Canal at Parochia and San Silvestro, Venice 2010
Waterways in Venice are like highways in cities. There are also water-alleyways, naturally since Venice is a “City of Water”. The city is a photographer’s heaven. At every canal intersection the vista and the city scape makes a beautiful, scenic composition. Narrow water lanes without promenades are part of the urban vocabulary. They are so interesting you wish you could walk on water to enjoy the setting.
Not to feel empty with only a memory of the view I grabbed my sketchbook and while standing on the bridge, over the canal, I took the opportunity to scribble the view that enchanted my personal feelings. I think visitors did not find this view interesting, since as I stood there for several minutes no one stopped by to admire the view. A few gondolas however, drifted by below the bridge and one occupant even cast me a radiant smile; or could I be dreaming?
This sketch began with the bridge and using a one point perspective alignment, the walls and their details fell into place. The finish sketch is not too detailed but gives the ‘feel’ of the narrow water-alleyway.
Sketchingjourney's Blog 
My Facebook Friend Thomas Kwok says “..it’s got the ‘feel’…as if you’re actually sketching on a gondola…”
In my published sketchbook, “A Personal Journey through Sketching: The Sketcher’s Art”, most of the sketches took several hours to complete. These are in my A3 original sketchbook and in many cases are very detailed drawings. Quick ’10 seconds’ sketches can be as effective too! And need not be detailed. I really enjoy He Youzhi sketches, especially those in his book “Old Shanghai”, (ISBN 978-7-5322-6867-2). He is a master at using line drawings in a creative, simple and effective manner. All his drawings show amusing stories of Shanghainese in their daily lives, and he does this with line sketches that express actions and emotions. They also appear to be done very quickly.
Here’s a link to check He Youzhi’s picture books: “He Youzhi’s picture books on display in Beijing” http://www.cctv.com/program/cultureexpress/20090621/101657.shtml