I tried my best to stay consistent with filling in sketchbooks, daily sketching for practicing techniques, as well as, … keeping me sane from my turbulent life. Here comes some of the best pages in my sketchbook in 2024.
I found joy in learning to sketch costumes, starting with historical dresses and gowns from history since they were layered or made of different textiles allowing movements to be subtly depicted. Or maybe I’m biased towards modern fashion, particularly mass-produced and fast fashion.
These sketches are copies of works by Charles Dana Gibson, who created the “Gibson Girl” – an iconic representation of American woman in 20th century. His sketches were lively, comical yet with a sense of reality, I find him a great source to learn sketch costumes.
Together with new interest in costumes, I still find sketch houses, churches, etc basically everything architecture relaxing. Perspective used to be a huge obstacle, but but I get loose with it now, just eyeball every detail. Of course, for professional works, I still create a perspective grid to make sure things fall in their places; but with sketching, I think it’s better to distort, twist and play with it.
Mostly of my sketches are done with black and purple ink, but I’m slowly get familiar with all medium as well. With that being said, ink forces me to think and plan in my head before letting the ink reach the paper, because, whatever mistakes I make, the marks will stay permanent on the paper.
I’m still figuring things out, still experimenting with different mediums, and still making plenty of mistakes , but that’s part of the fun. So, here’s to more sketchbooks, more messy lines, and more moments of getting lost in drawing.
It all started when I watched videos by James Gurney. I was amazed by how much fun it looked to explore the world through an artist’s eyes, and how urban sketching could really improve my art skills. James went into detail about his process, from choosing materials to picking subjects and actually painting. His videos inspired me – a homebody by nature – to get outside and work on my observation and on-the-spot painting skills, instead of always sticking to my desk.
I grew up in Hanoi, where the streets are full of houses from all kinds of different eras. They’re old and diverse, definitely not your typical urban design, but perfect for painting.
I thought I knew all about these houses until I started sketching them. That’s when I began noticing details I’d never paid attention to before. Questions started popping up in my mind: Why does this window look strange? Is it uncomfortable living in these houses? And so on.
My Medium: Watercolor vs Gouache
I started with watercolor because it was the most convenient and readily available option. I could use pans or different sizes of boxes depending on where I was painting. It reminded me of the old-school watercolor techniques I admired.
Gouache, on the other hand, was messier for me at first. I had bought a set of bottles, which weren’t as portable as tubes for outdoor painting. It might sound like a small detail, but the difference in storage was significant—paints in tubes are far more convenient. Since paint tubes were first introduced in the early 19th century, around 1841, by American artist John G. Rand; it has got easier for artists to travel and work en plein air (outdoors), which became especially important during the rise of Impressionism.
Once I switched my gouache to tubes, it became my favorite medium. I enjoy painting opaquely, except when I have a specific idea that requires transparency. Gouache is more forgiving than watercolor, and it’s easier to define both large areas and fine details.
I started by painting my own neighborhood since I was already familiar with it from my daily life. It felt like a chance to rediscover my surroundings in a new way. I’m especially drawn to houses with plants, those that have a nostalgic vibe, or those that clearly show signs of someone’s life lived there.
For watercolor, there’s a wide range of pans available, which allows me to create a personalized palette. With the help of adhesive putty, I can make my own compact watercolor box to carry around. My favorite brush is the waterbrush, as it has a reservoir for water built into the handle, making it super convenient. Travel brushes are also great, though I’ve found that investing in good-quality brushes and a durable case is more worthwhile in the long run.
Hanoi’s streets stand out from other cities due to the rich history shaped by major influences from nations such as China, France, and the US. Tourist areas often showcase French architecture, which can be explored further in my blog about Hanoi, including detailed sketches of house facades.
Before the French Revolution, the architecture in Northern Vietnam was deeply influenced by Chinese culture. Buildings often featured intricate decorations, from the roof to the walls, with wooden, symmetric designs. This style can still be seen today in temples and other historical structures.
