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• INTELLIGENT TRAVEL

How to Create Your Own Travel Sketchbook

Set down the camera, pick up a paintbrush, and create lasting memories.

I’ve been sketching my way around the world for five years now, and I can safely say the practice has forever changed me as a traveler. I love how my sketchbook slows me down, throws all of my senses wide open, and paves the way to spontaneous encounters with locals and fellow visitors alike.

So, in the hopes of convincing more travelers to embrace the paintbrush and sketch pad as a way to be wholly present while they explore the world—and to record their unique experience of a new place—I’m offering my take on how to get started.

Establishing your sketching style is an evolution—but, as is always the case with travel, the journey can be as much of a delight as the destination. The following steps are ones I’ve found work for me, and to help illustrate each stage of the process, I’ve included step-by-step photos from a sketching session in the Costa Brava region of Spain.

Colorful doors in Costa Brava, Spain. (Photograph by Candace Rardon)

1. Choose a subject.

Let your natural interests and curiosity be your compass as you begin sketching in a new place. When it comes to deciding on a subject, think about what you already tend to home in on when you travel. Perhaps you love photographing streetscapes or capturing what you eat for breakfast. Start there.

2. Lay the scene out with pencil.

I begin every sketch in pencil, as I’m developing an overall sense of the scene. This is my chance to ask, What’s going on here? What is it about this scene that’s speaking to me? Sometimes I’ll sketch out what I see and realize I haven’t got the perspective quite right. It’s nice having the option to erase and start over again.

3. Fill in the details with pen.

It’s impossible to capture everything you see in a sketch, so I like thinking of each detail as a decision. To include or not to include? That is the question. My style has developed so that my line work is carefully drawn, but you might find that a looser style helps you better express your impressions of a place.

At this stage in the process, I also enjoy writing annotations on the sketch—short notes about what I’m hearing, smelling, or tasting, maybe snippets of a conversation I’ve overheard, or even more personal impressions of how I’m feeling that day.

4. Bring it to life with color.

At this point, it’s all about having fun—after concentrating for an hour or two on drawing, my brain always welcomes the chance to change speeds. Whether you’re using markers, colored pencils, or watercolors, each medium offers its own adventure.

Ideally, I’ll complete a sketch while on location. Staying immersed in the process from start to finish helps me tell the story of that scene as it unfolded during my experience.

When that’s not possible—daylight has run out, it started raining, or there’s somewhere else I need to be—I’ll photograph my vantage point and use it to finish the sketch at a later time.

5. Be open to serendipity.

Traveling with a sketchbook has not only influenced how I see the world, but also how I interact and connect with other cultures.

When I’m sketching, I try to be aware of the people moving around me. If I sense someone peering over my shoulder, I’ll often look up, say hello, and try to strike up a conversation with them.

For example, at the end of this particular sketching session in Spain, a man and a woman came came through the red door that I’d included in my drawing. The man asked me what I was painting.

After I showed them my sketch, the couple offered me a seat, introduced themselves as Joan and Nuria, and told me they had owned the one-room casa particular (holiday cottage) hidden behind the red door for the past 25 years. We spoke for more than half an hour, and the insights they shared about the history and culture of Costa Brava added unexpected layers to my understanding of the region.

The encounter was a perfect metaphor for what it is I’ve come to value most about sketching.

When we travel, each new place starts out as a closed door. The goal is to find our own key for unlocking it, whether it’s through sampling the local cuisine, communing with nature, or photographing street art.

My sketchbook has become that key for me—just like the brass key Nuria and Joan used to open their casa particular. I encourage you to tuck a sketchpad in your suitcase when you’re packing for your next trip…and see what doors it might open for you.

Nuts and Bolts: Supplies

When I first started sketching, I brought just three things with me—a sketchbook, drawing pen, and watercolor pencils. After someone gave me a Winsor & Newton watercolor field kit , I began my foray into watercolors. My advice is to start small and simple, and slowly build the number of supplies you carry with you.

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Pencils: I start every sketch with a pencil outline, and most frequently use Derwent sketching pencils with a hardness of HB.

Eraser: After I finish tracing my initial outline with pen, I erase the pencil lines to give the sketch a clean look. My favorites: extra soft vinyl erasers.

Drawing pens: I’ve experimented with several brands over the years, from Pigma Micron to Staedtler to Prismacolor, but finally settled on Faber-Castell’s PITT artist pens with an extra fine nib. Look for ink that is waterproof, lightfast, and acid-free.

Watercolors: My first field kit was from Winsor & Newton’s line of affordable Cotman paints , but I’ve since upgraded to the Professional Water Colour Compact Set . Both are light and easy to travel with, hardly bigger in size than a smartphone.

Brushes: I travel with three brushes: two Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolor round brushes (sizes 2 and 4), and my go-to, a synthetic squirrel hair brush by Mimik (round, size 6). I use the Mimik brush most of the time, and the two smaller Cotman brushes for more intricate details or lettering.

Sketchbook: Standard drawing paper has a weight of about 130 grams per square meter (gsm), but applying watercolors can cause the paper to buckle. A good weight for watercolor paper starts at 200-300 gsm, so keep an eye out for this when you’re sketchbook shopping. In terms of brands, the one I’ve come to use regularly is Canson, specifically their line of Montval watercolor pads, which comes in several travel-friendly sizes.

Water container: Though I’ve often used a bottle cap in a pinch (or asked for an extra to-go cup if I happen to be sketching in a café), I now carry a plastic water container with me on the road.

Bag: Lastly, I store everything but my sketchbooks and water container in a small canvas pouch, which is easy to keep in my backpack when I’m traveling and ensures I’m always ready should inspiration strike.

Candace Rose Rardon is a writer and sketch artist with a passion for storytelling. She recently released her first book of travel sketches, Beneath the Lantern’s Glow . Follow Candace on her blog, The Great Affair , on Twitter @candacerardon , and on Instagram @candaceroserardon .

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Our Art Vacations

Jeannette and Suzy set a new high standard of travel. I joined an ArtWalk Greece with 3 girlfriends. We left Greece with a whole new appreciation of seeing the world by traveling “at the speed of you.” They are fabulous tour leaders. They have a depth of knowledge of the local towns and sites that I have never before experienced. We always felt so well taken care of. We did a lot of walking and art-making. I am looking forward to another Blue Walk in the future!

Prescott, AZ

Travel Journal Art Vacations

Create an experience to remember.

You’ve daydreamed of this: a vacation with time each day to simply create. The destinations are beautiful. The accommodations are welcoming. All the details are taken care of. In the company of like-minded travelers you savor the wonder of the present moment. And you capture it all through your art.

Create as You Travel

Our Art Walk art vacations are the perfect tours for artists of all levels. Talented and engaging teaching artists offer daily classes inspired by stunning locations. Equal parts journey and learning, our art vacations are based on a travel journal format. Art classes are mostly on site. Some programs have “studio” time at our hotels. Space is almost always limited, so you will learn to work with what is available, being able to create wherever and however you may find yourself. Sketchbook, watercolor, collage, and multimedia workshops are all represented in our schedule.

Everyone is Welcome

Join us. Solo travelers love the easy camaraderie our tours provide. First time European travelers and budding artists love the safe, supportive, and welcoming atmosphere. The main requirements are a desire for adventure and gratitude for the opportunity to pursue it. 

Travel at the speed of you.

Stretch your legs and expand your experience.

Find a community. Receive and share inspiration.

Return home renewed, accomplished, and feeling better than ever.

Keeping an illustrated travel journal enhances your trip and opens your mind. Everything around me is fresh and beautiful because I’m drawing it, seeing it truly for the first time.    

Once you return from your trip, your mind remains full of wonder. A quick flip through your journal’s pages keeps those memories alive.  

Danny Gregory

The Art of Keeping a Travel Sketchbook

Explore Our Art Workshops & Retreats

Sketchbook Travel Journal Vacation in Greece with Koosje Koene

Sep 24-Oct 6, 2024 join Koosje Koene’s island-hopping sketchbook journal vacation in Greece.

Art Journal Workshop in Paris, France with Betsy Beier

Sep 16-23, 2024 join Betsy Beier’s art journal workshop in Paris, France. Fill your sketchbook as we walk the neighborhoods of Paris!

Watercolor Sketchbook Art Workshop in Italy

Ohn Mar Win teaches a 7-night watercolor sketchbook art workshop in Italy. We will tour the Italian Riviera and stunning Lake Como. Join us October 2024.

Art and Creativity Workshop in Italy

Join Jill Badonsky for an art and creativity workshop on the Italian Riviera in October 2024. Write, paint, and sketch for an inspired week.

