As winter wrapped the city of Toronto in its icy embrace, I found myself on a unique artistic journey, exploring the city’s urban landscape through the vibrant and expressive medium of soft pastels. Embracing an impressionistic and abstract approach, my urban sketching practice aimed to simplify the complex urban landscapes, distilling the essence of the physical world into a series of colors, textures, and forms.
From iconic landmarks like Union Station to hidden gems like Evergreen Brickworks, I sketched the city’s charm and character, reveling in the delicate dance between color, texture, and light. The challenge lay in finding the balance between realism and abstraction, as I sought to evoke the spirit of each location while maintaining a degree of creative freedom.
The beauty of this approach is that it enabled me to focus on the mood and atmosphere of each scene, rather than becoming fixated on minute details. By conveying the essence of a place through impressions, I found that my sketches took on a unique character, as I allowed the soft pastels to guide my hand in capturing the spirit of Toronto’s urban landscapes.
Throughout my winter sketching journey, I found that the versatility and expressiveness of soft pastels, combined with my impressionistic approach, allowed me to capture the essence of Toronto’s urban scenes in a way that felt both intimate and true to life. The tactile experience of working with pastels and the freedom of abstraction made this artistic adventure unforgettable. As the winter months fade away and spring begins to bloom, I am eager to continue exploring the city and its ever-changing beauty through the captivating medium of soft pastels.
