Inking and Watercolor City Sketching Guide

Nov 11, 2024

Sketching People in a City Scene - Tutorial by Scotty

Introduction

  • Tutorial on sketching people in a city scene using ink and watercolor.
  • Focus on a loose sketching technique.

Basic Proportions for Sketching Figures

  • Head: Start with the head shape.
  • Body: Torso is halfway down from the head.
  • Arms & Legs: Use simple shapes; arms taper from shoulder to wrist and legs from hip to foot.

Sketching Process

Initial Setup

  • Draw a baseline to align feet of the figures.
  • Mark approximate heights for heads and waists.

Sketching Figures

  1. First Figure:

    • Start with head; add shoulders and torso.
    • Exaggerate body shape slightly; taper the waist.
    • Draw arms with elbows halfway down the body.
    • Add simple shapes for hands and feet.
    • Add minimal facial details (eyes, nose, mouth).
  2. Subsequent Figures:

    • Repeat the process with variations.
    • Include accessories like bags, umbrellas.
    • Adjust details according to the figure’s position (e.g., closer figures appear larger).

Adding Details

  • Use simple lines for features due to small scale.
  • Add accessories and creases for realism.

Background Elements

  • Add a background to frame the scene.
  • Include details like light poles, signs, and buildings.

Applying Watercolor

Skin Tones

  • Use burnt sienna for skin.

Clothing

  • Apply various colors for clothing.
  • Allow for creative freedom in color choices.

Background and Skyline

  • Use cerulean blue for sky.
  • Create a city skyline with various shapes and windows.

Final Touches

Shadows and Lighting

  • Add shadows under umbrellas, on right side of figures.
  • Shadows add depth and realism.

Highlights

  • Use a white pen for highlights and sparkles.

Conclusion

  • Encouragement to join Patreon for full tutorials and community support.
  • Offers additional materials and warm-up exercises on Patreon.

  • Note: This is a summary of Scotty’s tutorial on sketching a lively city scene with ink and watercolor techniques. For a more detailed guide and access to reference materials, consider joining his Patreon community.