I really loved reading this Ella. I’ve recently taken instagram off my phone (and put it on my husband’s haha) and reading your Substack feels
so good for my brain! I really felt like I was on your trip and loved all the details - even little things like the too sweet cappuccino 😄 I go to Portugal often and love Porto especially the fishing area and beaches just outside, in Foz do Douro. You’ll have to go back! 💖
I remember doing a similar trip to the north Norfolk coast and made a sketchbook on the train (that my friend later said looked like a cheque book so became the cheque-book-sketch-book in my mind) but served me well for drawing all the very wide landscapes over 2 days. I remember taking a massive bit of paper but it’s a bit self conscious getting it out on the beach like “a masterpiece is about to occur” is too much pressure!
Also a good reminder to read this as it really does help to plan those full stop moments into life when you’re freelance to give shape to time.
It was inspiring to read this, and I love the rainy feel of the drawings and the perspective of the roofs ... just the way you describe treating the trip as a retreat/residency makes me think about how much more drawing I could fit into a day trip! Thank you Ella.
The Saints and café sketches are my faves (among some really lovely other drawings). What a fab trip, you really squeezed every ounce from it - loads of drawings!
Thanks for sharing your immersive sketching journey Ella 😍- any break from the everyday is an opportunity to be curious and to create a little bit of magic - in spite of the weather! Love your busy airport sketch and the cloisters with a pop of pink - it’s great to get some tips on what to take and see how you were inspired - glad the sun made an effort in the last day!
I love your sketches, Ella! Also, brilliant idea of creating your own artist retreat. Too bad for the weather - I live in Portugal and this March was awful! But you should give it another try and come over again, ideally around April and May when the sun is (usually) out :)
I really loved reading this Ella. I’ve recently taken instagram off my phone (and put it on my husband’s haha) and reading your Substack feels
so good for my brain! I really felt like I was on your trip and loved all the details - even little things like the too sweet cappuccino 😄 I go to Portugal often and love Porto especially the fishing area and beaches just outside, in Foz do Douro. You’ll have to go back! 💖
It’s amazing what you can pack into a day away!
I remember doing a similar trip to the north Norfolk coast and made a sketchbook on the train (that my friend later said looked like a cheque book so became the cheque-book-sketch-book in my mind) but served me well for drawing all the very wide landscapes over 2 days. I remember taking a massive bit of paper but it’s a bit self conscious getting it out on the beach like “a masterpiece is about to occur” is too much pressure!
Also a good reminder to read this as it really does help to plan those full stop moments into life when you’re freelance to give shape to time.
It was inspiring to read this, and I love the rainy feel of the drawings and the perspective of the roofs ... just the way you describe treating the trip as a retreat/residency makes me think about how much more drawing I could fit into a day trip! Thank you Ella.
The Saints and café sketches are my faves (among some really lovely other drawings). What a fab trip, you really squeezed every ounce from it - loads of drawings!
Thank you for sharing your journey & including all the details, Ella. You made some lovely sketches!
So nice. I always want to go to portugal. Love your drawings specially the one of the airplane. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for sharing your immersive sketching journey Ella 😍- any break from the everyday is an opportunity to be curious and to create a little bit of magic - in spite of the weather! Love your busy airport sketch and the cloisters with a pop of pink - it’s great to get some tips on what to take and see how you were inspired - glad the sun made an effort in the last day!
I will travel to Marocco for an artist retreat. I have written a post about préparation.
I like how you tell your story
I love your sketches, Ella! Also, brilliant idea of creating your own artist retreat. Too bad for the weather - I live in Portugal and this March was awful! But you should give it another try and come over again, ideally around April and May when the sun is (usually) out :)