On December 21, 2025, Bengaluru’s much-loved Penciljam community will huddle together in the umbrageous Cubbon Park to host a blissful drawing session amidst the lap of nature. This session, organised by Penciljam, aims to connect people more closely with the natural environment through sketches and artworks. The gathering centred around “Tree #3335” is an open invitation to residents to cease to be a passive straphanger and become an active beholder of their natural environs. It is not just any other weekend activity; it is recreation through mindful living.
Cubbon Park is known by the official name of Sri Chamarajendra Park. It is a space noted for its old senescent trees. These trees date back to the colonial era and have contributed significantly to the city’s ecological development. Interestingly, these trees have been numbered for conservation and mapping purposes. This space is referred to as the green lung of Bengaluru. The park has been central to Penciljam’s outdoor drawing tradition. The penciljam is a community of people who love to sketch. And for their forthcoming outdoor sketching session, Tree #3335 serves as the spot where strangers would gather and put down their imagination on paper.
The sketching episode will run from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm, capturing what is known as the “golden window” of Bengaluru’s winter sun. Today, people’s eyes are more accustomed to instant photographs and AI-generated images. Amidst this, an explicit session at the heart of nature is a test of patience as well as the need of the hour. It will enable the participants to slow down, observe better, and find ways to interpret their natural surroundings in a composed manner. The group will move past the Band Stand and the statue of Mark Cubbon and embark upon an artistic journey together.
Penciljam and The Venue
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The Penciljam meet-up is the continuation of a decade-long saga of public sketching sessions. It reflects a crucial turning point in Bengaluru’s evolving art and culture. Hitherto, the community has trodden and marked the city through parks, temples, markets, and neighbourhoods, creating a different vibe within the “known” vicinity. For their forthcoming session, Cubbon Park is an ideal site to hold a direct connection with nature and work in an ambience that is untouched by the core urban ways.
For this upcoming session, there are no registration fees, no prerequisite artistic training, and no constraints on participation. All someone needs is interest. “Curiosity” is the ticket to pass, and all attendees are encouraged to bring their own sketch books, pencils, watercolours, ink, or any medium of their choice. Often, many people simply join to watch and socialize, or to enjoy the morning calm.
The Park, spread over 300 acres, dates back to 1870. It withstood the ravages of time and stands still as a living museum of flora. There are thousands of trees, including ancient figs, rain trees, mahogany, and copper pods. It forms a spectacular vaulted canopy that fragments the light and sometimes does not let the sunrays reach the understorey. The shade of Tree #3335 will turn into a transitory classroom, a sketching studio, and a sanctuary.
Essential Information About the Event
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | Tree #3335 Sketching Session |
| Organizer | Penciljam Bengaluru |
| Primary Location | Cubbon Park (Near High Court Gate / Band Stand) |
| Date and Time | December 21, 2025; 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM |
| Target Audience | All ages; no prior artistic skill required |
| Focus Tree | Tree #3335 (specific route map provided) |
| Core Philosophy | Slow living and urban nature connection |
Key Highlights
- Open-to-all event encouraging art without judgment
- No skill level requirement; beginners welcome
- Immersive outdoor experience under natural light and shade
- Encourages mindful drawing in silence or conversation
- Connects artists and non-artists through a shared creative process
- Adds to Penciljam’s longstanding tradition of urban sketching
- Celebrates the heritage ecology of Cubbon Park
- The organizers provide a detailed hand-drawn style map to help participants find the specific tree
- Penciljam utilizes Discord to keep the conversation going, allowing for post-event sharing and feedback
- Cubbon Park serves as the “lungs of the city.”
- These events emphasize the park’s role as a vital “third space” outside of home and work
- The session encourages drawing in “dappled shade,” focusing on the sensory experience of the park rather than just the visual output
Art, Community, and the Slow Urban Movement
There has been a steady rise in the number of urban sketching groups around the world as a response to digital overload, societal fragmentation, and the increasing commercialization of creativity. Penciljam’s work resonates with movements in cities like Barcelona, Portland, Hanoi, and Tokyo, where sketch meets offer a grounding experience. For Bengaluru, this is a much-needed innovation that would counterbalance the fast-paced life of the metropolis.
Takeaway
Penciljam’s “Tree #3335” sessions are the unsung heroes of urban mental health. Drawing a tree doesn’t help you meet a deadline or fix a bug, and that is precisely why it is essential. In a city like Bengaluru, where hustle is considered the mainstream modern culture, such recreational activities are a must. It restores a sense of belonging to nature. Public parks were designed to be democratic spaces, and events like this reclaim that democratic purpose.
While the city changes rapidly with new metro lines and glass skyscrapers, these trees remain. By documenting them, Penciljam isn’t just making art; they are building a collective memory of a city that is too often in a hurry to forget its roots. If more urban centers adopted this “sketch-and-stay” model, people would find themselves dwelling in communities that are not just more creative but significantly more empathetic toward the environment they inhabit.
