I sketched my art supplies for the urban sketcher’s symposium in Toulouse. I like ink lines and watercolour, but I’ve had to pack a few extra supplies because of the workshops I’m attending.

Exploring an interesting colour triad for Toulouse buildings and street scenes. The Manganese Blue Hue provides a bright and vivid contrast to the opaque mixes created by the Indian Red and Buff Titanium.

Putting my Noodler’s Ahab Flex Nib pen through its paces to see if it’s ready for the Urban Sketcher’s Symposium in Toulouse. I created a variety of different line weight by adjusting the pressure, and the angle of the nib. Then I used it to test the writing and sketching capabilities.

I’ve created a set of small watercolour canvases for portraits I do on location. They’re only 8cm x 6cm, and ideal for doing loose quick sketches to give to the subjects I sketch. On the back is a linocut self portrait I created last year.

I’ve been prepping these three books for my trip to Toulouse to attend the Urban Sketcher’s Symposium next week. Three are Hahnemühle watercolour books, and one is a hand-made matchbook swatch book that I made to consolidate some of my colour swatching ideas for painting the Pink City. I also made a spiral bound sketchbook for notes during my workshops and making thumbnail sketches.

Daniel Smith published their suggestions for painting Toulouse street scenes during the Urban Sketches Symposium. So I experimented with how to mix these from the colours I already have in my watercolour palette.

Day 105 of sketching during a day our flight out of Lille. I sketched people before our flight and during our flight. A good end to our trip, with some pleasing people sketches completed.

Day 103 and 104 of sketching people. During our trip to Lille I only managed to sketch people at the train station and on our metro ride to a museum housed in an Art Deco swimming pool.

In Paris for day 98, 99, and 100 of urban sketching people. Experimenting how to manipulate the line and colour on a page to create a sketch that has a clear visual path and a strong focal point.

My New Neighbours in Quarantine Checking in to Fly The biggest stress about travelling from the U.K. to Turkey during…

Here’s the food and wine memories that linger on our tongues from our French Workaway adventure.

We spent a week on Ile D’Aix, a French island near La Rochelle. I had sewing projects to do, and Red had painting projects. Plus catching oysters and beach combing.

We stepped back in time with a private tour of the fortified village of La Couvertoirade. This castle dates back to the Knights Templar.

10 weeks into 3 minutes. Watch our Workaway and Travel adventures through France. I made this virtual tour as a birthday gift for Red.

We fell in love with La Rochelle during our Workaway Gig. Our volunteer assignment was varied and interesting, and even off-season, this town is open for exploration.

Lyon is a fabulous walking city, and we spent 4 days wandering around this gastronomy capital of France. Find out what we saw during our self-guided walking tour.

During an overnight stay in the Montparnasse neighbourhood of Paris, we made the most of cafes, bistros and the local flea market.

Exploring the historic military stronghold of Ile D’Aix out of season? You’ll have the desolate beaches all to yourself and first pick of the oysters.

Only two hours from Paris, Lyon offers similar landscape and architecture, but not as many museums.

Our Workaway adventure volunteering at an 18th Century flour mill in southern France, near the Millau Viaduct.

We spent two days chilling in Clermont Ferrand, exploring the old town area and eating Italian and Turkish food.

A weekend break in artistic and creative Montpellier in the south of France. Wandering the cobbled streets of old town, meeting the locals and walking our socks off.

Exploring Toulouse, the pink city in January. A French cultural immersion and welcome hospitality from the locals.

We weren’t going to let a French Rail Strike get in the way of our plans to travel around France for three months.