Sketchbook Tour 2021
It might be April, but is it really too late to do a last year’s sketchbook tour?
I’d like to think it’s never too late!
In 2021 we spent some time in lockdowns, but I also got to explore London (and some parts of the UK) a little bit more. I also discovered some great restaurants that I would always want to come back to!imo goe
Finally, August was the time to visit family & friends and to enjoy the beautiful beach.
So what changed in 2021 in comparison to the previous year?
Drawing also become a more regular thing for me and I really embraced using water colours. In the past, my sketches were either drawn in pencil or digitally, but now it feels I found a middle ground. And, yes, I still draw to remember.
I usually use a fine liner (or Prisma coloured pencils) without making graphite sketches which has definitely boosted my confidence. There is no room for mistakes, but that is less restrictive than it sounds like. If anything, my lines are stronger and, even there is a mistake, it somewhat adds to the charm.
Places in London
Foyles
Foyles (above) is one of my favourite places in London, especially during rainy days! It is part bookshop, part cafe’ and you can spend some time reading a good book and enjoying a cappuccino.
Barbican Centre
The Barbican is a well-known art centre in the heart of London. A great example of brutalist architecture, it opened its doors in 1982 and it remains a hub for art exhibitions, movie screenings and theatre. Not only that, it houses 2000 flats, a library, three restaurants and a conservatory. The conservatory deserves a post on its own, as it’s my favourite place to enjoy (and draw) nature while staying indoors.
I made a quick fine-liner sketch while enjoying a coffee in the Barbican’s outdoor cafe’.
Frevd
To get to Frevd’s you need to walk down some stairs and turn right in a concrete industrial-looking bar. Sometimes, however, you think it might be open, but it isn’t. Other time, it is open when you don’t expect it to be.
Brighton
Le Botanique is a vegan restaurant that exceeded expectations. I would go back there in a heartbeat and indulge in their bread with interesting dips and daily vegan menu.
Pula
In the summertime, we visited my family in Istria. Even though the temperatures reached 36 degrees we still spent some time walking around. It was my boyfriend Michael’s first time in the city so everything was new and worth seeing.
The shade beneath the fig tree is my favourite place to be!
My boyfriend and my mum enjoying the time on the beach.
Some quick sketches of my kitties in the garden.
Bath
The skull is from an exhibition within the Roman baths.
Michael surprised me with a trip to Bath for my birthday! I sort of guessed, but it was a great time nonetheless. The city itself is a Roman one (Aquae Sulis), known for its, well, baths. It also boasts cute streets with shops and cafes, the 18th century Pulteney Bridge, as well as a botanical garden.
The last day of our stay was a rather gray rainy one, so we didn’t get to spend too much time in the botanical garden.
… and other stories
Some scenes from Wes Anderson’s ‘‘French Dispatch’’ movie
Two ladies would meet in front of my window every other day during lockdown, complete with coffee and dogs.
Materials
Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolour set
Prisma coloured pencils
Unipin fine liner (0.3 mm)