Art workshop in Venice, Padua, and Parma, Italy

Oct 21-27, 2024 Anne Leuck teaches her art workshop in Venice, Padua and Parma, Italy. See Venice like a local! Taste the best of Parma!

Watercolor Workshop in Greece with Angela Fehr

April 22 – May 4, 2025

Mixed Media Art Workshop in Portugal with Tammy Gilley

March 30-April 5, 2025

Mixed Media Art Workshop in Portugal with Mary Beth Shaw

April 6-12, 2025

Art Workshop Vacation in Paris, France with Tammy Gilley

April 12-19 , 2025

Watercolor Workshop in Italy with Angela Fehr

May 5-11, 2025

Mixed Media Art Workshop in Italy with Tiffany Goff-Smith

May 11-18, 2025

Collage Travel Journal Workshop in Greece with Karen Stamper

May 20-June 1, 2025

Sketchbook Art Workshop in Portugal with Anne Leuck

June 9-15, 2025

Watercolor Journal Workshop in Spain with Ohn Mar Win

June 30 – July 6, 2025

Travel Journal Art Workshop in Spain with Julie Snidle

Sep 8-14, 2025

Sketchbook Art Workshop in Spain with Koosje Koene

Sep 14-20, 2025

Mixed Media Art Workshop in Sicily, Italy with Mary Beth Shaw

Oct 19-Nov 1, 2025 (Coming Soon)

Art Workshop in Spain: Barcelona and Costa Brava

Join artist Mary Beth Shaw for a mixed media art workshop in Spain September 2024. Get inspired and renewed in Barcelona and Costa Brava.

Mixed Media Art Workshop Vacation in Nice, France

Join Tammy Gilley for a mixed media art workshop in Nice, France June 2-8, 2024. Follow in the footsteps of the Matisse, Monet, and Van Gogh.

Mixed Media Art Workshop in Switzerland

Join Mary Beth Shaw on her mixed media art workshop in Switzerland June 2024.

Art Vacations Schedule

This is a list of our public art vacations. The Blue Walk offers private and custom small group tours in addition to our advertised tours. 

There is a separate Blue Walk schedule for our walking vacations. 

2024 Art Vacation Workshops

• May 14-26: Watercolor with Angela Fehr in Greece (12 nights) from $4595 SOLD OUT (waiting list available)
• Jun 2-8: Mixed media with Tammy Gilley on the French Riviera (6 nights) from $3495 SOLD OUT (waiting list available)
• Jun 9-16: Mixed media with Mary Beth Shaw in Switzerland (7 nights) from $4845  (1 space available)
• September 7-14: Mixed media with Mary Beth Shaw in Spain (7 nights) from $3695 SOLD OUT (waiting list available)
• September 16-23: Sketchbook journal with Betsy Beier in Paris, France (7 nights) from $4295
• September 24-October 6: Sketchbook journal with Koosje Koene in Greece (12 nights) SOLD OUT (waiting list available)
• October 7-14: Sketchbook journal with Ohn Mar Win on the Italian Riviera and Lake Como (7 nights) from $3795 SOLD OUT (waiting list available)
• October 14-20: Art and Creativity workshop with Jill Badonsky on the Italian Riviera (6 nights) from $3595 SOLD OUT (waiting list available)
• October 21-27: Sketchbook journal with Anne Leuck in Venice and Parma, Italy (6 nights) from ($3745)

2025 Art Vacation Workshops

• March 30-April 5: Mixed Media Workshop Vacation in Portugal with Tammy Gilley (6 nights) from $3495
• April 6-12: Mixed Media Art Workshop in Portugal with Mary Beth Shaw (6 nights) from $3395
• April 12-19: Art Workshop Vacation in Paris, France with Tammy Gilley (7 nights) from $3995
• April 22 - May 4: Watercolor workshop with Angela Fehr in Greece (12 nights) from $4745
• May 5-11: Watercolor workshop in Italy with Angela Fehr (6 nights) from $3445
• May 11-18: Mixed media art workshop in Italy with Tiffany Goff-Smith (7 nights) from $3795
• May 20 - June 1: Collage Travel Journal Workshop in Greece with Karen Stamper (12 nights) from $4745
• June 9 - 15: S ketchbook Workshop in Portugal with Anne Leuck (6 nights) from $3495
• June 30 - July 6: Watercolor journal workshop in Spain with Ohn Mar Win (6 nights) from $3595
• September 8-14: Travel Journal Art Workshop in Spain with Julie Snidle (6 nights) from $3445 
• September 14-20: sketchbook workshop in Spain with Koosje Koene (6 nights) from $3445
• Oct 21 - Nov 1: Mixed Media Art Workshop in Sicily, Italy with Mary Beth Shaw (11 nights) Details coming soon. Join interest list.

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• Mastery Program
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35+ Travel Sketching Ideas to Overcome Your Creative Blocks

Photo caption: Your travel sketching adventures can take you from Athens, Georgia to the streets of New York City. Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels.

Student sketchbooks may count as one of the most underrated tools that art students have at their disposal for overcoming creative blocks .

Within their pages, students attending any of the art schools in Georgia can try out their must-have drawing supplies for travel sketching and for developing ideas for school art and design projects.

However, students who aren’t used to keeping a sketchbook are sometimes heard lamenting: “I don’t know what to draw!”

At Milan Art Institute, we actually offer students a solution for overcoming creative blocks. As school founder and co-owner, Elli Milan, says: Always have something to paint (or draw).

More specifically, Elli recommends that art students at the Milan Art Institute have at least 20 sources ready to paint or draw at all times. 

Artists who take this advice never wonder what to paint or draw. They always have 20 pieces on the ready.

The MAI one-year professional certificate program, the Mastery Program , teaches students how to create all the painting and drawing sources they’ll need to work as professional artists.

That doesn’t mean, however, that art students who aren’t yet in the Mastery Program are out of luck. 

These aspiring art students can parlay their love of travel sketching into a sketchbook filled with an abundance of drawing and painting prompts. These prompts can inspire visions of amazing works of art that have the power to change them and to change the world.

Drawing Prompts for Your Travel Sketching

The good news is, you don’t even have to travel out of town to fill up your student sketchbooks. Places like Oconee Forest Park delight the senses in the fall. And they’re close by. 

These Athens, Georgia beauty spots are also filled with drawing prompts from the natural world. It’s the perfect place to practice some plein air painting and drawing.

Just a note to the students in our online art classes or who don’t attend a Georgia art school: These drawing prompts should help you fill your student sketchbooks, too, even if you don’t live in Athens. It just requires a bit of ingenuity and tenacity. 

There’s more on that later...

You can also do this exercise in more than one place. For example, start in a national forest or park and then continue the exercise in town or even at the local pumpkin patch. 

We do recommend that you draw anything that catches your eye while you’re out on your travel sketching adventure. The idea behind filling your sketchbooks with images from the natural world is to get you into the habit of really seeing the world around you. 

It’s also important for you to notice the images that tug at your heart strings. These represent the things you care about and are one of the key components to developing your artistic voice. 

If you do this, you’ll overcome your creative blocks and even have an overflow of ideas that you can turn into future art projects. 

However, to help you out in case you’re really stuck, we provide you with a list of prompts for your travel sketching. 

Traveling Sketching: Let’s Go on an Art Scavenger Hunt 

Let’s call this activity an art scavenger hunt to make it even more fun. Basically, we’ve created a list of items you’re likely to find in the fall of the year. 

The more of these items you find, the closer you are to fulfilling the requirements of the art scavenger hunt. 

When you find them, spend a few minutes drawing these items in your student sketchbook. If you want to create a special travel sketchbook or journal to capture the memories of your autumn scavenger hunt in Athens, Georgia, that’s great, too!

Ideally, this exercise will give you so many fall drawing prompt ideas that you eventually fill more than one travel sketch journal. If you do, you’ll never run out of ideas for your class or professional art projects again. 

Autumn Art Scavenger Hunt: Sketchbook Drawing Ideas List

Here’s a list of some suggested fall travel journal prompts for this exercise.

A List of Must-Have Art Supplies for Your Travel Sketching Adventure 

Anyone who attends an art school in Georgia - well, anywhere, really - should have the opportunity to try out a variety of art supplies. Every medium handles differently and produces a different effect. 

Anothing element that makes an artist’s voice unique is the art materials that a particular artist uses. The more you know about your supplies, the better chance you have at developing your voice.

We bring all of this up, because we’d like to recommend a must-have art supplies list for you to take on your adventures in travel sketching. Travel sketching gives you an opportunity to try new supplies in a fun, adventurous kind of way. 

