Urban Sketch in Lisbon

Urban Sketching Minimal Art Supplies

On a recent trip to Turkey, I packed minimal art materials to use while sketching on the go. I packed:

• Uni-ball eye Micro (black ink)
• Tombow water-based dual brush pen N95, N65, and N45

I don’t often get my watercolours out when I’m doing quick travel sketching. Juggling a watercolour palette, water container, and brushes just isn’t how I like to create when I’m doing “secret” urban sketching. It’s much easier to remain incognito as an artist when you just have a small sketchbook (usually A6) and a pen and some grey brush pens.

I usually add watercolour to these sketches at a later date, but the key is to capture some tonal values, so that it’s easier to achieve believable watercolour placement.

Urban Sketching in Lisbon and Istanbul

We only had a quick overnight stop in Lisbon, before catching a very early flight to Istanbul. I love sketching to kill waiting time, and I captured this Uber wait at the Lisbon Oriente train station.

Once we got to Istanbul, I sat on our hotel balcony and sketched part of the building opposite.

Lisbon Airport Urban Sketching

There were some interesting characters at Lisbon Airport. I think airports are my favourite place to sketch people. Lots of people, sitting and waiting, and waiting!

I decided to supplement my travel sketches with some quick verse, to help create a reportage feel to my sketches. I’ve always loved creating slightly silly or tongue-in-cheek verses, and I love playing with words. So this marriage between sketches and verse is something that is close to my creative heart, and I can’t believe I don’t do it more often. I guess I’m just finding my way with this dual approach to capturing a moment when traveling.

The early hours of a Lisbon dawn,
A Piping coffee to stifle a yawn,
For the check-in counter it's an anxious wait,
Then a rugby scrum scuffle to the boarding gate.

Lost my Sketchbook

I didn’t get to colour these sketches, because I lost my sketchbook between Istanbul and Bodrum. I don’t know what I did with it, but I was glad I have the foresight of photographing my pages before I lost it.

Note to Self: write my name and contact information in the front of all future sketchbooks.