Meet the correspondents: SEMARANG, Indonesia > Rudi Hartanto

“I was born in 1967 and always enjoy drawing since my childhood.

As an architect, I feel that freehand drawing has been and still is a very effective way to build a good communication to the clients. It is quick, very expressive and lively information. Sometimes I make a very quick design idea in front of my client and mostly it works very well. Everybody needs everything quick. They do not only like ‘Fast food’…. but also they love ‘Fast design’ or ‘Fast drawing’ or ‘Fast sketching’…

Back in 1987, I was an exchange student. I had lived in Australia for a year and I have lots of sketches done outdoors… One day somebody watched me drawing outdoors. She came to me closer and told me: Could you please make a sketch of my shop? I will frame it if it is good. Off course I didn’t mind. After 5 minutes the sketch done. She was very happy… then gave me five bucks directly. Thanks God, I had extra money for that day to buy a chocolate and ice cream.

The word ‘Urban Sketcher’ it sounds good since the first time I found it. In fact, I have done it on and off for some years.

I never realized that I am an urban sketcher. The term ‘urban sketcher’ really push my appetite of sketching more and more.”

• Rudi’s art on flickr.