Rob Sketcherman

Rob Sketcherman is a self-taught artist best known for his urban sketches, which he primarily creates on his iPad. It seems to be a coincidence that the word “sketch” is a part of his last name “sketcherman”; however, this is just his nickname. Sketcherman shared his anecdote about the background of his nickname. While he was sketching an urban scene in Hong Kong one afternoon, a curious little boy approached him to inquire into what he was doing. He then explained that he was sketching, and the little boy then proceeded to call him a “sketcher man,” before running off. Sketcherman felt empowered after this interaction because he was reminded of all the comic books and superheroes he used to read about. The name “sketcherman” immediately charmed him, and to this day, he goes by the name Rob Sketcherman.

Although he has been drawing for most of his life, it did not begin with life drawings. He initially learned how to draw anatomy and myriad poses from his old comic books. Later on, Sketcherman joined his first life-drawing session and was immediately captivated by this style of art. He began drawing humans, then buildings, cars, and everyday subjects we see outside. On his website, he praises urban sketching not only because of the enjoyment he derives from it, but also because it has developed him into a more observant and patient person outside of art. 

In 2015, he was commissioned by Hip Shing Hong, a Hong Kong developer, to paint a mural on the Madera Hotel building on Hollywood Road, Central. He and his team worked for months to create a mural of the classic Hollywood stars Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Charlie Chaplin, and Audrey Hepburn. The vibrancy and size of this mural make the building stand out from its surroundings, bringing a pop of colour and bringing this building to life. 

As Sketcherman continues on his artistic journey, you will most likely find him observing real-time scenes, sketching meticulously on his iPad Pro. Perhaps he might be running workshops around the world to speak about urban sketching and help people with their own creative expression.