I began writing this article as a ‘Top 5 tips for travel sketching’ but then I realised a lot of my advice was a little odd, and so a new title was required.
A lot of my informal education for travel sketching was done on street corners, on napkins or in bursts of time before getting on transport. It could be a little rough around the edges or perhaps unorthodox in its thinking. I’ve painted while standing in the middle of traffic islands, or on a kayak for example - and whilst I’m not actively promoting the idea of either, I did want to share with you my favourite unconventional tips for travel sketching and painting.
They’re all tried and tested and work well for when sketching isn’t the main goal of your trip. It can be hard to find time and suitable subjects when you’re on holiday or on a longer trip that demands your attention. My advice here is well-suited for these kinds of situations.
1. Carve out some time early in the morning
I find early mornings ideal sketching time. Nobody else is up yet and you haven’t properly started your activities for the day, meaning it’s just you and your sketchbook. This last point is particularly important: early in the morning nobody can disturb you. I sometimes get a bit stressed when I think other people are waiting for me at lunch or in the afternoon, but if you draw/paint before the day has started then there is no such pressure.
The added bonus here is that light is particularly good at this time, which is ideal for watercolor. The golden hour is well-known with photographers and painters alike. That hour just after sunrise where the light is warm and glowing. Even if you can’t stomach the thought of getting up this early, squeezing in a painting before breakfast is a good place to start.
2. Go small, go fast
I can’t emphasize enough the benefit of taking a smaller sketchbook than perhaps you think you need. For years I travelled with an A5 landscape watercolor sketchbook. Why? Speed. Smaller creations are quicker and easier to do if you’re pressed for time. There’s nothing wrong with taking a larger book for more substantial creations, but going a size smaller can definitely make you more productive.
In evenings when I’m with friends or have company, I’ll go even smaller and take an A6 sketchbook in my back pocket without the need to carry a bag. You don’t need to go this tiny, but avoiding the larger sketchbooks is a great option for forcing you to work more efficiently. You’ll also probably end up with more paintings as a result.
3. Take less stuff than you need
This one might be controversial but hear me out. It’s also something I may cover in another article. But really the thinking is this: you need to make sketching and painting as convenient as possible when travelling. And that means - less stuff. Do you really need 18 different brushes and 25 different colors? No. In fact, I’m a firm believer that three colors, one (good) brush and an ink pen are perhaps all you need.
Taking less stuff also means travelling light. And this can be a benefit for overall packing and convenience. If you’re in a cafe for lunch or in the queue for something, having your kit easily accessible will reduce the friction to creating and this is what matters.
4. Seek out tourist cafes for the best views
Now, I typically avoid the so-called tourist cafes when I travel. They are often expensive, don’t have particularly good food and are busy. However they are usually blessed with one advantage: location.
They’re often situated in popular plazas, or on the edge of stunning vistas, this short video of me painting in central Naples, Italy is a good example of this. Essentially, they are placed where the visitors want to go (to take photos or to visit). This means they often have a ready-made composition for you, or are situated at an ideal vantage point. My strategy is to order one coffee, just to get permission to sit in these spots and use their location to my advantage. Try keeping an eye out for these locations and schedule an afternoon or morning break around these places so you can do a sketch.
5. Get the first sketch out of the way
When I visit a new place, my first painting is often the worst. I’m often tired, I’ve not fully studied the variation in colors or maybe I’m just excited to be there and aren’t fully paying attention. Whatever the reason, I find it helpful to get the bad sketch out of the way early so I can move onto the next.
When I visited Istanbul for the first time my first 1-2 sketches, weirdly, came out looking like central Manchester - where I live. I hadn’t fully adjusted my color or approach to where I was, but I needed to get these pictures out of my system first. Try to get your early paintings done soon, so you can move on to the good stuff.
So there we go. Some of my more unconventional travel sketching tips. I’m curious to hear how you manage to juggle travelling and creativity at the same time. Are there any more you’d like to add?