In an exclusive chat with The Pioneer for the Community Wise segment, M Ishak Ziaee, founder and regional admin of Urban Sketchers Hyderabad, takes us through the journey of this vibrant collective of artists capturing the city’s essence through live sketching. With a strong commitment to preserving Hyderabad’s architectural and cultural heritage, the group organises regular sketch walks, workshops and even philanthropic projects
Tejal Sinha
Cityscapes tell stories – of history, culture and the people who breathe life into them. And what better way to capture the essence of a city than through art? Urban Sketchers Hyderabad has been doing just that, bringing together a community of artists who document the city’s beauty through on-location sketching. Founded by M Ishak Ziaee in 2017, this initiative has grown into a vibrant collective of passionate individuals who gather to sketch Hyderabad’s architecture, streets and everyday moments.
Urban Sketchers Hyderabad (USk Hyd) is a vibrant non-profit arts group dedicated to fostering creativity, promoting cultural diversity and empowering the art of live sketching through weekend events. As the regional chapter of Urban Sketchers Global – a community nearing 500 official chapters, currently at 489 – USk Hyd has been capturing the essence of Hyderabad since its official formation in 2017. To date, the group has conducted over 330 sketch meets across the city and beyond, emphasizing the region’s architecture and culture. Their activities include demos and workshops with prominent artists and providing art-based assistance to various organisations, such as schools and hospitals. They actively collaborate with dynamic city organisations like Hyderabad Literary Fest, Hyderabad Cycling Revolution and Beyond Hyderabad. In December 2024, they concluded a 30-day Sketchfest, culminating in an exhibition of 300 sketches at T-Works Hyderabad. The group is led by four active admins: Ishak Ziaee, Faraz Farshori, Venkata Ramakrishna and Zeeshan Ahmed.
In an exclusive conversation with The Pioneer, he delves into the origins of Urban Sketchers Hyderabad, the challenges they’ve faced and their hopes for the future. The idea of urban sketching dates back to February 2007 when a Colombian artist in the US started Urban Sketchers Global, an initiative that soon spread worldwide. Today, it has about 400 chapters across the globe.
His journey with urban sketching began during his time in the US, where he joined one of the chapters as a participant. “I found the idea really inspiring,” he recalls. Upon returning to India, he first joined the Mumbai chapter before realising that Hyderabad lacked a similar platform. “There were only three or four chapters in India back then – Mumbai, Pune and Goa,” he says.
When he moved back to his hometown, he decided to establish Urban Sketchers Hyderabad. “I got in touch with a few like-minded artists, people who, like me, had day jobs but a passion for art,” he shares. What began as a weekend hobby eventually became an officially recognised chapter after an year and a half of consistent efforts.
At its core, Urban Sketchers Hyderabad is about capturing urban landscapes in real time. “We meet on weekends and sometimes even on weekdays, for sketching sessions,” he explains. These gatherings are open to anyone with a passion for art, regardless of age, gender or medium. “We welcome artists using water colors, crayons, pencils – anything that allows them to express themselves.”
One of the group’s core principles is live sketching. “We don’t take photos and work on them later. Everything we create happens on location, at the moment,” he emphasises.
Each sketch walk lasts about two to two-and-a-half hours, during which participants find their spots, sketch and finally come together to share their work. “At the end of the session, we lay down our sketches and discuss them. Some people explain their approach and others just observe and learn from each other,” he says.
The community aspect is a key element. “It’s informal and interactive. If someone has a question, they can ask. If we have a particularly skilled artist in the group, we sometimes ask them to explain their techniques,” he shares.
One of the major highlights of Urban Sketchers Hyderabad is its inclusivity. “We have schoolchildren, elderly participants, architects, animators – people from all walks of life.”
Over the years, the group has also collaborated with visiting artists. “Prominent artists like Vijay Biswal from Nagpur often join us when they visit Hyderabad. They do sketch walks with us, share their expertise and even conduct demonstrations,” he says. Recently, the group celebrated a major milestone – their 300th sketch walk. “We turned it into a 30-day sketching event, which was a huge success,” he says proudly.
Despite the group’s growth, there have been hurdles. “The biggest challenge, which still persists, is the art culture in Hyderabad,” he says. Unlike cities like Mumbai, Pune or Delhi, where art has a strong presence, Hyderabad leans more toward commercial art. “Many people initially joined with the expectation of career opportunities rather than just for passion,” he explains.
To bridge this gap, the group regularly organises workshops and demonstrations. “We tell people that while this isn’t necessarily a career-driven initiative, it’s a great way to gain experience, practice and network with professionals,” he says.
Logistics have also been a challenge. “Hyderabad’s traffic and transportation issues mean that participation often depends on where the sketch walk is being held. Some areas attract large groups, while others see fewer attendees,” he notes. Urban Sketchers Hyderabad has been part of several prestigious events, including the Hyderabad Literary Festival. “We’ve been associated with them for years. We’ve set up kiosks, exhibited our work and even conducted live sketching sessions at the festival,” he says.
However, when it comes to government support, he feels there is untapped potential. “We would love to collaborate with the government, especially in preserving and capturing Hyderabad’s cultural and architectural heritage,” he says. Although the group has received permissions for specific locations – such as Charminar and Moazzam Jahi Market – they hope to deepen this relationship. “Our sketches document the city’s changing landscape in a way that photography cannot. Partnering with the government could help us create an artistic archive of Hyderabad,” he suggests. Beyond capturing the city’s beauty, the group has also engaged in philanthropic efforts. “We’ve painted schools, contributed artwork to hospitals and worked with NGOs,” shares Ishak. Some of their notable projects include creating artwork for a cancer ward and decorating the walls of Sparsh Hospital. “Whenever we can, we try to give back to society through our art,” he adds.
Urban Sketchers Hyderabad has come a long way since its inception and Ziaee hopes it will continue to grow. “We want to see more artists join, more collaborations happen and more people embrace the joy of sketching,” he says.
For now, the group remains a passionate collective, self-funded and driven purely by love for art. “We don’t advertise much and we don’t collect any money. We do this because we love it,” he says.
As Hyderabad evolves, so does its artistic community. Through every stroke and sketch, Urban Sketchers Hyderabad is ensuring that the city’s essence is preserved – not just in photographs or memories, but in beautifully crafted works of art.
