Participatory Methods

Representación abstracta de la metodología participativa Dibujo urbano. Collage moderno con siluetas dibujando en la calle, trazos sobre edificios, árboles y escenas urbanas, cuadernos abiertos, y colores vibrantes que muestran la conexión visual con el entorno.

Urban Sketching

Urban Sketching is a participatory activity based on the practice of drawing from life in public spaces. Participants are invited to step outside and observe their surroundings carefully while capturing them through drawing. It offers an opportunity to look attentively, record with sensitivity, and connect with the environment. This is an excellent activity to explore the identity of a place, encourage individual expression, and strengthen the community bond through art.

Preparation

  1. Define the purpose:
    • Observe and document the surroundings through personal drawing experiences.
    • Connect with the urban or community space through a sensitive perspective.
    • Encourage artistic expression in open and everyday spaces.
  2. Prepare materials:
    • Drawing paper, sketchbooks, clipboards, or sturdy sheets.
    • Pencils, markers, watercolors, pens, ink, water brushes.
    • Support materials: portable stools, hats, sunscreen, water.
    • Optional: cameras, phones, or recorders for complementary notes.
  3. Set up the space:
    • Choose an accessible and visually interesting urban or community spot (plaza, pedestrian street, market, etc.).
    • Check for permissions if the site is institutional or private.
  4. For virtual implementation:
    • Invite each participant to go out on their own and sketch a view from their nearby surroundings.
    • Then, have them share their drawings on a collaborative platform along with notes or reflections.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Introduction to the activity
    • Present the general objective of going out to draw a place from direct observation.
    • Explain that the focus is not on technical perfection, but on capturing what each person sees and feels.
  2. Exploration of the place
    • Allow participants to freely walk around the chosen location for a few minutes.
    • Invite them to select an angle, corner, or view they find interesting to draw.
  3. Sketching session
    • Each person settles in their chosen spot and begins their drawing.
    • Participants may work in silence, with music, or in soft conversation depending on the setting.
  4. Collective closure
    • Everyone gathers again and shares their drawing or places it in an improvised exhibit.
    • A space is opened to reflect on what was observed, felt, and learned.
Recommendations
  • Remember that the goal is not technical accuracy but expressive drawing.
  • Encourage participants to let go of fear of mistakes and enjoy the creative process.
  • Choose comfortable and safe locations for the activity.
  • Have extra materials and weather protection on hand.
  • Promote respect for the environment and for any people being portrayed, if applicable.
Inspiration

Ideas for adapting the activity to different contexts and objectives:

  • Environmental education: Draw trees, insects, footprints, or natural corners in parks, gardens, or reserves.
  • Cultural heritage: Draw historical buildings, churches, markets, or neighborhood symbols.
  • Emotional perspective: Draw a place that evokes personal memories or emotions.
  • Community dynamic: Draw scenes with people, fairs, children playing, vendors.
  • Social transformation: Draw rundown areas as part of an improvement project.
  • Art and creativity: Use free colors and mixed techniques to interpret spaces subjectively.
  • Sound exploration: Draw what is heard instead of what is seen.
  • Visual chronicle: Draw a scene minute by minute as if it were an urban comic strip.
  • Focus on details: Draw only fragments: textures, windows, grilles, cobblestones, etc.
  • Drawing route: Walk as a group and draw a different scene at each stop.
Materials
  • Sturdy sketchbooks or paper
  • Clipboards or drawing boards
  • Pencils, markers, watercolors, water brushes
  • Portable stools or blankets to sit on
  • Water, hat, and sunscreen
  • Optional: cellphones or cameras to capture the location
Online platforms
Purpose
The purpose of Urban Sketching is to promote active observation and connection with the environment through drawing. This activity fosters creativity, aesthetic sensitivity, visual documentation, and positive engagement with public space. It also helps develop a critical, emotional, and artistic perspective on urban and community landscapes, facilitating reflection, exchange, and personal or collective expression.
Type of activity
Collective ReflectionParticipatory Action ResearchParticipatory DesignParticipatory InteractionParticipatory LearningParticipatory Monitoring
Level of participation
Information, Inquiry, Empowerment, Collaborative assessment, Knowledge generation, Exchange of perspectives
Target audience
Educators, Facilitators, Students, NGOs and social collectives, Business teams, Creative designers
Fields of application
Education and training, Community development, Organizational and business management, Urban and rural planning, Health and social well-being, Art, culture, and creativity, Sustainability and environment, Public policies and governance, Innovation and design, Research and evaluation, Conflict resolution, Citizen and social participation
Estimated duration
60–90 minutes
Ideal number of participants
From 5 to 20 people
Topics related to this activity
Active LearningAnálisis colaborativoAnálisis grupalAnálisis participativoArt TherapyCollaborative AnalysisCollaborative DrawingCollaborative GameCollective AnalysisCreative CommunicationCreative EvaluationCreative ExerciseCreative ExhibitionCreative ReflectionExperiential LearningGroup AnalysisGroup CreativityKnowledge GenerationParticipatory AnalysisParticipatory StorytellingTerritorial AnalysisTerritorial DiagnosisVisual CreationVisual DocumentationVisual ReflectionVisual Tool
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