The Urban Sketching Handbook Techniques for Beginners: My Review

If you're just getting into sketching on location, you’ve probably come across The Urban Sketching Handbook: Techniques for Beginners. I picked it up when I was craving a portable, no-fluff reference to take outside with me. As someone who draws nearly every day and keeps a sketchbook everywhere I go, I’m always looking for new ways to explain the basics—and Suhita Shirodkar does a great job distilling key ideas without overcomplicating things.

This book is part of the Urban Sketching Handbook series, which I’ve dipped in and out of over the years. But this one felt different. It’s compact, easy to follow, and encourages you to start where you are—even if that means your first sketch is of your coffee mug or the streetlight outside your apartment window. I bought it expecting a quick reference guide, but what I got was more than that—it made me rethink how I approach the most basic moments of drawing.

The Urban Sketching Handbook Techniques for Beginners: A Grounded Overview

I wanted to write this review from a practical, artist-to-artist perspective. There are plenty of glowing summaries out there, but here’s what I actually found useful (and what I didn’t). If you're building an urban sketching routine or looking to sketch simple scenes on location, this book is worth considering. It’s compact enough to toss in your urban sketching bag and reference in the field.

The key message of the book is simple: you don't need to be perfect, you just need to show up and sketch. And honestly, that's been the most helpful mindset shift for me over the years. When I'm stuck or too tired to start a detailed drawing, I go back to this book—or even just the mindset behind it—and let myself draw without pressure.

Key Points

• Helps you build a habit: The structure gently nudges you to sketch more often by removing decision fatigue—no need to overthink what or how to sketch.
• Teaches foundations without jargon: Concepts like value, scale, and composition are broken down in plain language, with helpful examples from different artists.
• Portable and visual: Its sketchbook-style binding and tons of visual examples make it feel like something you'd actually use in the field, not just a coffee table book.

What the Book Covers (and What It Doesn’t)

Before diving in, it helps to know what to expect. This isn’t a detailed deep dive into materials or anatomy—it’s more like a sketching philosophy and field guide. You can sit down and read it in a couple of sittings or flip to a random section for inspiration before you go out and draw.

Observational Drawing Basics

The first few chapters get you focused on seeing instead of just drawing. Suhita includes exercises like blind contour drawing and shape mapping. I’ll admit—blind contours are not something I naturally gravitate toward, but doing them forces me to slow down and observe instead of relying on muscle memory. That’s been really good for me, especially when I feel like all my drawings are starting to look the same.

If you’re completely new to observational sketching, you might want to check out my drawing tutorials or dig into some nature journaling if you want something that’s still observational but a little more relaxed and meditative.

Value, Color, and Composition

These are areas where beginners often feel overwhelmed, but the way this book presents them is digestible. Suhita gives examples of how to simplify value into light, mid, and dark shapes. For color, she touches on warm/cool contrast and basic color mixing strategies, but doesn’t go overboard. I think that’s a good thing. You don’t need to memorize a color wheel to start using color effectively in a sketch.

Her suggestions helped me rethink my quick urban scenes and how I might improve contrast just with a few brush strokes. If you want to go deeper on color after reading this, I’d recommend her next book, Working with Color, or check out my urban watercolor sketching overview.

The composition section is short but clear. I appreciated her examples showing how to place large shapes and then build detail around them. That’s something I still do when I draw alleyways, buildings, or crowded markets—I find one anchor shape and let the rest fall into place.

Loose Structure, No Prescriptions

What I appreciated most is that this book doesn’t tell you how to draw “right.” Instead, it encourages you to make decisions on subject, tools, timing, and even how tight or loose to go. If you’re interested in developing your own style, that flexibility is gold. For more on that loose, expressive vibe, I’ve written about loose urban sketching techniques too.

I also like how Suhita includes sketches from many other artists. It reminds you that urban sketching isn’t one look or approach—it’s a whole world of interpretations. If you’re looking to develop your visual voice, that encouragement to find your own path is key.

Where It Shines (and Where It Falls Short)

I personally love books that get me drawing right away, and this one fits the bill. That said, it’s not for everyone.

What’s Great:

• Easy to read, quick to absorb
• Practical advice for starting or restarting your habit
• Lots of sketch examples from real artists (not just the author)
• Portable and feels usable outdoors

I also found it inspiring on days when I didn’t know what to draw. I’d flip to a random page, see a sketch of something ordinary like a trash can or parked scooter, and think, “Yeah, I can draw that.” That mental permission is surprisingly powerful.

What Might Be Lacking:

• It’s light on technical depth—no deep dives into perspective or anatomy
• Some might wish for more structured lessons or step-by-step tutorials

If that’s you, try pairing this book with my urban sketching tutorial or the more guided urban sketching course I put together to walk through some of these concepts visually.

Related Resources If You’re Just Starting Out

Once this book gives you the sketching bug (and it probably will), you might want to build on that momentum. Here are some helpful next steps:

• Urban sketching reference photos if you want to practice indoors
• Urban sketching kit recommendations to simplify your materials
• What is urban sketching? for a broader overview
• Urban sketching exercises to keep the habit going
• Urban sketching artists for inspiration and different styles
• Pen and ink sketching if you want to keep your tools minimal

You can also find reviews of other titles in the same series, like Sketch Now, Think Later or the excellent Understanding Perspective if you're trying to grasp depth and structure more clearly.