How to draw landmarks when traveling
Planning a detailed drawing of a landmark while traveling
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Last week I was visiting family in Seattle and took the chance to draw the Statue of Liberty. Well not the actual Statue of Liberty, but a small replica gifted to the city in 1951 by the Boy Scouts of America located in the Alki Beach Park. When I have talked about traveling in the past I often talked about taking a snapshot notebook for quick drawings. This time I was feeling the call to create a more detailed painting of this unique Seattle landmark.
As a result, this seemed like a good time to talk about how to plan for traveling when you want to create a more detailed drawing rather than quick ink sketches. This requires bringing watercolors along and having a location in mind beforehand.
Picking a Location
When choosing a location there are of course the major landmarks in a city. This is especially good if you are visiting someplace that you have not been to before. For places you visit regularly, such as when visiting family or traveling for work, a good approach is to start with the small snapshot sketchbook as a way to scout locations and decide where to complete a detailed sketch.
When going to a location you have not been to before, make sure to budget some time for exploring the place and finding somewhere suitable to draw at. Coffeeshops and cafes are good options as well as benches in parks. It is also nice to bring along a folding stool or chair for more flexibility, but make sure to stay in public spaces, like sidewalks or parks, and that you are not blocking foot traffic. And make sure to keep in mind your exit routes if needed and any suspicious activity in a space you are not familiar with.
The advantage of a space you have scouted beforehand is that you will have an idea of places to sit and how safe you feel in the space. Indeed, you may be able to return to the exact spot you did you snapshot sketch from. At the same time, remain flexible with your plans as you may need to adjust to changes in conditions. Perhaps someone is sitting in the spot you drew from last time or it is raining and the spot you originally drew from is exposed. These can be great opportunities to discover new perspectives on a familiar location.
Enjoying your time drawing
The joy of completing a more detailed sketch is being able to observe the location and how people use it. I tend to start my pencil drawing with the buildings and plants in the scene since they are generally static. I then add people into the pencil work scene, or even as I am adding ink line work, based on how I see them using the space. Perhaps there is a spot where people tend to congregate like in front of a business or transit stop. Or sometimes the space is more transitory with people walking, biking or driving through it. And sometimes the space I am drawing is of such a massive scale that it dwarfs the people in the scene.
Taking the time to complete a more detailed sketch is also a great chance to build mindfulness by noticing the unique details of the location. In addition to the people, you might consider how local wildlife uses the space. The text of the trees and plants in the area. The smells and sounds you experience when drawing. Perhaps a stray comment you overhear is just the nugget of information you needed in your life. The visual details will naturally translate to a drawing, and it can be interesting to consider how you might visually translate some of these other experiences. Or this could be a natural opening to a sketch journal that incorporates text into your drawing.
Packing a watercolor set
The advantage of a snapshot sketchbook is all you need is the sketchbook and a pen. When you want to add watercolor though you now need to plan for bringing along the watercolor set. The easiest way to do this is usually to have a drawing bag pre-packed with all of the watercolor supplies you need. When traveling though this is not always possible. So, when traveling with watercolors I usually put my paint pallet and my brushes at least in my suitcase. Then bring them out for the day I know I will be drawing.
Watercolors are usually easy to transport, but make sure they are reasonably dry. A couple of times I have opened my bag to discover that my still wet paints have run out of the bottom of the pallet. It is also a good idea to pack plenty of paper or cloth towels to dry brushes and wipe out your pallet if you do not have time for the pallet to dry. A final safety measure to consider is having a bag or pocket to put the paint pallet and brushes into.
Updates on Paid Subscriber Drawing Session
The paid subscriber drawing time is coming up on May 7th at 5pm. There will be a live stream on Substack and an in-person meeting in Corvallis, OR. If you are interested in attending, there is still time to upgrade to a paid subscription:
The in-person event will meet at a location in Corvallis, OR to practice drawing on site. Fingers crossed our nice weather holds. If you would like to attend the in-person event let me know and I will send you the details.
Inspiration
Recently I came across some old issues of Portland Monthly from the 2000s that were fun to flip through. The March 2007 edition had some great advice on brewing coffee that inspired me to get out my mocha pot again and try making cortados at home. Unfortunately, the issue is not available online. Meanwhile the June 2008 edition’s title feature was 25 Great Meals Under $25. It was interesting to see the restaurants that have lasted (Broder, Screendoor, Pine Street Biscuits) and those that have been lost to the mists of time. Another favorite activity for me is collecting RIP drawings for closed businesses and institutions.
The End is Only the Beginning
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See you soon at your neighborhood or digital watering hole😊
