A second batch of sketches from a recent trip South.
First some gouache and pencil sketches on the road over the border, snow-capped Canigou dominating the landscape.
Then a quiet weekday corner in Villelongue-dels-Monts, sketched in bamboo dip-pen as a gift for our hosts. Spot a prowling rooftop cat, a loud peacock perched on a house, and the bike I used to get there. I had to sit in a doorway to get the view I wanted with the wires and windows, then got chatting to the owner in Franglais about art, visits to UK etc; sketching’s a great way to dissolve barriers! 
The foothills of the Eastern Pyrenees seen from the house we stayed in…
…with clouds curling over the peaks.
We decided to walk up the nearest peak; here’s the view from the top…
…and the view as we walked back down.
A finally a day trip to nearby Collioure, historic haunt of artists. Time for a quick coffee and sketch in a cafe wall-papered in paintings…
…before drawing the harbour front. When I started this one I thought it would be a curved panoramic fish-eye sketch, but then changed my mind, hence the leaning tower and curious sinking sea on the right!
Here are some past sketches from the same area…
Mostly drawing 
Absolutely love the grey scale house on the corner and the quayside. Always an inspiration.
I am off on a short Croatian cruise in June together with sketch book …… roll on.
Keep up the blog, thank you. Graham, Freshwater East, Pembrokeshire
Thanks Graham, dilute waterproof ink in the water brush for the grayscale, great for gradually building tone and pushing contrast! The sketch cruise sounds lovely, beautiful landscapes scrolling past and hundreds of trapped subjects to sketch!
Hi! I just wanted to say that i love your sketches! I usually take photos from my travels instead of sketching, but maybe I will try your way 🙂
Beautiful! Xx