Toulouse in Four Moves:
Wash, Shape, Line, Life
Building a City Sketch Step by Step
📍 International Urban Sketchers Symposium
📅 July 15–18, 2026
🎤 Demo (DEM35)
How do you build a sketch that feels alive — not just accurate, but full of rhythm, atmosphere, and connection?
In this demo, I share my process of constructing an urban sketch step by step — starting from loose color washes and gradually bringing structure, line, and life into the scene.
The process is built around four key stages:
Wash — setting the atmosphere with loose color
Shape — organizing the main masses and composition
Line — connecting elements and guiding the eye
Life — adding figures, rhythm, and small details
How to start without overthinking composition
Using color as a unifying structure, not decoration
Connecting figures and architecture into one visual rhythm
Working with incomplete information and letting the sketch evolve
Adding expressive details without overloading the sketch