VISAKHAPATNAM: Urban Sketchers Visakhapatnam, a group of artists in the city, has been bringing together people interested in drawing through its regular on-location sketching sessions. The initiative, started in March 2023 by Preethi Sangita, focuses on sketching real-life scenes.
The group follows the global Urban Sketchers manifesto, which encourages artists to draw from observation, document their surroundings, and remain true to what they see, while supporting one another and sharing their work online.
Sketch meets are open to all and held every weekend. The organisers share details of the location and time on social media each week. There is no registration process or fee. Participants gather at selected spots and sketch live scenes, using different styles and mediums.
Since its inception, the group has covered locations including Beach Road, Poorna Market, Simhachalam, Kailasigiri, Araku, Kurupam Tomb and several other landmarks across Vizag. Attendance at the weekly sessions usually ranges between 20 and 30 participants, depending on the location. The highest turnout recorded was 64 participants during a themed sketching session at Hawa Mahal.
Preethi Sangita said similar communities inspired the idea in other cities. She pointed out that while Vizag has many talented artists, there are limited platforms to showcase their work. She also mentioned challenges such as a lack of public awareness and occasional permission issues at certain locations. The group includes people from various professions such as software engineers, architects, animation artists and students, many of whom have been attending regularly since the early days.
Muralist PV Hanumanthu said the group played an important role in shaping his artistic journey. “My journey with Urban Sketchers Vizag has been very close to my heart. I have been part of it almost from the beginning. It became more than sketching sessions. I met many artists, and many of them became close friends. It is a space where people gather, sketch, talk about art and enjoy the process. That environment shaped me.”
He said an opportunity that came through a sketch meet helped him begin his mural work. “At one sketch meet at Kurupam Market, an interior designer saw my work and approached me. That became my first mural opportunity. From that moment, my mural journey began, and more work followed. In that way, Urban Sketchers directly contributed to my career development.”
Another member, Gulzar Hussain, said the community began through Instagram and gradually expanded into regular weekly meets. “Initially, there were only four or five members. We then decided to meet and sketch together. From there, it slowly grew into a community.”
He said participation now ranges between 30 and 40 members each week.
“Now, every week, new people join. We visit different locations for live sketching. We usually meet early on Sunday mornings, around 6 or 7 am. If the weather is not suitable, we shift the timing.” He added that sketching together helps improve artistic understanding.
“Each person works in their own medium, such as pen and ink or watercolour. We learn from each other while working in public spaces. One of my best experiences was at Paderu, where we sketched waterfalls, mountains and temples. It was a full-day experience that started early in the morning.” With steady participation over the past three years, Urban Sketchers Visakhapatnam continues to document the city through live sketching.