Artist Explores New York City Through Energetic Sketches of Its Buildings and People

Art Urban Sketching of New York City

Washington Square Park
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Brooklyn-based artist Gavin Snider captures the energy of New York City through urban sketching. Venturing to the likes of Grand Central Terminal, Greenwich Village, and Chinatown, he highlights one of the best reasons to live in Manhattan (and the surrounding boroughs)—there are so many different things to see and do. From contemporary structures to historical homes, his pen and ink drawings reflect what makes the city such an exciting place to live and work.

Snider travels light when it comes to his sketching tools. He favors a Uni-ball ballpoint pen, a Sharpie, and Chartpak AD markers for drawing on-site. “I use many sketchbooks (far too many),” he shares with My Modern Met, “but lately I like the Baron Fig sketchbook and the Canson Mix Media sketchbook.”

With the proper tools in tow, Snider typically spends one to two hours sketching architecture, trees, and the people that inhabit his chosen space. Doing this has been the best way for him to experience the city. “I started drawing on site when I was living in Kansas City, Missouri,” he says. He’d spend his Sunday afternoons with his art supplies and wander (or drive) until he found something to sketch. “Now I live in New York, and there's certainly no shortage of buildings to draw, my objective is different,” he explains. “I challenge myself to use the act of drawing to tell a story. It's not always easy, but every time I draw, the act of discovery feels fresh and new.”

You can purchase prints of Snider's work through his online shop.

Artist Gavin Snider captures the energy of New York City through his on-site urban sketching.

Art Urban Sketching of New York City

Lower East Side

Art Urban Sketching of New York City

Coney Island

Chinatown Drawing

Chinatown

Art Urban Sketching of New York City

East Village

Art Urban Sketching of New York City

The Met Breuer

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

New York City Urban Sketching

Bleecker Street

Art Urban Sketching of New York City

Doyers Street

New York City Urban Sketching

Lower East Side

Urban Sketching by Gavin Snider

Ford Foundation

Urban Sketching by Gavin Snider

Greenwich Village

Urban Sketching by Gavin Snider

Grand Central Terminal

Urban Sketching by Gavin Snider

Chinatown

New York City Urban Sketching

Lower East Side

New York City Urban Sketching

East Village

Art Urban Sketching of New York City

Tribeca

Urban Sketching by Gavin Snider

Manhattan Bridge

New York City Urban Sketching

The High Line

Art Urban Sketching of New York City

Lower East Side

Art Urban Sketching of New York City

Metropolitan Museum of Art Roof Garden

Art Urban Sketching of New York City

Cathedral of St. John the Divine

Urban Sketching of New York City

Hudson River Park

Gavin Snider: Website | Instagram 

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Gavin Snider. 

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Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled 'Embroidered Life' that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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