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I used to take a lot of photos when I traveled.  Mostly for keeping memories but I also thought some day I would use these photos to make paintings from.  Well, some got used for that purpose, but the reality is, when there were too many, most didn’t even get looked at… buried somewhere on my computer.  Plus back in my studio after a trip I found it difficult to feel just as inspired as I did when I took the photo.

Luckily I discovered the joy of plein-air painting early on and have been doing it almost from the beginning as a full-time painter.  Although I travel with a full gear required to do a painting en plein air (a tripod and all the accessories), sometimes it’s just too inconvenient to use it, due to the weather, time constraints, having other pieces of luggage, etc.  In that case, I love using a small watercolor sketchbook (about 6x9  inches) and a pencil to do a quick on-the-spot drawing and then a couple of Winsor & Newton watercolor markers and/or a small number of watercolor paints to color.  It just takes 10 minutes to do a small sketch and what a lot of fun!  Visually, these are far more valuable to me as I am able to capture the sense of place and my own thoughts in a more personal way.

Quick sketches with Winsor & Newton watercolor markers

Kinsale, Ireland (W&N watercolor marker and paints)

Pub, Ireland (W&N watercolor marker and paints)

Aran Island, Ireland (pencil, W&N watercolor paints)

Aran Island, Ireland (W&N watercolor marker and paints)

Howth, Ireland (W&N watercolor marker and paints)

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