old urban sketches

I've been sketching all my life, especially during classes as you can see. These are really old sketches I did to pass time in class. It was just a thing I used to do from time to time and I kept a lot of them. I didn't know sketching was "a thing". 

Now, thanks to local illustrator Tom Pokinko, I recently discovered a really impressive group called the Urban Sketchers, an international group of artists from various backgrounds who's mission "is to raise the artistic, storytelling and educational value of location drawing, promoting its practice and connecting people around the world who draw on location where they live and travel", showing the world, one drawing at a time. The Urban Sketchers' Manifesto got my attention. It states :

1. We draw on location, indoors or out, capturing what we see from direct observation. 
2. Our drawings tell the story of our surroundings, the places we live and where we travel. 
3. Our drawings are a record of time and place. 
4. We are truthful to the scenes we witness. 
5. We use any kind of media and cherish our individual styles. 
6. We support each other and draw together. 
7. We share our drawings online. 
8. We show the world, one drawing at a time.

I was almost there at the time it seems. These were taking at a school in Montreal. Mind you the little turtle on the top of the door was a figment of my imagination. :)

Needless to say, I decided to join as a member and add urban sketching in my artistic skills to do list from now on. Who knows, I might become a correspondent sometime in the future. But in the mean time, it will be a great way to connect with other artists.