Our goal was simply this: ‘Go draw outside.’
A community bringing people from different walks of life together through drawing, offering a safe, welcoming space to create, unwind, express themselves, or simply enjoy the process.
What inspired you to turn sketching into a way of experiencing the city together?
The idea grew from our own experience. As design students at NID Ahmedabad, we were constantly creating, experimenting, and solving new problems. After graduation, that rhythm gradually faded as everyday life took over.
SketchyKrew became our way of reclaiming the joy of making something simple, together. More than just sketching, it's an invitation for people to slow down, reconnect with their creativity, and build meaningful connections along the way.
What usually happens to that person by the end of the session?
Many people who join us are either new to drawing or unsure of their abilities. By the end of a sketch walk, we hope they feel more confident putting pencil to paper and realise that perfection has never been the goal.
SketchyKrew is a judgement free space where every sketch is welcome, especially the imperfect ones. As the community has grown, we've seen people of all ages and professions keep coming back. Friends invite friends, children bring their parents, and parents bring their children.
It has shown us that there are so many people looking for a creative community where they can simply show up, make art, and feel like they belong.
Did you always intend to create a hand-drawn archive of the city? How has sketching changed the way you experience Delhi?
Documenting the city was never the plan. Our goal was simply this: "Go draw outside." In the beginning, our sketch walks were simply friends getting together with sketchbooks. We never worried about numbers or saw it as a community.
It was just a fun excuse to step outside and draw together. Over time, it grew into something much bigger than we had imagined, with more and more people wanting to join. For us, sketching is deeply personal. It can be calming or challenging, depending on how you choose to engage with it.
At its core, SketchyKrew is about encouraging people to slow down, notice the world around them, and draw what they truly see. In a fast moving city, it offers a rare chance to pause, breathe, reconnect with your surroundings, and connect with the people around you.
Why do you think people are choosing sketching as a slower way of engaging with a city today?
Sketching naturally slows you down and gives you time to truly observe a place. A photograph captures everything in front of the camera, but a sketch is shaped by what catches your attention. You choose what to emphasise, what to simplify, and what to leave out, which makes each drawing a personal interpretation rather than a complete record of reality.
In an increasingly digital and AI-saturated world, many people are looking for ways to step away from constant consumption and reconnect with the physical world around them. SketchyKrew offers a space to do exactly that.
What has building this community taught you about people, and what would you say to someone who wants to start creating but doesn't know where to begin?
There's a deep, persistent part of us that wants to connect and belong, to whatever degree. We're social animals after all, even the introverts among us. Stepping out matters now more than ever. So to anyone on the fence: take a deep breath and take the leap. Who knows what you'll find.
Complete this sentence for us - when life gives you tangerines, you....?
Sketch it, then eat it. In that order.