We tapped one of our amazing art coaches and mentors, Esther Franchuk , to get a list of art supplies. Esther’s list includes sketchbook recommendations, as well as drawing materials suggestions. 

• Hand-book journal co. - WATERCOLOR SQUARE 8.25x8.25
• Talens Art Creation Sketchbook - Pocket size
• Paul Rubens Artist Watercolor Paints - Glitter Solid Colors
• Watercolor White Nights paint set, St.Petersburg, Russia
• Royal Talens C902 - ArtCreation Gouache set
• Refillable watercolor brush pens

If you can’t find brands above, just keep in mind that you might generally like to bring along:

• Pencils, erasers and other dry drawing media
• Watercolor pencils
• Colored pencils
• Watercolor paint brushes
• Sketchbooks made with watercolor paper
• Anything that’s easy to use in all kinds of weather
• Portable chair

One final note about your must-have travel sketching supplies: You may want to experiment with these materials in your student sketchbooks before you go out. 

It’s likely that you’ll gravitate toward some supplies more than others. Knowing what those are allows you to eliminate some of your art materials from your art travel pack. 

This keeps things light. It also reduces the number of supplies you’ll have to carry around with you when you’re out sketching on location. 

If you’re still not certain about what should go into your travel sketchbook or journal, this video that Elli and Dimitra Milan did about drawing and painting on location may help you. 

Photo caption: A trip to the museum fills your travel sketchbook and gives you a foundation in art history. Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay.

Art Scavenger Hunt Ideas If You Get Rained Out…

Sometimes, our best efforts get rained or snowed out. That’s okay. The fall art scavenger hunt is adaptable. Some urban sketchers take their travel sketchbooks to coffee shops and sketch the streets outside the windows. 

Really, you can set up your portable art studio in any building that has big windows. You may have to move around a lot if you want to try to get everything on the list into your books. 

(Remember, we also encourage you to find your own sources from the drawing prompts that nature provides for you, so it’s okay to abandon the list above. As long as you’re putting ideas into your sketchbooks, you’re golden.)

Finally, there is a creative alternative that you’ll probably like. 

Art museums are known for their scavenger hunts in some cities. Museum scavenger hunts encourage people to look closely at art, because museum participants are given a list, like the one above. 

As art scavenger hunt players wander through the art museum, they are encouraged to find items on the list in the paintings. 

You as art students can take this one step further by drawing the work of art (or portions of it) you found your scavenger hunt item in. They don’t have to even be full-blown drawings. Small sketches are fine to get you started. 

This activity does a couple of things. First, it allows you to put powerful and inspiring images in your student sketchbooks that can inspire works of art down the road. 

Second, it allows you to get some art history lessons in. Exceptional artists understand their place in art history. The artists that were and are most notable in history are culture warriors and influencers. 

Looking at and sketching these works allows you to peer into their creative processes and adopt a new way of seeing. By immersing yourself in their virtuosity, you subconsciously develop your sense of taste and ultimately improve your art.  

Third, seeing great art elevates your taste levels, which in turn, motivates you to continue to create art that has the potential to change the world.

Many museums allow art students to come in and sketch. However, it’s always best to find out ahead of time if you can come in and sketch. Always be sure to ask permission to bring your art supplies into the museum with you before you set out on your travel sketching trip.

Urban Sketching: Another Variation of Travel Sketching

The general gist of this blog post has concentrated on filling your student sketchbooks with images from the natural world. That said, you are not limited to staying on the hiking trails as you go on your art scavenger hunt. 

Urban sketching, that is drawing on location, often in the city, has increased in popularity of late. 

Here’s what the urban sketchers’ website had to say about the characteristics of urban sketching:

• It’s done on location and its purpose is to draw from direct observation.
• Urban sketchers can draw inside or out.
• Through drawing, urban sketching strives to tell the story of the places people live, where they travel and even about their surroundings closer to home.
• Each urban sketch captures a moment in time and is a truthful visual account of the scenes that the sketcher witnesses.
• Artists interested in urban sketching can use any kind of media: Individual drawing styles are celebrated!
• They share their work online, with the purpose of showing the world, “one drawing at a time.”
• Urban sketchers draw together and support one another in these efforts. 
• While you can sketch alone, taking up urban sketching is a great way to sketch on location with other people. If you’re interested in finding a local chapter of urban sketchers, check out the urban sketchers’ chapter finder . Or check out their website to find out if there are any urban sketching workshops near you.

Final Words on Travel Sketching for Art Students

As an art school in Georgia that embraces traditional, as well as modern art techniques, we believe it’s important that art students learn to draw from life. 

One easy way to develop this habit is to fill their student sketchbooks with images from cities, forests and even their own backyard. This practice sharpens art students’ technical skills. 

But more than that, student or travel sketchbooks filled with visual prompts from the forest, the streets of Paris or even the local coffee shop can become stunning works of art down the road. 

These images are powerful ways to help you get motivated and to push your drawing skills to the next level. 

For More Drawing Tips, Check out the Articles and Courses Below:

If you want to learn to draw quickly, check out the Drawing Essentials class or the Beginner Art Program .

How To Draw a Self Portrait

Milan Art Institute

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• How To Travel Sketch? Tips, Tricks, & Techniques For Beginners

Travel Sketching is not only relaxing and rewarding but also an awesome family activity during travels.

In this blog post learn about what to put in a travel sketch kit, awesome travel sketching techniques for beginners and tricks to encourage kids to begin their journey of travel sketching.

How to Create Your Own Travel Sketchbook

Pausing to see the delicate patterns of lichen on tree trunks in the Nilgiri mountains.

Becoming friends with a 5-year old Vietnamese boy in a village without a word exchanged between us!

Sitting inside a bamboo grove, silently.

Watching a tour guide’s face light up.

Getting authentic local food and travel tips.

Being zen while waiting in airports and stations.

I’ve had all these experiences and many more through travel sketching.

And, that’s why I love sharing it with others and getting them started on their own sketching journey. Here’s my take on how to get started with travel sketching.

I have included step-by-step photos from a sketching session I did in Sirsi, Karnataka.

Travel sketching is an awesome family activity. It gets children to observe and remember a travel destination. And of course, you’ll have a unique souvenir for every travel

Travel Sketching slows me down, brings everything into sharp focus, and I lose myself in the moment. Sketching has truly enriched my life. Seema Misra, www.lighttravelaction.com Tweet

Explore these awesome washi tapes on Amazon

If you love slow travel, try your hands at Travel Sketching, Painting, even Yoga. The following 3 posts will keep you creative in your Sojourn.

• Are You Embarrassed By Your Painting Skills? Here’re Easy Painting ideas & Tips!
• Are you bored? Looking for ideas to fill in your blank journal? Don’t’ get intimidated by blank papers staring back at you. I teamed up with the talented artist Malabika Saikia and here are 15 of our favorite notebook ideas! 15 Awesomely Creative Things To Do In Your Blank Notebook.
• How about keeping fit while you travel? Here is a curated list of 10 Yoga asanas or postures that are as good for the beginners as for the advanced practitioners.

Travel Sketchbook ideas

People often say “I can’t even draw a straight line. Forget about sketching.”

I tell them, “ That’s great. You don’t need to draw straight lines.” There’s no such thing as a born artist. It is all about practice, practice, and more practice. 

Look for inspirations around. If you find your zen moment of producing a sketch on the spot, go ahead sketch it out. If not, look for small collectibles like dry leaves, ticket stubs to paste in your travel sketch book for inspiration to strike you later.

In the above image, we had hiked up a hill and it was absolutely beautiful and surreal there. There were prayer flags strewn all around. I picked up a few and pasted them in my sketchbook.

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Putting together a travel sketch kit

A travel sketching kit must be a collection of the basic tools required for making a sketch. Also, I have found having limited supplies encourages me to be creative. Such as, mixing two different mediums.

Here’s what you will need:

• Black pens with waterproof ink
• Colour pencils
• Pencil sharpener

Yes, I’ve deliberately left out the ruler and eraser😊

You could also keep a box of crayons, some watercolor pencils, and a glue stick. If you have smaller children, avoid carrying watercolors. For older children, a small watercolor pan and some water brushes are perfect. Keep it small, simple, and light.

A5 size sketchbooks with thicker paper are a good choice – they fit in everywhere and are not too small for landscapes.

Pro Tip: I like to keep all my art tools in a sling bag. This helps me access my art kit easily.

5 Awesome Tips for Travel Sketching for Beginners

Choosing a subject.

Start with a tiny step – don’t try to draw the entire forest or city around you. Choose a small window of a house, a dry leaf on the ground, or an interesting branch.

