Category Archives: travel

Topkapi #1

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Ed Mostly

Two sketches done a year apart in the ‘twin kiosk’ rooms in the Harem section of the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul. The first was done in 2012 focussing on the decorative tiles and trying to get the perspective right. The second … Continue reading →

Posted in buildings, from life, Istanbul, marker pen, travel, urban, white marker pen | Tagged Booka Shade, decorative tiles, Harem rooms, Jim, sketchtesting.co.uk, stained glass, Topkapi, twin kiosk rooms, white gelly roll pen | 2 Comments

Tenby, Wales

Posted on September 8, 2013 by Ed Mostly

A crowded double-page spread from a day trip to Tenby, in South Wales. No time to settle to a finished sketch, so lots of details and impressions instead. I’m looking forward to a longer visit in the future… There’s the view … Continue reading →

Posted in buildings, from life, sketching, travel, urban, Wales | Tagged attic view, attic window, Augustus John, harbour, mermaid, Tenby, The Beatles, wine jug | Leave a comment

A little night music

Posted on September 5, 2013 by Ed Mostly

I was in Istanbul during Ramadan and every night the old city became a family friendly festival with food stalls, craft markets, groups of picnickers, and free open-air concerts, mostly showcasing traditional music. I started this sketch before the band … Continue reading →

Posted in from life, Istanbul, night, people, travel, urban | Tagged Air, coloured paper, concert, crowd, festival, Kelly watch the stars, open air concert, Ramadan | Leave a comment

Travel thumbnails #3, planes

Posted on August 23, 2013 by Ed Mostly

More travel thumbnails in gouache, this time the view from an airplane flying Istanbul to London. The window shapes and wing-tips are a bit wonky… All in Black Pigma 1mm pen, water-brush with Lexington grey ink, gouache, A5 Taxiing down the … Continue reading →

Posted in airplane, airport, from life, gouache, journeys, sketching, sky, thumbnails, travel, urban, weather | Tagged airplane windows, aviation, clouds, gouache, Heathrow, Istanbul, London, sketch, Thames, travel thumbnails, window shapes | 2 Comments

Travel thumbnails #2, trains

Posted on August 20, 2013 by Ed Mostly

You can see so many subjects for a sketch when travelling, but you’re usually moving past too fast for anything detailed… I’ve been trying quick thumbnail sketches when on the move and gouache seems perfect for capturing the basic shapes … Continue reading →

Posted in from life, gouache, journeys, Lexington grey, sky, trains, travel, weather | Tagged landscape, rain, sky, The Guillemots, thumbnail sketches, train windows, transportation, visual memory | 1 Comment

Tomb, hydrant, B+B

Posted on August 10, 2013 by Ed Mostly

A final group of sketches from Portugal before I get to grips with scanning all the Istanbul pictures… The tomb of Luis Vaz de Camoes, Portugal’s greatest poet, in Jeronimos Monastery, Lisbon. Fountain pen with Carbon ink, water-brush with Lexington … Continue reading →

Posted in buildings, from life, Lisbon, Portugal, sketching, travel, urban, watercolour sketch | Tagged hydrant, Jean-Christophe Defline, Jeronimos, Luis Vaz de Camoes, Palace, Sintra, Spiritualized, tomb | Leave a comment

Steep street

Posted on August 8, 2013 by Ed Mostly

Looking up a street near the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, next to the entrance to the seventeenth century Valide Han or caravanserai on the right. It was a Sunday and most of the shops were closed, with shutters down. The Han … Continue reading →

Posted in buildings, from life, Istanbul, Lexington grey, monochrome, sketching, travel, urban | Tagged caravanserai, Grand Bazaar, street scene, Valide Han, Van der Valk, wicket gate | 1 Comment

Jet set

Posted on August 3, 2013 by Ed Mostly

My view on the way to Turkey, about 5 miles high, somewhere over France. I spent 6 days in Istanbul, mostly sketching, which was a great luxury. So lots to scan and post over the coming weeks, including lots of lovely … Continue reading →

Posted in airplane, clouds, from life, gouache, Istanbul, journeys, Lexington grey, monochrome, travel | Tagged airport, sky, The Kinks | Leave a comment

Castelo dos Mouros

Posted on July 13, 2013 by Ed Mostly

Looking up at the ‘Castle of the Moors’ on the crest of the hill above Sintra in Portugal. The 8th century castle was restored in 1840, at the same time that the nearby Pena Palace was being built, and its … Continue reading →

Posted in clouds, from life, gouache, Portugal, sketching, travel | Tagged Castle of the Moors, crest, horizon, Norman Greenbaum, picturesque scenery, Sintra | Leave a comment

Strangeness abounding

Posted on July 1, 2013 by Ed Mostly

3 more sketches from the wonderful and mysterious gardens of the Quinta Da Regaleira in Sintra, Portugal. Looking up from the bottom of the 27 metre deep “Initiation Well” or “Initiatic Well”. It has a secret entrance at the top and … Continue reading →