After a day and a half of traveling to Italy from the US, and two and a half days in Cinque Terre, it was finally time to move on to Florence and then to Fattoria Bacio, in Certaldo, where I would teach two week-long sketching workshops.
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| My friends Cindy and Carol watch the scenery going by on our way to Florence. Notice how our suitcases are all stashed in and among the train seats. That was the only place to put them on this train. |
The train trip from Cinque Terre to Florence was one I had been dreading. I had two suitcases I had to lug along, one with my clothes, shoes, etc. and one with the handouts and supplies for my workshop classes. I give each student in my European workshops a huge spiral-bound book filled with great ideas for designing their sketchbook pages, creating border designs, and adding hand-lettering to their sketches. I also include lessons on perspective, composition, and watercolor techniques, along with other helpful information. My students love their handouts, but since I was teaching a total of twenty people this year, those handouts and supplies added up to a hefty 47 pounds! It would have cost a fortune to ship everything, so I bit the bullet and took everything with me.
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| 10″ x 7″, watercolor, Platinum Carbon ink, and gel pen |
Luckily, I was traveling with nine friends who helped me every step of the way. “Many hands make light work” – that definitely applied to getting all of our bags up and down stairs and on and off trains during our day of traveling to the workshop location in Certaldo. It was all part of the traveling experience, so it merited a page in my travel journal.
Have you noticed that I like variety in my sketchbooks? Some pages are cute or funny or cartoonish like this one. Others are heartfelt, beautifully painted images that I lavish time and attention on. Some are tongue-in-cheek or silly, while others are serious. I guess I like to mix things up. I get bored doing the same thing the same way, so I constantly try to think of new ways to approach the sketchbook page. It pushes me to learn and grow. Give it a try!
And remember to enter my DECEMBER GIVEAWAY…
You are invited to enter for a chance to win a set of five American Journey Interlocked Synthetic Brushes (a $38.69 value) plus a handy Cheap Joe’s Folding Brush Holder (a $14.69 value), courtesy of Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff.
These are the same brushes I used on my recent trip to Italy. I have the shorter travel version, and they fit nicely in my travel sketch kit. I really enjoyed painting with them in Tuscany – they hold plenty of water, and they’re a little springier than my sable brushes.
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| Travel brush set in my Katsuwa supply case |
To enter the giveaway, all you have to do is leave a comment on one or all of the seven sketches I’ll be posting between November 27 and December 3. It’s okay if you enter multiple times (one per post, please).
The drawing will be held on December 7, 2016.
Each day I’ll ask a question that you can answer in the comments, if you like. Today’s question is…
Leave your answer in a comment below. Good luck!
31 Comments
I love yor work. I am sending painted postcards to my mother in rehab and you are an inspiration to me as I try to think of what to draw and paint each day for her.
What a wonderful, loving thing to do! I'm so glad I can be a part of it in some small way.
Step-by-step tutorials of houses or other buildings would be grand.
I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, Sandra.
I'd like a tutorial on time management, so I could accomplish half of what you do!
You're so funny! Cutting out sleeping would really allow me to get so much more done. I wish there were a magic pill to take the place of eight hours of sleep.
Not sure if this idea would lend itself to a written tutorial ( as opposed to a live demonstration) ..but I need a refresher on using the dip pen and calligraphy style writing…I haven't got a good grasp of angle, pressure, technique etc… thanks!
I think a video would be best for this idea. I've never done actual videos, only speed-painting ones that I record on my ipad, but maybe this would be a good one to experiment with. I really need to dive into the mysterious world of making videos one of these days. If millions of other people can do it on YouTube, I guess I can learn. 🙂
I would like to see the boat picture with the water in a tutorial . Carol Startare
I'd like to see a tutorial on quick sketching people…I always try to do this but fail dismally because I start out with toooo much detail and give up.
i learn from anything you share with us. I am interested in how you write and the fonts you use. A tutorial on writing would be nice!
I would love tutorials sketching buildings and also water scenes and how to use the watercolors so they don't make ugly messes (I'm a newbie watercolorist).
Painting sparkles and reflections in water please!
I'd like to see how you use ink and watercolor for a sketch. Mainly the process for using watercolors. I haven't worked in watercolor much and when I do it is usually with water color pencils because I am uncertain about using paints. Any tips or videos would be helpful. I just love your art work!
~Gin K.~
I love your work also and need more inspiration on how to complete the page. Like once the drawing is complete, ideas on how to border it, where to place the words and date and lettering. According to your description of the handouts you give away in your classes, I just need to enroll in one of them!!! But unfortunately I live so far away from where they are held so I haven't been able to attend. Thanks so much for this opportunity and I look forward to what you have for us in the future.
Border designs and ideas would be so helpful! And where to place different scenes on a page! Thank you Leslie! Hope to attend a class with you someday!
Your sketch is such a lovely memory plus wonderful art.
Tutorial on snow on trees would be nice. As I look out the window I have 3" of new snow.
I would like to see a tutorial on your lettering and how you change colors as you write. I love your style.
I'd love a tutorial on how to get a sketch from a journal page to a blog page, please!
oh what an opportunity! I would love to see,,,how about lettering? I love your lettering and would love to see some videos of samples of you doing that. cheers!
It's great to have lots of friends to travel with, eh?
For tutorials, I'd like to see how you do water. Instead of it being all washy, you use separate, different colored strokes. I'd like to see you do that. And how you plan and paint your borders.
Thanks so much!
I'd like to see your process for the placement and style of the lettering that accompany your sketches — how to get text to look so neat yet whimsical, and how not to let it interfere with the composition (or, in other words, how to have it enhance the other design elements).
Your gorgeous lettering! Especially how you manage multiple colors in one script… I've always admired it!
I would love tutorials on ocean waves.
I would love to just sit and watch you paint…too scared to try it myself….
Your tutorials are a real gift to your followers, Leslie! I like several of the suggestions above. I especially enjoy video tutorials where we can see your sketching and painting in progress, so helpful. A tutorial on how to simplify a busy scene by editing unimportant details or eliminating an entire object that isn't important to the scene would be another nice one.
Thanks for all your great suggestions, everyone! I'll keep this in mind when planning future posts.
Ditto Katie ^^^
Ditto Katie ^^^
And in addition😉, I'd love to see myself "drawn" along on some of those travels! Looks like you all have such fun.
Leslie, your tutorials are so helpful and generous!
For me, help with mixing shadow colors and adding shadows would help me figure out how not to muddy up my painting.
Leslie,
The way you've done these pages of your trip is already a great idea. I really enjoy and learn from you showing us the step by step approach which you take.
Elaine in Bradenton, FL