Long waits in airports can be used to draw the people, bags, food stalls or simply the announcement boards. You could even draw maps to show the places you visited.

This is a small town in Sirsi, Karnataka . The blue roofs amid all the browns and reds interested me and I decided to sketch the road.

Outlining in pencil

Draw an outline of the object using a pencil. It does not have to be perfect – if something looks off, draw over it.

Forget if the drawing “appears correct” – the idea is to capture the object in your own style and have fun while doing it.

Adding in the details using a black pen

Now that you have a basic frame done, add in the details using a pen. Encourage children to add some text to capture the place, date, the sounds around you, or any other details.

You could paste things around your sketch – a ticket stub, a leaf, restaurant bills, bits of pamphlets.

Ask a local to teach you how to write a few words in their dialect on your sketchbook.

There were some changes from the pencil outline. However, I didn’t erase anything.

Click here to read 11 Commonly Asked Questions by Painting Beginners and also get 5 DIY easy painting ideas for Beginners Step by Step.

Adding the final touches with colours

Use a mix of different colours to add life to the sketch. If you are in a hurry, colour in the most prominent bit – the red bricks, a green tree, or that yellow dress. This will save some time while capturing the essence of the place.

You’ll notice I’ve added some blue in the sky which is not there in the photograph. As an artist, you can take liberties while making a travel sketch 😊

Doing art at home or at school is different than working in a public area.

When I sketch during my travels, people often stop to see what I am drawing and want to talk about it. I remember, when I started travel sketching, I’d worry that my drawing is not good. I felt people passing by were judging me.

Eventually, I stopped worring about all those things. I’d simply draw. And that is when I enjoyed outdoor sketching the most!

So, I’d say be kind to yourself.

Don’t judge what you draw.

Just go with the flow.

Drawing on different types of paper, like newspapers, can be a lot of fun.

Often the joy is in making the art and not worrying how it turns out! There is no perfect bird … just the one you have drawn. Seema Misra, www.lighttravelaction.com Tweet

Travel Sketching – Capturing the Feel of a Place

Marco Bucci shows the Process and gives awesome ideas for sketching places from life. See the video for the art of composition, color, focal point, feel, etc.

Travel sketching for children

Encourage children to draw from their observation. Drawing from observation simply means drawing what you see. And, it is the essence of travel sketching.

Breaking the object into smaller shapes

For example, you are looking at a majestic British building and your daughter is stumped where to start drawing it. Ask, “What does the building look like? Do you see a rectangle with a triangle on top? Do the windows remind you of a shape?

Have fun with colors and collage. The above sketch always takes me back to the greenery of a tea estate.

Focus on the process not the outcome

Even if a child fails to colour inside the lines or draws a circle which is more of an oval, it is absolutely fine. Encourage the children to experiment with colours and shapes – give them the tools to draw but don’t tell them what to draw.

Making sketching fun during travel

Engage with your little story teller and ask her to describe the picture to you. Who knows she might have an interesting tale behind the picture and the colours used. 

Last but not least, don’t forget to complement the little Picasos. It would be great if you could mention specifics, like “Wow, I love the way you have drawn that leaf.”

Do you find the thought of “Travel Sketch Journal” inspiring? Don’t wait for the next vacation to start travel sketching! Visit a park or museum this weekend, carry some sandwiches and try out your art kit! 

Video on Travel Sketching Tips from Travel Sketchbook

In this video,  Liz Steel  shares lots of travel sketching strategies and tips while going through her sketchbook from her recent trip to New Zealand.

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6 thoughts on “How To Travel Sketch? Tips, Tricks, & Techniques For Beginners”

This one’s a lovely tutorial. My daughter is creative unlike me…haha…and she loves to sketch, paint and play with colors. I’d make her read this. Thank you so much for sharing.

Happy Sketching and happy traveling 🙂

I love this overview of your travel sketching. It’s another creative way to document your travels. You’re so talented! Thanks for the inspiration to start sketching (or at least improve upon my scribbles first).

Wow you are really talented. Travel sketching sounds awesome, but not many have the skills to create such beautiful pieces!

Thanks Sinjanag, this is a blog post and the sketches have been done by Seema Misra 🙂

This is such a lovely idea! I’ve never considered myself good enough to sketch a scene but you’ve broken it down really nicely, thank you 🙂 https://mcadventureblog.com

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The Grand Tour

Englishmen abroad.

At its height, from around 1660–1820, the Grand Tour was considered to be the best way to complete a gentleman’s education. After leaving school or university, young noblemen from northern Europe left for France to start the tour.

After acquiring a coach in Calais, they would ride on to Paris – their first major stop. From there they would head south to Italy or Spain, carting all their possessions and servants with them.

Their most popular destinations were the great towns and cities of the Renaissance, along with the remains of ancient Roman and Greek civilisation.

Their souvenirs were rather more durable than holiday snaps, replica Eiffel Towers or t-shirts – they filled crates with paintings, sculptures and fine clothes.

Travel was somewhat more of an ordeal than today (even accounting for the worst airport queues and hold-ups). However rich these young men were, there was no hot shower after a day on the road, no credit card to get them out of a tight spot, and no mobile phone to ring people for help.

Furthermore transport was slow. Instead of taking a 12-month trip, some went away for many years. Most went for at least two, spending months in essential spots along the way.

The plan was to set young noblemen up to manage their estates, furnish their houses and prepare for conversation in polite society. But did the Grand Tour turn them into gentlemen? Sometimes a taste for vice got in the way.

Next:  A moral education  

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If you dig creative tours and travels, then you’ll dig our unpackaged holidays. We line up dozens of Choice Experiences for each trip, so you can choose the art tours, artisan workshops, and creative travel options.

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The only thing better than watching local artisans weaving rugs or spinning a potter’s wheel is getting involved yourself. Get your hands dirty, learn new skills, and bring home a unique souvenir with our creative tours.

RELAXED ATMOSPHERE WITH YOUR TRAVEL BUDDIES

With free time included in every itinerary, there will be plenty of chances to sit and watch the world go by. Bring your sketchbook (and a spare) and get out there taking in the world.

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MOSAIC MAKING CLASS IN BARCELONA

After visiting Park Guell and seeing Gaudi’s incredible architecture and vision brought to life you’ll no doubt be feeling inspired. Channel your creativity into your own mosaic and craft a one-of-a-kind souvenir.

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PAINTING AND WINE IN PRAGUE

With some liquid courage (hello wine!) in one hand and a paintbrush in the other you’ll whip your own Prague masterpiece on canvas. Never painted canvas before? No stress. This class will teach you how.

798 ART ZONE IN BEIJING

This art tour will throw you into the lesser-known art world of Beijing. Wander through this gallery space set in a decommissioned military factory where you’ll meet artists in their studios and explore changing exhibitions.

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Paris for the Louvre, New York for The Met, Florence for the Ufitzi, Madrid for the Prado, and London for the Tate… some destinations have world-famous galleries worth traveling for. Others are just waiting to be explored by the more adventurous.

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2022 Christopher H. Browne Edinburgh Drawing Tour

45 credits towards the Certificate in Classical Architecture | 45 AIA CES Learning Units|Elective

Please note that this program is currently at capacity. Please email [email protected] if you would like to be added to a waiting list for the course. The ICAA is excited to announce its first drawing tour to Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland and one of the great classical cities of the world. At the centre of the Scottish Enlightenment in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Edinburgh was remodeled as ‘the Athens of the North’. Grand new public buildings were inspired by the antiquities of Greece and Rome, and the city was expanded by the building of the New Town, later praised by Henry-Russell Hitchcock as ‘the most extensive example of a Romantic Classical city in the world’. A graceful sequence of streets, squares, crescents and circuses were laid out, all built in the local warm-grey sandstone and brought to life by the distinctive Scottish light. The tour will focus on Edinburgh’s classical heritage and its relationship with the picturesque and romantic traditions. Among particular buildings of interest will be works by William Chambers (1723-1796), Robert Adam (1728-1792), Thomas Hamilton (1784-1858) and William Playfair (1790-1857). The Christopher H. Browne Edinburgh Drawing Tour provides participants with practical and theoretical knowledge of the classical tradition as manifest in the architecture, urbanism and landscapes of Scotland’s capital city. The program focuses study on the enduring vitality and continuity of the classical tradition through the means of observational and analytical drawing, and wash and watercolor. Each day is spent drawing, in situ , at sites that underscore the relationship between buildings, the human figure, and their built and natural environment. The course has been structured thematically to examine the classical tradition from a range of viewpoints, encompassing not only the study of antique precedents but also an awareness of the picturesque and romantic traditions. Photograph: View over Edinburgh, with the Dugald Stewart Monument in the foreground. By Ajay Suresh | CC BY 2.0 | recolored from original

A draft itinerary for the 2022 Christopher H. Browne Edinburgh Drawing Tour is now available here . Please note that this is a current draft, and is subject to minor changes. For more information about this program, please contact [email protected] .