Hanoi’s vibrant coffee culture also provides ample opportunities for me to do studies. Many coffee shops are renovated from traditional architecture, while others embrace modern styles with clean lines and ambient lighting. Coffee shops in Hanoi serve as a melting pot for conversations, offering a perfect setting to observe and study people in real life.
To sum up
In wrapping up my journey of urban sketching in Hanoi, I’ve realized how much this experience has enriched my view of the city. Sketching outdoors has helped me capture the lively streets, stunning architecture, and everyday moments that often go unnoticed.
I encourage others to grab a sketchbook and explore their own surroundings. There are so many stories and details in our daily lives waiting to be captured. Each sketch not only reflects a scene but also our personal growth as artists. So, let’s keep sketching, observing, and enjoying the world around us!
My grandparents are big fans of coffee, growing up with them, I always smelled coffee in the house. Though I didn’t take to drinking coffee until my twenty-something, the smell of coffee is something I associate with a shelter and a cozy place.
A winter dayA gray cafe
And there is a cafe for every single need of people in Vietnam, as long as I could specify how I feel and what I want. Most of the times, I prefer a quiet working cafe with a few floors, high desks and chairs, with bright lighting and lots of windows.
I like to do still life studies with coffee glasses and cups as well.
A modern asymmetric cafe
With the growth of social media and online reviewing, coffee shops start investing in interior design, good-quality chairs and tables. They become great subjects for me to paint as I observe how interior design affects how people talks and moves. Lovers meet, friends gather, strangers look at each other. All happens at a coffee shop.
A cafe with Tet decorTraditional Vietnamese coffee phin (filters)
What’s my favourite type of coffee? “Bac xiu”- coffee with lots of milk. It usually has a warm brown color due to the milk. It tastes moderately sweet with a strong aroma from Robusta coffee beans.
A lazy coffee at noon
I usually go to a coffee shop in the mornings, the silent period. Most people would just get a takeaway before rushing to their workplaces and for more than once, I’m the only customer sitting. I don’t mind the baristas taking their time to make my drink and sometimes they have time to bring the cup to the table for me even though they don’t have to.
A summer day
There are people in my life I label: ‘coffee people’. They are the ones I never talk with but know the faces, and they know mine. It’s weird I never find the attraction to start a conversation, but they become part of the coffee shop. If anyone creates a cafe theme theater stage, ‘coffee people’ must be there. They have no lines but they have to be there.
I went to coffee shops even on rainy days. It takes more efforts but it’s another kind of experience when it rains heavily outside and you are in the warm lighting indoors sipping a warm coffee cup. The coffee shops becomes a valid shelter.
Morning light in a cafe
There’s always a compelling collision of light at a cafe. Light shines through windows, light reflects from glasses and cups, polished coffee machine, light specially made to make you feel attracted to more coffee. We are put under the spell of designed space and light.
Coffee counters is a source of inspiration as well, with lots of objects and activities going around them. And the design may be similar but this counter just feels different from the other one.
Let’s take a break here and enjoy our first (or last) cup of coffee for today, shall we?
Growing up in Hanoi, I have an affection to every cornet of this city. Especially those are less known with tourists, because these places feel more authentic to me. When sitting in a cafe painting these scenes, I feel like capturing a moment of this city, a moment that will be gone with unavoidable modern development.
That’s why I tend to chose old houses or historic structures, so that theirs stories can live on through my paintings.
Below is my favorite painting of 2023 – this captures idyllically the area I grew up in, a very ordinary area with no tourist attractions. I’ve walked pass these houses hundreds and hundreds time.
I know that one day I will miss this scene dearly.
2. Studies of nature
One big drawback of growing and living in a big city is that I rarely get to see a scene just full of nature. All these studies were based on photos.
I personally love scenes of tree and water, both allows me to play with color and reflection. Painting nature is also more liberating since it seems like I’m having a secondary experience with these scenes, an escape from my bustling city.
3. Studies of color
I find it still life studies useful but a bit boring, so I often paint scene with lots of similar objects to practice instead. These objects sitting together show contrast in colors and interesting negative space.
Jeanne Lolness 