The scattered crowd in Largo do Padre Américo, a quiet, picturesque spot nestled on the hillside by the Cathedral, hints that this is no ordinary Saturday in these parts. Carrying drawing boards, sketchbooks, drawing tools, brushes, watercolours and paint pots, around twenty people settle onto the benches, steps and walls of the square and its surroundings. Once they have chosen the spot to portray, they are ready for Rabiscar o Porto with host Vasco Mota, an illustrator and urban sketcher who organises gatherings for people of various ages and levels of experience to draw and illustrate the city.

A true-blue native of Porto, he chose to study visual arts at high school by excluding other options and eventually graduated in Graphic Design at university, where he discovered the concept of urban sketching — the practice of drawing in situ and capturing scenes of everyday life in an urban setting. “I liked the idea of making the process more carefree and not producing a very realistic drawing”, he points out.

Before heading out into the streets, he began by sketching at home, using references such as photographs and illustrations by other artists. He then bought a folding stool and scoured the streets of Porto in search of the best spots to doodle. “When we’re drawing the city, we see details that many people don’t notice as they pass by,” says the illustrator, who seeks to “go beyond the obvious” to capture “the hidden essence of the city”.

Having experienced this social aspect first-hand, and learning of the monthly urban sketching meet-ups taking place abroad, the artist decided to set up Rabiscar o Porto to “meet and bring people together [around drawing] and learn new techniques [from both amateur and professional artists]”.

The first meeting, held during the easing of lockdown restrictions in 2021, was attended by just four people. However, the project grew steadily and took a leap forward when it was taken on by Ágora for events such as the Bombarda Simultaneous Openings. Gradually, it established itself as a welcoming space for anyone interested in drawing, regardless of their level of experience. “I want it to be a place where people feel comfortable drawing, especially those who don’t usually do it or who are afraid to start”, he emphasises.

“How do I get started?” is, in fact, the question most frequently asked during these sessions, which, whilst not formal lessons, allow participants to discuss their difficulties and receive informal guidance on how to draw what they are observing. “People are very self-conscious at first, but as the session goes on, they start to relax and realise that there is no right or wrong way to draw.”

The diversity of techniques and approaches is, in fact, the greatest value of urban sketching. “We might have 20 people in a small place, drawing practically the same thing, and yet we’ll end up with 20 completely different drawings”, Vasco observes. At the end of each session, participants lay their work out on the floor, creating a sort of pop-up exhibition that reflects the multitude of perspectives. “People are always amazed by how different the results are.”

These days, Rabiscar o Porto doesn't have a set schedule, but it takes place on a regular basis, at times when the weather is most likely to be nice. Rainy days can affect the event, but they provide a good excuse for Vasco to take refuge inside cafés and restaurants and illustrate the spaces, the people, and the food and drink he orders. Just as with his outdoor drawings, he mainly uses a fine-tipped pen to sketch and watercolours to add colour, mixing and applying shades intuitively in a process that brings the “drawing to life on paper”.

Recently, the artist has broadened the range of subjects featured in his sketchbook. Alongside city scenes, he has begun depicting football matches, combining two passions and experimenting with drawing “elements in motion” – a challenge he also encountered when he ventured into capturing weddings. “There are photographers, people wanting to take a look, noises going on”, he lists. “It can be an exhausting process, but one that is useful for creating a diversity [of work].”

Whatever the setting, Vasco never gives up his relaxed habit of doodling. “It’s not at all final, it's not something I’ve spent hours and hours drawing, with the utmost care”, he explains. “It means I was out on the street drawing, literally, over my knee.” For the illustrator, the verb embodies the very soul of Porto. “It’s a much more down-to-earth word [than its synonyms], which is just like our city, equally down-to-earth.”