Health and Safety Guidelines

The ICAA is committed to the safety of our students and instructors during our programs. To that end, we will follow all CDC guidelines during the program. All participants must agree to follow the ICAA's health and safety policies for the program, which are available to review here . Should you have any questions about the ICAA's policies, please contact us at [email protected] . By registering for this event, I represent that (a) I have not tested positive for COVID-19 within 10 days of the event, (b) If I test positive for COVID-19 within 10 days of the event, or if I am showing signs of COVID-19, I will not attend, (c) I have not been exposed within 10 days of the event to somebody who has tested positive for COVID-19 and (d) I am fully vaccinated against COVID-19. In addition, I understand the risks associated with attending this event, assume those risks, and waive any and all claims of liability against ICAA for any damages or harm suffered as a result of attending.

About the Instructors

Lead Instructor George Saumarez Smith is one of the leading classical architects of his generation. George’s work has ranged in scale from new country houses and garden buildings to large housing schemes. Much of his inspiration comes from the appreciation and study of historic buildings, combined with a keen interest in the continued use of the techniques of classical design handed down through history. George has written several books on architecture and regularly teaches classicism at schools across Europe and North America. He is also known for producing large scale drawings, a selection of which formed the basis of the exhibition ‘Measure, Draw, Build’, held at the RIBA in October 2017. Teaching Assistant Martin Burns graduated from Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Architecture. He works at Ferguson & Shamamian Architects in New York. As an ICAA instructor, Martin’s focus is on the development of coursework in analytical and measured drawing. Martin is a painter as well as draftsman, and works as an artist outside of the office.

AIA Provider Information

Instructional Delivery Method: Live In-Person Learning Program Program Level: Introductory Prerequisites: None required AIA CES Program Approval Expiration Date: May 4, 2025 Provider Number: G193 Provider Statement: The Institute of Classical Architecture & Art is a registered provider of AIA-approved continuing education under Provider Number G193. All registered AIA CES Providers must comply with the AIA Standards for Continuing Education Programs. Any questions or concerns about this provider or this learning program may be sent to AIA CES ( [email protected] or (800) AIA 3837, Option 3).

This learning program is registered with AIA CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product.

AIA continuing education credit has been reviewed and approved by AIA CES. Learners must complete the entire learning program to receive continuing education credit. AIA continuing education Learning Units earned upon completion of this course will be reported to AIA CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request.

Instructors

Scholarships

The Christopher H. Browne Drawing Tours honor the generosity, leadership, and legacy of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art’s late Trustee, Mr. Christopher H. Browne. The ICAA is pleased to award four scholarships to drawing tour students or emerging professionals annually in the name of Mr. Browne, a long-time supporter and champion of classicism. Scholarship recipients will receive the moniker “Christopher H. Browne Scholars.”

The following materials are required for consideration for a scholarship:

• Completed Scholarship Application Form
• A brief letter describing why you are interested in, and how you will benefit from the program
• Examples of your work: suggested 3-4 images submitted as PDFs
• Resumé or Curriculum Vitae
• Letter of Recommendation
• A brief biography of yourself

The final deadline for scholarship applications is Friday, March 4, 2022 . You may refer to the ICAA's cancellation policy here .

Images from Past Christopher H. Browne Drawing Tours in Rome

Questions regarding the ICAA's courses may be directed via email to [email protected] ; via phone to 212-730-9646 ext. 112; or via mail to our National Office at 20 West 44th Street, Suite 310, New York, NY 10036.

The price is only for the course instruction. You will need to make and pay for your own flights and accommodation.

Typically a combination of students and professionals attend.

Yes, absolutely. Most evenings can be spent exploring on your own or with fellow participants.

Some meals are included, which will be spent together as a group. Otherwise you are free to eat where and with whom you please.

The ICAA does not provide materials, but will provide a full materials list at least one month before the course. Typically, the cost of materials is between $100 and $200.

No. Programs are designed to introduce a broad range of skills and experiences which is only possible through full participation.

The Grand Tour Of The 18th Century

In the eighteenth century, the Grand Tour was an obligatory part of a young nobleman’s artistic, intellectual and sentimental education.

The ‘Grand Tour’, that extended journey to Italy undertaken mainly by British but also French and German aristocrats in the eighteenth century, is not only the stuff of legend, but meant as many different things as there were tourists; each came back with a particular and personal view of the experience.

The Grand Tour evolved during the seventeenth century to become a formative experience for the leaders of British society. Princes, nobles, aristocrats, landed gentry, and politicians—with courtiers, retinues, scholars, tutors, advisors and servants—all made the journey across France. Crossing the Alps at Mont Cenis (usually carried in a chair), they descended into Italy at Turin, or, taking a felucca from Marseilles, they landed at Genoa.

Italy was seen as the cradle of Western civilisation, the source and home of all that was reckoned to be significant historically, aesthetically, politically, religiously and, above all, for collecting: antique sculpture, Old Master paintings, furniture, textiles, objets de vertu, jewellery, contemporary sculpture and painting.

In the latter category, most highly prized were portraits of the tourists themselves by masters such as Pompeo Batoni and ‘vedute’, views of the sites visited as presented in Canaletto’s paintings or Piranesi’s prints. Moreover, Italy was the textbook for students of architecture, with ancient and modern buildings not only to be studied but imitated back home. The British stately home is almost by definition the result of the Grand Tour in both its architecture and its contents.

Earlier this year, the ‘Italy Observed’ exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum in New York showcased a fine selection of Italian vedute, from paintings of Venetian life by Luca Carlevaris to a Neapolitan album of gouache drawings documenting the eruption of Vesuvius in 1794 to sketches and watercolours of Italian antiquities, capturing the artist’s romantic attraction to Italy and its irresistible Roman heritage.

The places to visit included most of the sites still popular with less grand tourists today: Florence, with untold riches held by the Grand-Ducal Medicis in their several city palaces, as well as works of art in the churches and monasteries; Venice, which combined artistic and mercantile wealth; Genoa, which had artistic links with Britain due to the visits of Rubens and Van Dyck whose works adorned that city; and Naples, the capital of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, an outpost of the Habsburg empire with a glamorous court and the place where in the later part of the eighteenth century Sir William Hamilton and his wife, Emma—later to achieve fame as Nelson’s lover—held cultural sway.

Later in the century the archaeological excavations at Pompeii and Herculaneum put these on the tourist trail, as sites for the study of the ancient world, sources for yet more riches to be brought home, and templates for decoration and decorative art works in the Neo-classical style that emerged partly as a result of these finds. At the same time, Southern Italy and Sicily were added to the Tour as interest grew in classical Greek architecture, the temples at Paestum and Segesta being among the finest examples.

Above all others, the destination of the Grand Tour was Rome—the crossroads of the ancient and the Christian worlds—and the place that epitomised Western civilisation. The site of the vestiges of the Roman Republic and Empire, those sources of European law and administration, and of the noble examples of pagan virtue and rectitude that inspired the classical ideals of the Augustan gentleman, Rome was also the heart of European Christianity: for Catholics the very heart of the religion; for Protestants, although historically important if doctrinally suspect or downright repugnant, a power to be known and reckoned with.

However, the Grand Tourists were not pilgrims, but came with other motives—often mixed, but principally to drink from the source of civilisation, to undertake a Bildungsreise, the journey of a life time (often lasting several years), an experience that would form an aristocrat’s life-long attitudes, tastes, intellectual habits and manners. It was also a major shopping expedition intended to provide the nobility with objects to furnish their newly built Neo-classical houses.

Grand Tourists can be seen in works of art such as the portraits of Lord Mountstuart and John Talbot painted respectively by Jean-Étienne Liotard in 1763 and Pompeo Batoni, ten years later. Talbot is shown as the consummate Grand Tourist: elegant, poised, nonchalant, surrounded by the signs of his Roman sojourn—a broken capital at his feet, a Grecian urn at his elbow and the Ludovisi Ares in the background.

Tourists who had not done their homework before setting off were ably assisted by their tutors, the ubiquitous and often ill-used ‘bear leaders’, who were also meant to oversee their charges’ moral integrity, a fruitless task more often honoured in the breach.

