My 2014 Italy Sketchbook Highlights

I am just back from my annual pilgrimage to Europe and I would like to share some of my sketchbook highlights with you. This year was the Grand Tour of Italy and I had the privilege of teaching 18 talented students along the way. When I could sneak a few minutes I would make some quick sketches in my Moleskine.

Several people have asked me about the types of pens that I like to use. I prefer a brand called Le Pen. I like the color options and there are some nice neutral grey/earth tones. Often I will begin a sketch in a neutral gray and then go back with a more intensive color.

This is a sketch of a small fountain area in Rome where my students were drawing. I often enjoy drawing my students drawing and Christina was standing and sketching. I liked her hat!

Over the course of our time in Rome we peeked into San Luigi dei Francesi to see the Caravaggio paintings.

Suffice to say that the side chapel was incredibly crowded and I was being jostled around while trying to draw the painting. It’s also a Euro for around 5 minutes of light so it was tough drawing conditions. This was the best I could do in the limited time.

In Siena we stayed at the Alma Domus with it’s stunning views of the Siena Cathedral. Outside of the front door of the hotel is a small patio garden. I became fascinated with the planters and made the above sketch.

Siena was a heavy drawing town for me this year and I made some sketches in the main cathedral.

Probably the most famous works of art in Siena is Duccio’s Maesta housed in the Museum of the Cathedral in Siena. The Virgin Mary in “Majesty” is a polyptych and it’s what I chose to draw.

I really like to look at this altarpiece and it’s hard to imagine how much Lapis Lazuli it would have taken to paint the dark blue of her robes. The modeling in the figures was a break through and I’m guessing that Duccio felt like he could hold his own with Giotto.

When I draw these great works of art it allows me to really look carefully at the painting or sculpture. It slows my mind down enough that I can allow the work to interact with me. It is a thoroughly enjoyable experience for me.

In Florence our group visited the Bargello Museum which houses a brilliant collection of sculptural objects. In the main courtyard there was this sculpture and I thought the drawing turned out nicely.

I drew the figure on the right’s legs.

As our journey continued we took a day trip to Padua to see the Scrovegni chapel. I made a few small drawings inside of the Giotto frescoes in the limited time that we had in there.

I hope my post encourages you to get out your sketchbook and start making your own drawings when you travel. It is a great way to encourage seeing and spur your creative thinking.

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