Last week I was reminded of my sketch trip to Spain in 2019, and I went looking for the sketchbook I’d used at the time. Previous to leaving, I’d joined a travel sketching group, and in preparation we were asked to choose something to sketch from a favourite place we’d visited. So I chose a photo taken twenty years earlier from the cathedral Sagara Família in Barcelona.

I was high in a tower which overlooked the city and focussed on the sculptured doves in front of me. I used water-soluble ink for the foreground. It’s wise not to load the brush with too much water when you pick up the ink pigment. I used a diluted watercolour for the background.

Some Images from the sketching trip to follow

Barcelona was the group’s first stop, and we were all keen to set off sketching. The city offers so much for the artist, or any visitor come to that, and much of this we owe to the artist and architect Antoni Gaudi.

We sat on a corner diagonal from this ornate building, Casa Mila. I sat looking at the structure for ages, wondering where I should start. There was so much detail one could have focussed on, so I decided to try and capture the feel of essence of movement the building possesses and keep it simple. Everyone produced terrific sketches. And, I was rather pleased with mine too. It was more of Gaudi the following day. But I had no complaints about that!

Parc Guell holds so many buildings and mosaics designed by Gaudi, including the wonderful ceramic walls and benches looking over the city. I sat on the curving bench, just staring out to the city. There was so much to absorb, but eventually I chose to simplify the wall in the foreground by making it appear two dimensional in design – I could focus better on the ceramic patterning that way.

We visited Plaça Reial in Barcelona too; a lovely square filled with tall palms, surrounding a fountain. It was too hot to stay sketching, so I photographed a very nice fountain feature and drew later, when out of the sun. I never tire of drawing figurative statues and fountains when travelling in Europe. I use graphite mainly, as I can use different grades to achieve both line and shadow effectively.

Onto Valencia

The weather was warm the day we visited the Science Centre and I remember covering my neck with a wide scarf as there was little shade where I sat. I have always liked drawing buildings, although I must say this contemporary, curvaceous, and shiny building tested my abilities in capturing different perspectives – but, I do like a challenge.

And now, Seville. One morning we wandered around the amazing Casa Palacia de Las Duendas, which was filled with a fabulous array of paintings and colourful tiles, some of which I selected to draw.

The gardens too, were a delight, and spotting a beautiful statue in one corner, I stood, holding up my sketchbook to draw her, finishing it off that night.

We went to the Parque de Maria Luisa in the afternoon, where I sketched more ceramics. I chose three to finish from the first garden and just one from the second. See below.

Looking at these sketches once more, takes me to a very happy place, when I joined others in Spain to share a wonderful time.