In fact, the Grand Tourists’ less high-minded behaviour and interests were frequently remarked on—pointedly, in one instance by Alexander Pope who satirised the twin aspects of the Grand Tourist’s agenda: ‘… he sauntered Europe round, / And gather’d ev’ry Vice on Christian ground; / Saw ev’ry Court, heard ev’ry King declare / His royal Sense of Op’ra’s or the Fair; / The Stews and Palace equally explor’d / Intrigu’d with glory, and with spirit whor’d.’

But the Grand Tourist whose budget did not stretch to having a personal tutor was responsible for the invention of what has become an indispensable item of tourism: the guidebook, with foldout maps and panoramic views marked with the not-to-be-missed monuments and sites.

The beautiful red chalk drawing of an antique monument in a landscape by Marie-Joseph Peyre from about 1753-85 is an example that serves as reminder that many Grand Tourists were taught, on the spot, to draw, sketch and paint. The Grand Tourists’ collecting activities promoted the revival of ancient art forms, creating a taste for architecture and sculpture in a Neo-classical or Greek style, and in the manufacture of objects such as Wedgwood cameo wares.

The publication in 1755 of Johann Joachim Winckelmann’s Reflections on the Painting and Sculpture of the Greeks influenced European taste for the next half-century. Greek sculpture was (as it still is) known almost exclusively through Roman copies, and the striving for the cool, serene and noble sentiments that art seemed to embody is exemplified most of all by the work of Antonio Canova, represented by his marble statue of Apollo crowning himself.

Ancient carved gemstones and cameos, cameo casts, contemporary gemstones carved in the manner of ancient ones, prints, and a painting by Canaletto, The Arch of Constantine with the Colosseum in the background, show how works of art served as souvenirs and aide-memoires for returning visitors. Ultimately, their patronage and spending was the driving force behind Neo-classicism, the international style that wedded the principles of ancient art to modern individual inventiveness.

Collecting of an entirely different sort and on an entirely different scale marked the end of the Grand Tour and of aristocratic classical taste. Napoleon’s invasion of Italy signaled the beginning of the end of the aristocratic age for which Italy was both the goal and the source.

See also: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Years in Vienna

• the Grand Tour

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4 steps to a new route: route drawing instruction

The topic is chosen, the information is studied, and the story plan is ready, so it's time to plot a route. After all, showing on the ground is the most important part of a tour. Without it, your event turns into a lecture. What exactly needs to be done?

Step 1. Create a list of waypoints

According to the chosen topic, tourists can see:

• historic sites related to some historical events;
• buildings that are interesting in architecture/history or famous by some celebrities that lived there;
• unusual structures such as bridges, towers, and fortresses;
• exhibits in museums, exhibitions, and galleries;
• works of art such as sculptures, panel paintings, decorative parks, etc.;
• archaeological sites such as excavations, hillforts, earthworks, sanctuaries, etc.;
• natural formations from the reserves to the separate relict plants.

Ruins of an ancient theater in Side represent a popular tourist site

Step 2. Evaluate the waypoints

Surely in your area, you can find dozens of attractions. You shouldn’t tell tourists about all of those during one tour: 10-15 points are the optimal number for a route, calculated for 2-3 hours. Their selection is carried out according to the following criteria:

• popularity: everybody knows it and wants to see it (for example, the Eiffel Tower, getting acquainted with Paris you cannot do without it);
• uniqueness: there’s no sense in showing a bridge, like thousands of its fellows; but the Moses Bridge in the Netherlands may well be the "highlight" of your tour;
• expression: the ability to produce a "wow-effect"; it may be a house with unusual details or a weirdly looking tree, the tourists always are willing to make a photo there;
• cognitive value: you have a story to tell about the waypoint or a building, as it is linked to significant events, the life of famous people, etc.; as a rule, those are historical and architectural monuments.

A very important criterion for the selection is its location. The waypoint can be interesting and unusual, but if for a five minutes glance you have to wander over hill and dale for two hours, such an option is unlikely to attract the customers.

It’s a wonderful example of street art, but it is not easy to get close to

Step 3. Line up a chain

At this stage, you will need a detailed map of the area which helps the tour guide draw a line connecting separate points. First of all, you should define the display sequence. It can be carried out in chronological order if the story is about the life of a famous person or an event of a certain epoch. Or, to be based on a topic (for example, studying Art Nouveau buildings), then it is better to move between the nearest waypoints.

In any case, you need to take into account the availability of convenient access to the monuments and structures, as well as the viewpoints for each stopover point. You should avoid "loops" returning to the already visited places, as tourists appreciate fresh impressions, rather than going around in a circle.

Make some effort to consider several options for moving between the waypoints. Cause, on your way you can find unexpected obstacles like a water pipe breakdown, asphalt repairs and so one.

Step 4. Check it on the ground

Before offering a new "way" at the site , check it yourself. Check out the layout of streets and squares: where are the pedestrian zones and parking? Make sure that each point of interest can be seen as well as you imagine it to be. Mark the places where tourists can comfortably stay during your story.

And, of course, perform timing, note how long it takes the story and sightseeing, and what is the duration of the transfers between the waypoints. Take the help of a friend as alone you will surely shorten the narrative and accelerate your walk, but the presence of a friend will allow you to maximally make the test tour seem real.

A tour guide should follow the stated duration of the walk

Following these tour guidelines, you will easily plot a route, even if you previously had no experience. The main thing is to break the work into steps and pass them gradually.

Read our previous article  4 differences between personal and group tours Read our next article  Valladolid: cenotes paradise

Being a guide for some decades and a local guide in Vienna for more than 10 years I love your compilation, reconfirming for us “old” guides and surely helpful for those new in the business. In addition to your compilation in my walking-tours I also pay attention to the time of day. All my stops are “photo-stops” too, I never make my guests to gaze into the sun – I doo (good for my tan)! In a busy destination like Vienna it also is helpful to find your stops, apart from other groups and not blocking traffic. Guest don’t like to be seen a nuisance by passersby. I will use your article to help some of my novice colleagues!

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Delve into the unique cultures of the world and get a deeper insight with your Local Specialists on our art and cultural experiences. Meet with local artisans, learn how they keep their traditions alive, and witness moving cultural performances.

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Our cultural vacations continue on well into the night, with our unique Stays with Stories. Step back in time with a stay in the lavish 17th-century Château de Beauvois in France, sleep in a room hewn out of the surrounding ancient rock in Turkey, experience genuine Japanese hospitality at a traditional ryokan in a mountain hot springs village, or stay in an old Franciscan convent in Santa Maria degli Angeli in Italy.

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Immerse yourself in ceremonies and traditions around the world with our cultural experiences. Witness the soulful ritual of Aarti on the River Ganges in India, take part in a private blessing ceremony at Wat Damnak in Cambodia, meet a Shaman who will perform an ancient Pago a la Tierra ceremony to welcome you to Peru, or watch the Grand Entrance Dance Performance at a Black Hills Pow Wow in the USA.

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Our cultural trips connect you with locals who share their unique customs. Witness the revival of Khmer crafts by young artisans in Siem Reap, see the delicate craft of Venetian glassblowing on Giudecca Island, learn the art of haggling at Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, discover the spiritual connections the local Anangu caretakers have with the land at Uluru, or learn how local artisans make Japanese washi paper in Gokayama. 

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Looking for the best cities in the world for art? You can’t miss the art mecca of Paris, with over 1,000 galleries including The Louvre. You also have to visit New York for its MoMa and Guggenheim, London for its Tate Modern and National Gallery, Florence for Renaissance art, Barcelona for the works of Gaudi, Amsterdam for its iconic Dutch artists, and Singapore for its futuristic exhibitions.

Which destinations are popular for arts and cultural trips?

If you’re keen on arts tours or cultural vacations, you can’t go past destinations like Kyoto in Japan, Shanghai in China, Siem Reap in Cambodia, Chiang Mai in Thailand, Hoi An in Vietnam, Wellington in New Zealand, the Northern Territory in Australia, the east coast of the USA, and European cities like Paris and Rome.

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Our cultural tours take you to some of the top destinations in Europe where you can experience arts and cultures, including Istanbul, Vienna, Prague, Porto, Seville and of course, the cultural heavyweights like Venice, Florence and Rome of Italy and Paris and Bordeaux of France.

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An Ode to Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts Tour Tank Tops

At her sold-out shows, the pop sensation has been giving the staple a twist the way only she can

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Of course, Rodrigo didn’t exactly grow up with the Sex and the City generation. In fact, the Grammy-winning pop hit machine celebrated her first birthday a mere two days before the HBO series’ final episode aired. But it seems that in early adulthood, she has found comfort in the hilarious, brash, and often messy lives of its four protagonists. (Oh, and like this author, Rodrigo identifies as a Carrie .)

