Top 5 Travel Sketching Tips

Plus a bonus one.

Holiday sketches - document your days

Here are 5 super quick travel sketching tips:

1. Pack Light: Bring a small sketchbook, your favourite pen, a few colouring pencils and a travel watercolour tin. Keep it portable to make sketching on the go as easy as possible.

2. Embrace Imperfection: Focus on capturing the feeling of a scene, not every tiny detail. Loose, quick sketches can tell the best stories.

   

   Capturing scenes

3. Sketch First, Add Colour Later: Draw outlines on location, then add colour in a cafe or back at your accommodation to save time.

4. Choose One Highlight: Pick one interesting feature of your day—a meal, a view, or a building—and sketch just that to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

   

   Slowing down and observing

5. Set a Timer: Give yourself 5–10 minutes per sketch. A timer adds focus, keeps it quick, and often leads to fresher, more spontaneous sketches!

Bonus Tip: If you have kids and find it tricky to balance sketching with enjoying the day out together, just snap a few photos and relax—you can sketch later when you get a peaceful moment. I only managed to sketch a couple of times on location this holiday, but that was fine! I loved sketching back at the villa while the kids played in the pool or were happy playing with each other.

I finished the rest of my Portugal sketchbook back at home using photos I’d taken on holiday. It was a lovely way to ease myself back into the routine and take a break between the piles of washing I had!

Here’s a flip-through of my travel sketchbook—packed with so many memories that I will keep forever -

I hope this post has inspired you to give sketching a go on your next holiday! Sketching makes memories vivid and personal, and each sketch tells a unique story that photos simply can’t capture. There’s something really special about looking back at sketches filled with the colours, details, and feelings of a place. It’s an unforgettable way to document your journey.

Do you sketch on holiday? I’d love to know any tips you might have.