Folk singer and self-taught artist draws her incredible journey from rural poverty to a life in art.

Twenty-five artists from around the world open up their sketchbooks to reveal drawings of their favorite cityscapes, sharing techniques, tools and practices with a view to exposing readers to an authentic experience of sketching as an appealing living art form.

Architects and urban planners need to describe cities in the course of their work, be it through maps, diagrams, sketches, computer renderings or models. Drawing for Urban Design explores a wide range of ways to represent the city, from freehand sketching to sophisticated computer models. The book provides a practical introduction to these techniques for students while explaining the processes associated with describing and designing urban environments – it is an invaluable visual handbook for representing the contemporary city.

Make the world your studio! Capture the bustle and beauty of life in your town. Experience life as only an artist can! Join the rapidly growing, international movement of artists united by a passion for drawing on location in the cities, towns and villages where they live and travel. Packed with art and advice from Marc Taro Holmes, artist and co-founder of Urbansketchers.org, this self-directed workshop shows you how to draw inspiration from real life and bring that same excitement into your sketchbook. Inside you'll find everything you need to tackle subjects ranging from still lifes and architecture to people and busy street scenes. • 15 step-by-step demonstrations cover techniques for creating expressive drawings using pencil, pen and ink, and watercolor. • Expert tips for achieving a balance of accuracy, spontaneity and speed. • Practical advice for working in the field, choosing subjects, coping with onlookers, capturing people in motion and more. • Daily exercises and creative prompts for everything from improving essential skills to diverse approaches, such as montages, storytelling portraits and one-page graphic novels. Whether you are a habitual doodler or a seasoned artist, The Urban Sketcher will have you out in the world sketching from the very first page. By completing drawings on the spot, in one session, you achieve a fresh impression of not just what you see, but also what it feels like to be there . . . visual life stories as only you can experience them.

The Art of Urban Sketching is both a comprehensive guide and a showcase of location drawings by artists around the world who draw the cities where they live and travel. Authored by the founder of the nonprofit organization Urban Sketchers (www.urbansketchers.org), this beautiful, 320-page volume explains urban sketching within the context of a long historical tradition and how it is being practiced today. With profiles of leading practitioners and discussions of the benefits of working in this art form, this inspiring book shows how one can participate and experience this creative outlet through modern-day social networks and online activity. You'll find more than 600 beautiful, contemporary illustrations, as well as artists' profiles and extended captions where these urban sketchers share their stories, how they work, sketching tips, and the tools behind each drawing. With sketches and observations from more than 50 cities in more than 30 countries, TheArt of UrbanSketching offers a visually arresting, storytelling take on urban life from different cultures and artistic styles, as well as insight into various drawing techniques and mediums.

The works in The Drawing Book, by artists, architects, sculptors, scientists, filmmakers and thinkers of all descriptions, attest to the versatility and immediacy of drawing. From first thoughts to finely wrought, elaborate artworks, from the lightest sketch in pencil to bold, gallery-wall installations, the medium is shown as an essential vehicle for creativity. The recent prominence of artists such as Louise Bourgeois, Eva Hesse, Chris Ofili, Rachel Whiteread, Ellen Gallagher, and a host of others who use drawing as a final means of expression, is addressed in both the works shown and essays by curators Kate Macfarlane and Katharine Stout, and art historian Charles Darwent. The Drawing Book takes us on a journey through five themes -- measurement, nature, the city, dreams, and the body. Each is richly illustrated with a diverse range of images, from the old masters -- Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, Dürer -- through great Modernist pieces by Rodin, Picasso, Matisse, and on to the contemporary artists who are reviving drawing today. A new and unique approach to an age old medium.