So what better way to share that than with a personalized top that serves as a billboard for the thousands of fans who’ve been packing stadiums across the country to see her (as well as the countless more viewing clips online)? As a way to reference her favorite pieces of pop culture and project jokes and more to the audience, Rodrigo’s tank tops have become one of the most winning aspects of her Guts World Tour .

As with the SATC tank she wore for her Big Apple audience, the singer has used her tops to spotlight culture from the turn of the millennium, a time period that has interested her since the beginning of her career. Longtime fans will recall when Rodrigo celebrated the 2021 release of her debut album, Sour , with a live, prom-themed set on YouTube, and the promotional art winked to the cover of Hole’s Live Through This . Then there was the “Good 4 U” video , for which Rodrigo donned a cheerleading uniform identical to Mandy Moore’s from The Princess Diaries (2001).

As the Guts tour rages on, such nods have only become been more plentiful and expansive, encompassing everything from TLC’s “No Scrubs” to the Beatles’ “I’m Down.” At her first show in Palm Springs, the Disney alum rocked a tank that said, “I’m Just a Girl,” in homage to No Doubt’s 1995 hit debut single. Fittingly, a little over a month later, the pop star took a break from her tour to join No Doubt onstage at Coachella , where she wore another tank—one bedazzled with “I ❤️ ND.”

With these winks, it doesn’t feel like the “Vampire” artist is simply trying to appeal to the generations before her (and they don’t reek of “born in the wrong era” Tumblrcore either). Instead, the nods speak to the genuine approach Rodrigo takes to making her music. Throughout her shows, she has brought out ’90s–’00s stars like Jewel and Sheryl Crow, arguably surprising guests for a singer of her age, whose fan base pools in the tween-to-teen age bracket. But an obvious thread connects the work of these icons and the new hitmaker: Rodrigo simply wants to extend her appreciation to the greats who’ve inspired her confessional songwriting, and her tank tops have become her newest outlet for doing so.

At the same time, the tanks also perfectly capture Rodrigo’s cheeky sense of humor. Tracks like “All-American Bitch” and “Bad Idea Right?” explore themes of feminism and sexuality with dry humor and impressive depth. Onstage, she’s brought this same sauciness to her tanks.

At one performance, “ Ne pas toucher ” was splashed across Rodrigo’s chest. (That’s French for “Do not touch.”) At another, her shirt said: “I kiss better than I cook.” With plenty of songs about disappointing men in her discography, Rodrigo obviously knows what it’s like to date a dud, and one of her tops—hearkening back to Britney Spears’s memorable ’02 baby tee —simply instructed her fans to “Dump him.”

Even Rodrigo’s friends have been getting in on the fun, like fellow singer and Gen Z star Conan Gray, who featured on the star’s Instagram in a tank that said: “U call urself a Livie? Name 10 Olivia Rodriguez songs …” (a reference to this viral TikTok ).

I honestly can’t think of a better garment to become the Rodrigo staple than the tank top—at least for right now. It’s understated, playful, and reliable. Like her discography, Rodrigo’s style isn’t afraid to embrace her youth and her passions. With a fusion of Clueless schoolgirl prep and early-’00s Avril Lavigne punk , the singer-songwriter dresses like an actual 21-year-old—a stylish one who wears vintage Versace on the red carpet , mind you , but still, one who knows who she is and what she wants. Only time will tell how Rodrigo’s style continues to evolve with her career. For now, as the tank declares: She’s just a girl.

Joel is the editorial and social media assistant for HarpersBAZAAR.com, where he covers all things celebrity news. When he steps away from the keyboard, you can likely find him singing off-key at concerts, scavenging thrift stores for loud wardrobe staples, or perusing bookstores for the next great gay romance novel.

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Pope visits women’s prison in Venice and tours Vatican show at art Biennale

Pope Francis, 87, met inmates, staff and volunteers at Giudecca jail during first trip outside Rome for months

The pope has met female prisoners in Venice who are stars of the Vatican’s pavilion at the Biennale contemporary art show, and urged the women to rebuild their lives in the first ever papal visit to one of the world’s biggest art gatherings.

Pope Francis, 87, arrived by helicopter in the courtyard of the women’s prison on the island of Giudecca, amid concerns over his health. He has not travelled outside Rome since visiting the French city of Marseille in September.

The pope, who throughout his papacy has spoken up in defence of prisoners and the marginalised, encouraged the women to reconstruct their lives “brick upon brick, together, with determination” during their time in prison.

“Prison is a harsh reality, and problems such as overcrowding, the lack of facilities and resources, and episodes of violence, give rise to a great deal of suffering there,” he said, sitting in front of the prisoners. “But it can also become a place of moral and material rebirth.”

Francis called on the prison system to “offer detainees the tools and room for human, spiritual, cultural and professional growth, creating the conditions for their healthy reintegration”.

The pope toured an art exhibition housed at the prison which examines the daily lives of the inmates through the work of 10 different artists. The exhibit is the Vatican’s entry for this year’s Biennale festival of art , which began last weekend.

As some of the women wept, Francis praised the art show. “Paradoxically, a stay in prison can mark the beginning of something new, through the rediscovery of the unsuspected beauty in us and in others, as symbolised by the artistic event you are hosting and the project to which you actively contribute,” he said.

The Vatican exhibit has turned the Giudecca prison – once a convent for reformed prostituted women – into one of the must-see attractions of this year’s Biennale, even though to see it, visitors must reserve in advance and go through a security check. It has become an unusual art world attraction, with visitors greeted at the entrance by Maurizio Cattelan’s wall mural of two giant filthy feet, a work that recalls Caravaggio’s dirty feet or the feet that Francis washes each year in a Holy Thursday ritual that he routinely performs on prisoners.

Francis’s visit represented “a historic moment because he will be the first pope to visit the Venice Biennale,” said the exhibition’s lead curator, José Tolentino de Mendonça.

Later, during a meeting with young people at the iconic Santa María della Salute basilica, Francis acknowledged the miracle that is Venice, admiring its “enchanting beauty” and tradition as a place of east-west encounters, but warning that it was increasingly vulnerable to climate change and depopulation.

“Venice is at one with the waters upon which it sits,” Francis said. “Without the care and safeguarding of this natural environment, it might even cease to exist.”

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Venice, sinking under rising sea levels and weighed down by the impact of overtourism, is in the opening days of an experiment to try to limit the sort of day trips that Francis undertook on Sunday.

This weekend, the city launched a new entry fee for daytrippers , aimed at easing the pressure of tourism on the Unesco world heritage site. As a guest, the head of the Catholic church was exempt from buying a €5 (£4.25) ticket – but non-resident pilgrims visiting for his mass had to pay.

Francis acknowledged Venice’s beauty in his homily at a mass before about 10,000 people in the shadow of St Mark’s basilica, one of the most celebrated churches in Italy .

But he said the city also faced an array of challenges, including climate change, the fragility of its cultural heritage, and overtourism. “Moreover, all these realities risk generating … frayed social relations, individualism, and loneliness,” he said.

Last year in December, a bout of bronchitis forced the pope to cancel a trip to Dubai, where he was to have addressed UN climate talks. He also pulled out of an Easter event at the last minute in March, after suffering for several weeks from what the Vatican called a “light flu”.

The pontiff, who uses a wheelchair, has suffered increasing health problems in recent years, from knee pain to surgery for a hernia and on his colon. Despite his health, the Vatican is planning for him an ambitious 12-day trip to Asia in September, taking in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore. Before that, the pope is due to make two other trips within Italy: to Verona in May and Trieste in July.

• Pope Francis
• Venice Biennale 2024
• Catholicism

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Imagine Dragons To Unveil New Album ‘LOOM’ On June 28th & Launch North American Headline Tour

TICKETS GO ON-SALE FRIDAY, APRIL 26

New single “eyes closed” available now, entering a fearlessly bold era, imagine dragons will unveil their anxiously awaited sixth full-length album, loom (kidinakorner/interscope), on june 28, 2024., pre-order/pre-save here ..

“Imagine Dragons are flying higher than ever ….Ten years after their commercial breakthrough, the Las Vegas rockers are still scoring real crossover hits, playing to packed houses, and playing a U2-esque long game” – Billboard

“Imagine Dragons still know how to efficiently stomp stadiums into rubble…The alt-rock band remains reliably, radioactively enormous ”—Rolling Stone

In tandem with the record, the band will embark on their biggest North American headline tour to date. Descending upon legendary venues across the country, it kicks off on July 30, 2024 in Camden, NJ at Freedom Mortgage Pavilion , rolls through major markets coast-to-coast, and concludes on October 22, 2024 at Los Angeles’ iconic Hollywood Bowl . Check out the full confirmed itinerary below.

