In a “marathon of creativity,” urban sketcher Heiner Radau followed his dream of drawing New York City on location. Then, he took his art to a modern level. Keep reading to see how, and be inspired.
Drawing My Dream: 45 Days Capturing the Soul of New York City
By Heiner Radau
For 45 incredible days, from August 13th until September 27th, 2025, I lived out a lifelong ambition. I spent every single day drawing New York City entirely on location, creating a large hand-drawn panorama built from more than 60 unique places across the five boroughs. It was a marathon of creativity and a deep dive into the rhythm of the city that never sleeps.
I’ve been drawing cities for ten years, but New York was always the ultimate dream. I first knew this city as a child, and returning now as an adult felt like a full-circle moment. I wanted to celebrate and commemorate that feeling with an interactive artwork—partly just to prove to myself that it actually happened in real life!
Working outdoors every day was easily the most rewarding part of the project. Making art in public is a unique human experience; it’s part play, part social study, and part performance. Aside from the most common question from onlookers: “Did you draw this?!?,” people shared stories and suggested hidden gems I should visit. Many locations in the final panorama were recommended by New Yorkers I met on the street, making the project as much about the people as the architecture.
My Tips for Urban Sketching in a Busy Location
To any artist working primarily in a studio, I cannot recommend the public experience enough. It’s a wonderful way to meet awesome people and break out of your routine.
When you draw or paint on location, take your business cards and an Instagram QR code. Display them visibly so that those who are too shy or busy to stop can still find you. In fact, most of my social media audience consists of people I met while drawing their very own streets and alleyways.
After returning home to Germany, I knew the journey wasn’t over. I scanned the final drawing and began connecting it to the videos, timelapses, and 360° scenes I recorded on-site. Today, that physical drawing has evolved into an interactive map. Viewers can now explore New York location by location, discovering the stories and moments behind every ink stroke. It’s no longer just a drawing; it’s a digital exploration of a dream realized.
Learn more about Heiner Radau at www.heinerradau.de.
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Story prepared for the web by Cherie Dawn Haas, Editor of Plein Air Today
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