Books Reviews

”Very good book, I loved it from start to finish! And best of all, the explanations for each sheet and the explanation of the process followed to draw and paint.”

- Daniel

”Tons of drawings/sketches, lots to look at (and also learn from). Highly recommend this book for anyone interested in Urban Sketching and pen & ink drawing.”

- S.Guttinger

”Very cool artbook, highly commended for any art lover or urban sketcher. More than 200 Pages and many different way to sketch places. I’d like to try ad this artist” - Francesca

”Beautiful artwork - highly recommended for anyone interested in Pen & Ink drawing.”

- S.Guttinger

"Inspirational and intricate urban sketches! An incredible book that fans of urban sketching will find inspiring and enjoyable to look at.

I have been trying to learn urban sketching myself, and while there are many books on Amazon that try to teach us how to do it, books that display urban sketches are rare. While there are a few that exist, they are mostly groups of sketches by various artists that have inconsistent levels of quality. This book is the first full collection of sketches that I've been able to find, and it's perfect!

The level of detail in each drawing is stunning. Many urban sketches capture a brief "glimpse" of the scene around them. Maybe they'll focus on one or two specific buildings. This artist seems to revel in capturing as much detail as he can -- names of buildings, vehicles, individual wires on a telephone pole, road signs, and even the cargo on a pickup truck are all intricately drawn out.

Another detail I really appreciate in many of the drawings is the storytelling. Unlike buildings and bridges, people won't sit still for hours and accurately depicting them can be difficult. In these drawings there are people shown shopping at stalls, eating at restaurants, driving motorcycles, looking at phones, talking to each other, and (in one case) even talking to the viewer! These small details add so much life and immersion to each drawing.

Finally, as an artist, these drawings are very accessible to someone who wants to learn how to urban sketch themselves. All of the drawings in this book were produced with a pen and watercolor. There are no secret digital techniques, no days of preparation, and no expensive materials that I need to go out and purchase. It's very invigorating to know that, with enough experience, I might be able to produce this kind of work with a sketchbook and a pen from my office.

This book includes the names of each city, however it does not include the names of individual locations. That's the only opportunity I believe the book missed. It features many different places and I'd love to see them in real life one day! Other than that, this is a solid urban sketch collection and I absolutely recommend it."      

Christopher Gimas

”Amazing capture of the spirit of a city. This artist has created a series of books filled with impressive plein air sketches and drawings. Each focused on a specific city. This one on Hong Kong really stood out, as it has many images that are not the typical 'postcard' images of cities, places that tourists may not be aware of, in addition to the glass and steel high-rises that are iconic to the city, the reader can also see detailed depictions of common side streets, back alleys, wet markets, and transportation infrastructure. My favorite one is the one (see attached image) of Burrows Street, the street of my childhood home.”

- Ca La