Understanding Light

The latest title in the Urban Sketching Handbook series

Understanding Light, Katie Woodward’s addition to the Urban Sketching Handbook Series, includes four of my sketches, and I’m thrilled to pieces! When this excellent series was introduced by Gabi Campanario in 2014 with Architecture and Cityscapes, I considered it one of my “bibles” in learning how to draw on location. Now with 14 titles, the series continues to cover many topics of interest to sketchers. Each time I picked up a new one, I thought what an honor and privilege it would be to have my work included in one someday – and the day finally arrived!

I’m not going to write a full review of this one since it would probably not be perceived as impartial 😉. But I will just say that Understanding Light is one of the best in the series. Not just an eye-candy collection of sketches (though it is that, too), Katie’s book includes solid information about how to observe and depict light using any medium. I was especially pleased that this volume is not medium-centric, as so many books that discuss light usually focus on paint. Graphite, ink, colored pencil, pastel – any medium can be used to express mood, atmosphere and emotion by closely observing and conveying light.

The book is pre-orderable now at online booksellers for a Dec. 28 release, and it will also be available at the Seattle Public Library.