You might be asking, “What is Urban Sketchers Istanbul?” From the name we can at least guess it’s something that happens in Istanbul. So what is Urban Sketchers? Let me share their own description from Urban Sketchers Istanbul‘s blog:

We’re a group of Istanbul residents who love to sketch. Thanks to social media we discovered each other and started taking sketch walks together around Istanbul. With our small group of students and workers we meet on weekends, do sketch visits to museums and walk through the city — and of course we talk a lot about sketches, pens, paints and paper!

It really is that simple: people who love drawing meet at a pre-decided spot and draw together. For things like “how do I join” and “how do you pick the location”, here’s a quick Q&A:

I’m not great at drawing. Can I still join?

Of course you can. “How can you be so sure?” you’d ask. I actually asked the same question to the core team behind Urban Sketchers Istanbul, and they told me “of course”. And we went, and ended up sketching really well. 😀

How do you pick the location for sketching?

The location is shared ahead of time on Urban Sketchers Istanbul’s Instagram page. Just follow it and show up where they go to draw — you can join them.

What should I bring for sketching?

From what I saw, most people were doing watercolour. Some sketched with a regular pencil first and then moved to watercolour. I went with a thin sketchbook, regular drawing pencils, marker pens and a drawing tablet. I switched between them. Honestly, a single pencil, an eraser and a notebook would be enough — but if you show up with full watercolour gear, nobody will say a thing. In fact, expect plenty of conversation about everyone’s gear and lines.

How long does the sketching take?

There’s no fixed time limit — whatever fits the time you have. Ours ran about 5 hours. Some people left at the 3-hour mark; we just kept things flexible for everyone. Only the start/meeting time is fixed; if I recall right, it’s usually Sunday morning at 11. When to leave is up to you.

I’m shy. I draw badly.

Don’t be shy. They’re human too. Everything has a beginning. The more you draw, the sooner you’ll reach a level you’ll actually enjoy.

Those are the questions that came to mind. I’m not a super-strong illustrator myself, but I keep trying. You can’t know — and can’t move forward — without trying. For any extra questions, follow the Urban Sketchers Istanbul page and ask them directly.

You can reach Urban Sketchers Istanbul’s site here, and the post about the very event we attended here.