TICKETS: Tickets will be available starting with a Citi presale (details below) beginning on April 23.  Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general onsale beginning on April 26 at 10AM local time at https://www.imaginedragonsmusic.com/tour .

VIP: Several VIP experiences will be available. Select packages include a signed guitar played by a member of Imagine Dragons on stage that night, a backstage tour, on-stage photo, and more!  All VIP packages include early entry, digital activities, and exclusive merchandise. Learn more at ImagineDragonsVIP.com.

PRESALE: Citi is the official card of the Imagine Dragons tour. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning April 23 at 10AM local time until Thursday, April 25 at 10PM local time through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit www.citientertainment.com .

Imagine Dragons’ sixth studio album LOOM represents the pinnacle of their artistic journey of self-discovery and marks the best body of work they’ve ever made. LOOM , produced entirely by Imagine Dragons and their longtime collaborators Mattman and Robin, finds the perfect balance between the classic sounds that have made them superstars and the freshness that brought them joy in the studio. Featuring 9 brand new tracks including hit single “Eyes Closed”, LOOM signifies new beginnings on the horizon – the excitement for a new day, moments yet to come.

Last year, the members of Imagine Dragons found themselves with a rare and well-deserved break from the road—perhaps their longest in many years. So, they made the most of it by devoting that time to family and friends. Catalyzed by this respite with a refreshed perspective, the band rallied together in the studio and mined the same well of inspiration that fed their most beloved material. The musicians reflected on the past in order to catapult into a future where stylistic boundaries have disappeared entirely and anything is possible creatively. This journey has brought them to their most dynamic and definitive body of work to date, LOOM .

To herald LOOM , the band recently shared their soaring new anthem entitled “Eyes Closed.” Check out the video HERE . The track illuminates their penchant for boundary-breaking. Stretching the limits of the soundscape almost to the breaking point, they harness a burst of energy with a rafter-reaching refrain primed to soar on the upcoming summer tour.

It’s the year of the Dragons …

Tour Dates:

July 30, 2024 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion

August 2, 2024 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater

August 4, 2024 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center

August 6, 2024 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center

August 8, 2024 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage

August 12, 2024 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre

August 14, 2024 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake

August 16, 2024 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

August 18, 2024 – Tinley Park, IL – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre

August 20, 2024 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center

August 22, 2024 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live

August 23, 2024  – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion

August 26, 2024 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater

August 28, 2024 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion

August 30, 2024 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre

September 1, 2024 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre

September 4, 2024 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion

September 6, 2024 – Houston, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman

September 8, 2024 – Ridgedale, MO – Thunder Ridge Nature’s Arena

September 28, 2024 – Seattle, WA, The Gorge Amphitheatre

September 29, 2024 – Ridgefield, WA – RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater

October 2, 2024 – Wheatland, CA – Toyota Amphitheatre

October 5, 2024 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre

October 6, 2024 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre

October 9, 2024 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater

October 11, 2024 – Salt Lake City, UT –  Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre

October 17, 2024 – Denver, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre

October 20, 2024 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre

October 22, 2024 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl

Photo Credit: Eric Ray Davidson

ABOUT IMAGINE DRAGONS:

Imagine Dragons continue to redefine rock in the 21 st century. Filling stadiums, crafting cloud-rattling anthems, and breaking records at every turn, diamond-certified GRAMMY® Award-winning Las Vegas quartet Imagine Dragons occupy rarified air as one of the biggest rock bands in the world. Tallying cumulative sales of 74 million album equivalents, 65 million digital songs, and over 160 billion streams, they stand out as “the only band in history to earn four RIAA Diamond singles , ” namely “Radioactive” (16x-platinum), “Believer” (13x-platinum), “Thunder” (12x-platinum) and “Demons” (11x-platinum). Since emerging in 2009, they’ve scored five consecutive Top 10 debuts on the Billboard Top 200 with Night Visions [2012] (7x-platinum) (KIDinaKORNER/Interscope), Smoke+Mirrors [2015] (platinum) (KIDinaKORNER/Interscope), Evolve [2017] (triple-platinum) (KIDinaKORNER/Interscope), Origins [2018] (platinum)(KIDinaKORNER/Interscope), and Mercury – Act 1 [2021]( KIDinaKORNER/Interscope). With the release of Mercury – Act 2 (KIDinaKORNER/Interscope) in 2022, they completed their first double-album opus produced by the legendary Rick Rubin. The hit single “Bones,” featured on Mercury Act 2, went to number one at Alternative Radio and remains in the Global Top 50 on Spotify. The band’s hit collaboration with East Atlanta-based rapper J.I.D, “Enemy,” has racked up billions of global streams and landed at #6 on the IFPI Global Singles Chart for 2022. Dominating radio, they remain one of only four bands to ever achieve consecutive Top 5 singles at Alternative radio, and the only band to repeat this feat. Most recently, Imagine Dragons made history on Spotify, as “Bad Liar” became their 10th song to surpass 1 billion streams. The band now holds the crown for the group with most billion-plus streamed songs, becoming the first in the platform’s history to have ten songs reach this milestone. Meanwhile, Imagine Dragons’ music videos for hits “Thunder” and “Believer” have garnered an astounding 2 billion YouTube views, while videos for “Radioactive” and “Demons” have surpassed over 1 billion views.  They’ve collaborated with everyone from Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, and Wiz Khalifa to Avicii and film composer Hans Zimmer. Giving back, they’ve raised millions for various causes, including their pediatric cancer charity the Tyler Robinson Foundation, and frontman Dan Reynolds’ LOVELOUD Foundation and festival in support of LGBTQ+ youth. In 2022, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky named them ambassadors for UNITED 24, which benefits humanitarian aid in Ukraine. Imagine Dragons earned an impressive four nominations for the 2022 American Music Awards including “Favorite Pop Duo or Group,” “Favorite Rock Artist,” “Favorite Rock Album” and “Favorite Rock Song.” The band was also nominated for “Group of 2022” for the 2022 People’s Choice Awards. Most recently, they received an MTV VMA nomination for “Video For Good” for their acclaimed “Crushed” music video.

About Live Nation Entertainment

Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Sponsorship. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com.

Media Contacts

Imagine Dragons:

Carleen Donovan | [email protected]

Franny Lail | [email protected]

Hillary Siskind | [email protected]

Live Nation Concerts:

Monique Sowinski | [email protected]

Valeska Thomas | [email protected]

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Tour: Understanding UMass Amherst's Modernist Architectural Heritage

The UMass Amherst’s campus has a rich and eclectic architectural history and is home to an outstanding collection of buildings and landscapes from the 18th to the 21st century.   This tour will be led by Timothy M. Rohan, associate professor and chair of the Department of the History of Art & Architecture, CHFA, and Ludmilla Pavlova-Gillham, FAIA, Senior Campus Planner and Architect.  

The tour starts at the Bromery Center for Arts Entrance Lobby.

This event is being promoted as part of a series of Inauguration Weekend/Founders Day activities highlighting campus points of pride and building community. 

Founders Day  is an annual opportunity to reflect on the rich and storied history of UMass Amherst, take pride in its present standing, and look toward its future. In combination with the  Inauguration of Chancellor Javier Reyes , this year’s festivities will be particularly impactful.  

W301 South College 150 Hicks Way Amherst, MA 01003 (413) 545-9172 [email protected]

Winners of the 2024 Jessica Steain Memorial Art Contest

Section: Gallery

"Path of Hope" by Kaitlyn Graham, first place in the middle school division of the 2024 Jessica Stein Memorial Art Contest.

Kaitlyn Graham, seventh grade, Northwest Christian Schools

"A Memorial to the White Rose Movement" by Deziree Blyleven, second place in the middle school division of the 2024 Jessica Stein Memorial Art Contest.

Deziree Blyleven, eighth grade, Salk Middle School

"Light of Love Despite Darkness of Risk" by Brooke Rettedal, third place in the middle school division of the 2024 Jessica Stein Memorial Art Contest.

Brooke Rettedal, seventh grade, Northwest Christian Schools

"Ometz" by Mackenzie Winchell, first place in the high school division of the 2024 Jessica Stein Memorial Art Contest.

Mackenzie Winchell, senior, On-Track Academy

"The White Rose" by Nora Smith, second place in the high school division of the 2024 Jessica Stein Memorial Art Contest.

Nora Smith, junior, University High School

"Siblings of the White Rose" by Alexandra House, third place in the high school division of the 2024 Jessica Stein Memorial Art Contest.

Alexandra House, junior, Ridgeline High School

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