10/15/2025

“Objects” is a very broad category, but outside of buildings and people, there is an infinite array of what else you might see, and therefore draw, in an urban environment. Because this category is so broad, I thought that instead of taking the time to learn how to draw everything, it would be better to learn how to draw anything. 

For this excersize I went out and took 4 different pictures of things that I saw, and attempted to draw each of them with the tequniques I learned from the youtube videos that I have linked below. Here are the following steps I took:

1. Collect reference photos

Figure 1

Photo of Reference Photos

Note. Photograph taken by J. Kohlman (2025) with an iPhone. https://janesblog.opened.ca/ CC BY-NC 4.0

2. Draw the general outlines of each object’s form

Figure 2

Photo of Reference Photos

Note. Photograph taken by J. Kohlman (2025) with an iPhone. https://janesblog.opened.ca/ CC BY-NC 4.0

3. Go in and add the large, general shapes as guides (lightly)

Figure 3

Photo of Reference Photos

Note. Photograph taken by J. Kohlman (2025) with an iPhone. https://janesblog.opened.ca/ CC BY-NC 4.0

4. Add the detail, shading, and definition

Figure 4

Photo of Reference Photos

Note. Photograph taken by J. Kohlman (2025) with an iPhone. https://janesblog.opened.ca/ CC BY-NC 4.0

And that’s all! I now have 4 drawings that aren’t realistic or super detailed, but they display a recognizable object. I have mixed feelings about the products, and I know that I need a lot more practice, but after this exercise I do feel some level of confidence that I can translate a rough idea of what I see onto paper. 

More resources:

Sketching Scottie. (2024). How To Sketch ANYTHING! | Urban Sketching Objects For Beginners [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDQEaJY291A