whether it’s a good fit for your sketching journey.
First impressions of The Urban Sketching Handbook Panoramas and Vertical Vistas
The Urban Sketching Handbook Panoramas and Vertical Vistas by Mario Linhares stands out immediately because it doesn’t just recycle basic perspective tips. Instead, it dives into how to actually approach complex, sprawling, and vertical scenes in a way that feels manageable and creative.
The book is compact and easy to toss into an urban sketching bag, just like the rest of the series. Inside, you’ll find not just Mario’s work but also sketches and advice from a variety of contributors. That variety alone makes it worth flipping through even if you’re just looking for inspiration.
When I first opened the book, I appreciated the design right away. It feels like a tool, not a coffee table book—which I prefer. I want my sketching books to travel with me, get a little worn out, and feel like part of the creative process.
Key Points
- Practical ways to simplify complex scenes — Instead of getting lost in the details, you’ll learn how to make selective choices that create a strong visual impact.
- Ideas for experimenting with perspective — Mario encourages treating your sketchbook like a laboratory, which really resonated with me.
- Great for both architecture and landscapes — The techniques work whether you’re sketching an urban skyline or a dramatic natural vista.
What’s inside: A deeper look at the book
The book is divided into seven sections. Here’s what stood out to me in each:
Materials and mindset
Mario starts with a quick overview of materials, which is handy but not the main focus. If you’re new to choosing supplies, though, I recommend checking out my urban sketching supplies guide for a deeper dive.
But what really clicked with me was Mario’s emphasis on mindset. He encourages using your sketchbook as a place to experiment and even fail. That hit home. I used to treat my sketchbooks like finished portfolios, which made me hesitant to try bold perspectives. Reading this reminded me that some of my best breakthroughs have come from “messy” pages.
Panorama views and vertical vistas techniques
This is where the book shines. Mario breaks down how to think about wide and tall compositions—not just technically, but how to make them engaging. He explains that you don’t have to draw everything. Instead, you should choose what to include and what to leave out to tell the story of a place.
One technique that stood out to me was using overlapping shapes and value contrasts to guide the viewer’s eye through a large scene. I’ve since tried this while working on a series of urban sketching trees and it really helped prevent my drawings from feeling chaotic.
If you want to practice these skills, you might also enjoy my urban sketching techniques and urban sketching exercises posts.
Learning from the masters
I appreciated the inclusion of sketches and comments from other artists. It’s one thing to read a tip, but seeing how others apply it in their own work brings the lessons to life. This reminded me a lot of what I’ve tried to do with my urban sketching artists roundup—seeing different styles can expand your own approach.
For example, one artist in the book approaches panoramas with a loose, expressive style while another uses tight ink lines with carefully controlled washes. Seeing both extremes reassured me that there’s no single “correct” way to capture a complex scene.
Architecture and landscapes
While much of the book focuses on architecture, I was glad to see it also addresses landscapes. As someone who often blends urban sketching with nature journaling, I found these tips versatile.
One small but helpful tip Mario shares is how to use vertical lines from trees or lampposts to balance out wide compositions. I tried this during a recent trip sketching a coastal panorama. Including just a few tall elements helped anchor the whole scene.
Who this book is best for
If you’re a beginner, you might find some sections advanced, but they’ll still spark ideas and help you level up. I’d recommend pairing this book with something more beginner-friendly like the urban sketching handbook techniques for beginners if you’re just starting out.
That said, even if you’re early in your sketching journey, the book’s visual examples can inspire you. Sometimes just seeing what’s possible can motivate you to keep going.
For intermediate and advanced sketchers, this book fills a real gap. So many sketching books focus on individual objects or small scenes. Few go into how to handle large, challenging compositions without feeling overwhelmed.
If you’ve ever stood in front of a beautiful vista or intricate building and thought, “How am I supposed to fit all this into my sketchbook?” this book is for you.
How it compares to other Urban Sketching Handbooks
I’ve read quite a few titles in this series, including The Urban Sketching Handbook 101 Sketching Tips and The Urban Sketching Handbook Understanding Perspective. Panoramas and Vertical Vistas goes beyond both in terms of composition theory and creative thinking.
Whereas 101 Sketching Tips is more of a grab-bag of advice and Understanding Perspective focuses on foundational skills, Panoramas and Vertical Vistas challenges you to apply those skills to more ambitious scenes.
That said, if you want a broader overview of urban sketching before diving into specialized topics, check out the beginner's guide to urban sketching or urban watercolor sketching first.
My personal takeaways and how I’ve applied them
Since reading the book, I’ve started thinking differently about composition. Instead of defaulting to a horizontal sketchbook spread, I’ve experimented with vertical formats more often. This has been especially useful when sketching tall buildings or dramatic cliffs.
I’ve also become more selective about what I include in a scene. Mario’s advice helped me realize that it’s okay—even preferable—not to draw every single detail. The goal is to tell a visual story, not replicate a photograph.
On a practical note, I’ve incorporated some of Mario’s layout tips into my own urban sketching tutorials and easy urban sketching for beginners lessons.
Final thoughts
The Urban Sketching Handbook Panoramas and Vertical Vistas won’t walk you through step-by-step tutorials. Instead, it will give you the mindset, concepts, and inspiration to tackle challenging views with more confidence and creativity.
For anyone wanting to move beyond basic street scenes and explore ambitious, dynamic compositions, this book is a solid choice. It’s also a great companion to my simple urban sketching guide and my collection of urban sketching ideas if you’re looking for even more ways to push your skills.
If you’re curious about building your kit or expanding your techniques further, you might also like my urban sketching course and urban sketching classes.