Sketching Life Online Workshops
Learn how to design a sketch from start to finish.
A practical system to observe, decide, and build a scene on location.
Work faster.
Simplify complex scenes.
Sketch with confidence when time is limited.
Current focus: Nature + Architecture of Brazil
Next LIVE Series Begins In
Day(s)
:
Hour(s)
:
Minute(s)
:
Second(s)
Join This Month’s Live Series
Thursdays at 11am PST / 19:00 CET
(See full dates below)
Four guided workshops — $115
Ideal if you want to sketch this month only.
• Live instruction with Q&A and feedback
• Step-by-step sketching from ink to watercolor
• Increasing scene difficulty each week
• HD replays included
Each session runs 1.5–2 hours on Zoom.
Bring your usual sketching kit and watercolors.
Full materials list in the FAQs below.
March Series – Scenes of Brazil
Dates:
Thursdays: 12, 19, 26
Tuesday: 24
Extend Your Practice with the Best-of-2025
12 progressive workshops available at a special add-on rate when purchased with the live series.
Best-Of-2025 Workshops — $97
• Foundations — perspective and line clarity
• Watercolor & Composition — shadows and color choices
• Advanced Techniques — complex architecture and a night scene
Sketch scenes of Portugal, Brazil, Mexico, Morocco, Vienna, Paris, Marseille, and San Fransisco.
Commit to Ongoing Studio Growth
Ideal if you want ongoing structure and growth.
Sketching Life Studio
$247 for 3 months
• Weekly live workshops
• Current replays and evolving course library
• Real-time critique and guidance
• Community and resources
• $100 travel workshop credit
Continue at $79 per month.
Studio Member Experiences
Frequently Asked Questions
Are video recordings available?
Workshop replays
• Replays are available the day after each live class.
• You can watch them until the next month’s workshop series begins.
What materials and supplies should I have?
From a full art box, to additional tools than can be bought on Amazon.
- Small pocket sketchbook for quick practice drawings.
- Watercolor sketchbook or block minimum (A4 size)
- (1) color pencil (blue color preferred)
- Watercolors: add colors: ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, indian red, burnt sienna, lemon yellow, urban grey,
- Brushes: 1 mop brush, 2 round brushes, 2 flat brushes
- Permanent ink pens: Min. (3) line size pens or a fude nib fountain pen filled with ink, a black brush pen.
- Two waterbrushes diluted with waterproof grey or black ink. One dark and one light. Test your mixes for best results (Noodler’s Lexington Gray suggested)
- Water/ cup and paper towel
If I am completely new to urban/ architecture sketching, Is this workshop appropriate for me?
Yes absolutely and it is encouraged. We will work through foundation building for the complete beginner in a fun hit-the-ground-running way.
If I am more advanced will I still find value in this course?
The exciting thing about this workshop is that it will equip you with new ways to SEE. You will get unique professional architectural trained methodologies while discovering Alán’s particular technique and approach. But more than that you will return home with a boost of inspiration and vision to continue in your journey.
What if I cancel at the last minute?
Because we are a small group, last minute cancellations are nonrefundable.
Finish sketches faster with the Shadows-First Method
A simple, proven approach I use when the light is moving fast and I’m short on time.
This will be valuable for you if you want to…
-
Sketch confidently without overthinking composition
-
Add depth and life instantly with simple shadow placement
-
A method you can use anywhere, from cafés to cityscapes
Your free download is a designed and printable PDF for you to take on-location.
Alán Ramiro Manning
@seethelines
Alán Ramiro, an urban sketcher and educator based in Lisbon, combines his decade of architectural experience with a passion for travel and creativity. Through his workshops, Alán shares transformative techniques—like his innovative “sketching shadows first” approach, designed to help sketchers infuse personal experiences and energy into their art. Inspired by his studies abroad in Barcelona and a philosophy of embracing creativity through necessity, Alán’s teaching goes beyond replication, guiding participants to capture the essence of time, place, and spirit in every sketch.