Paulo J. Mendes is an avid urban sketcher based in Matosinhos, Portugal.
His blog and Instagram feed have a subheading of “Stealing landscapes with a sketchbook”. I’m not sure if that’s intentional or an algorithmic translation for something more like “capturing landscapes”. (The original Portuguese reads: “A roubar paisagens com um caderno”.) [Addendum: a Portugese speaking reader has informed me that “Stealing landscapes with a sketchbook” is, in fact the title.]
He is also a member of Urban Sketchers, and was a correspondent for the 2018 symposium, USk Porto.
Mendes sketches in pen and watercolor, with a confidently loose line that rests on a foundation on solid draftsmanship, and a deft touch with watercolor.
He takes on a variety of subjects, and renders his view as he sees it — complete with grafitti on walls.
I enjoy his expressions of sunlight and shadow, and his seemingly casual depictions of complex architectural elements.
