Since September 2007, I have gone on at least 1 big sketching trip per year.
When I travel, sketching is my main focus and I often travel alone or with sketching friends. My trips have typically had a major impact on the development of my work. I have a tradition of writing a Trip Reflection article at the end of a big sketching trip – see the collection here. And before I travel I often do a series of Trip Prep articles – thinking about art supplies, sketchbook strategies and other important considerations – see them all here.
A few other Travel Sketching articles:
- Some favourite sketchbook pages
- Video: Travel Sketching Tips from my NZ sketchbooks<
- How to sketch on planes
- Ink sketches during guided tours
- Back Home: Reviewing the things I took on my trip
- Just for fun, check out my very first travel journal as a teenager here. It’s amazing how many signature Liz-isms are contained in those pages!
Here is a summary of all my sketching trips in reverse order. It’s really interesting to see how much my work has changed over the years – so please scroll to the bottom to see some of the early trips.
6 days exploring historic towns in the Bathurst area using watercolour pencils and markers (no watercolour!)
View all the Road Trip 2023 articles here
A few days in the Blue Mountains sketching in mixed media.
View all the BlueMountains2022 articles here
A short trip sketching food and beach scenes including lots of experiments combining coloured pencils, markers and watercolour.
View all the PortMacquarie2022 articles here
2 weeks exploring Newcastle, Maitland and surrounds including lots of experiments combining coloured pencils and watercolour.
View all the Hunter2022 articles here
MY LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA Sept 2021
During Sydney’s second lockdown I spent a two-week ‘staycation’ exploring my LGA.
View all the MyLGA2021 articles here
NSW/VIC/ACT ROAD TRIP Apr-May 2021
An incredible 6-week road trip exploring western and south-western NSW, a little of VIC and a short visit to the ACT.
View all the RoadTrip2021 trip articles here
VIRTUAL TRIP TO EUROPE Apr-Jul 2020
Despite a worldwide lockdown I decided to go on my planned 11-week trip to Europe virtually: Italy (Rome, Umbria, Florence, Marostica, Vicenza, Venice), Luxembourg (Luxembourg), Belgium (Brussels), the Netherlands (Gouda), Scotland (Edinburgh, Lewis, Glasgow, Portsoy)
View all the EuropeV20 trip articles here
EUROPE Apr-Jul 2019
14 weeks in Italy (Rome, Umbria, Marostica, Vicenza, Venice), Scotland (Edinburgh, Lewis), France (Paris), Spain (Barcelona) and the Netherlands (Gouda and Amsterdam)
View all the Europe19 trip articles here
CALIFORNIA Oct 2018
3 weeks in USA (San Francisco, Bay Area, LA)
View all the CA18 trip articles here
EUROPE May-Jul 2018
11 weeks in Italy (Vicenza, Venice, Florence, Umbria), Scotland (Edinburgh, Lewis, Fife), Poland(Krakow) and Portugal (Porto, Lisbon)
View all the Europe18 trip articles here
USA Sept 2017
3 weeks in USA (San Francisco, Bay Area, Austin, Dallas)
View all the CATX17 trip articles here
CHICAGO/MONTREAL Jul 2017
3 weeks in USA (Chicago) and Canada (Montreal)
View all the CHICAGO/MONTREAL17 trip articles here
EUROPE May-Jun 2017
3 weeks in Italy (Vicenza, Venice) and Scotland (Edinburgh, Lewis, Glasgow)
View all the EUROPE17 trip articles here
NEW ZEALAND Jan 2017
2 weeks in New Zealand (South Island and Auckland)
View all the NZ17 trip articles here
EUROPE Jun-July 2016
8 weeks in Italy (Milan, Vicenza, Venice and Lucca) and UK (Scotland and England)
View all the EUROPE16 trip articles here
MELBOURNE March 2016
8Short visit to Melbourne to teach two workshops
View all the MELBOURN16 trip articles here
NORFOLK ISLAND October 2015
2 weeks on Norfolk Island
View all the NORFOLK15 trip articles here
ASIA July 2015
3 weeks in Singapore and Cambodia (Siem Reap)
View all the ASIA15 trip articles here
MELBOURNE April 2015
2 weeks in Melbourne hanging out with USKers
View all the Melbourne15 trip articles here
TASMANIA February 2015
1-week visit to Launceston (to plan and a workshop) and Hobart
View all the TASTRIP15 trip articles here
I also returned later that year for a 3-day workshop in Launceston – view more here
BRAZIL August 2014
3 weeks in Brazil (Sao Paulo, Paraty and Rio) for Urban Sketchers Symposium
View all the BRAZIL14 trip articles here
TASMANIA June 2014
2 weeks in Tasmania – Hobart to Launceston including a number of workshops (Sao Paulo, Paraty and Rio) for Urban Sketchers Symposium
View all the TASTRIP4 trip articles here
ASIA December 2013
3 weeks in Malaysia (Penang) and Singapore
View all the PNGSG13 trip articles here
MELBOURNE September 2013
Back in Melbourne for a few workshops
View all the MELBSEP13 trip articles here
EUROPE July 2013
4 weeks in Spain (Barcelona) and UK (Cardiff and London)
View all the BCNUK13 articles here
MELBOURNE April 2013
Short visit to Melbourne VIC Australia
View all the MELBOURNE13 articles here
PORT MACQUARIE January 2013
2 weeks in Port Macquarie (NSW Australia)
View all the PMQ13 trip articles here
I’ve been back to Port Macquarie since 2013 – view all Port Macquarie sketches here.
SINGAPORE December 2012
2 weeks in Singapore
View all the SG12 articles here
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND NYC July 2012
3 weeks – Travelling to Dominican Republic (Santo Domingo) and USA (New York City)
View all the Trip2012 articles here
EUROPE July 2011
3 weeks – Travelling throughout UK (Wales, England and Scotland) and Portugal (Lisbon)
View all the Europe11 Trip articles here
USA/EUROPE July-Oct 2010 (Long Service Leave trip)
11 weeks – Travelling throughout USA (Seattle, Portland, Kansas City, NYC), UK (Wales, England and Scotland) and Italy (Venice, Bolgona, Rome, Tuscany)
View all the LSL Trip articles here
EUROPE Sept 2009
5 weeks – Travelling throughout UK (Wales, England and Scotland) and France (Paris)
View all the Europe09 articles here
TASMANIA (Australia) Sept 2008
1 week – Travelling throughout Tasmania on my own
View all the Tasmania08 articles here
EUROPE Sept 2007
4 weeks – Scotland (Inverness), Norway (Kristiansand, Stavanger, Oslo), Czech Republic (Prague), Italy (Florence, Rome), France (Paris)
View all Europe07 articles here