The image shows a workspace viewed from above, featuring an open, thick-paper sketchbook. On the left side of the notebook, there is an unfinished illustration, done in watercolour and pen, depicting a section of an old stone façade. The drawing shows an upper stretch of wall with irregular blocks and, below it, a doorway with architectural details. The door is green and has small rectangular windows. The watercolour uses earthy tones, soft greens, and splatters of paint, creating a light, spontaneous, and plein air study atmosphere. The right side of the page is mostly blank, save for the handwritten inscription, “Iglesia de San Martín, Dinan.” This empty area reinforces the sense of process, as if the artist is midway through the visual record of the location. Painting materials surround the sketchbook: to the left, brushes and a used paper towel; above, a watercolour palette with mixed colours and a glass jar; to the right, three drawing pens and a mechanical pencil. The setting is illuminated by soft light, creating a sense of quiet concentration and an intimate moment of creation, where the focus is on observing, interpreting, and slowly constructing the image.
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A drawing of Santiago de Compostela

last update: 10/12/2025

Sketchbook

Indian Ink, Watercolors

A drawing of Santiago de Compostela that captures the beauty of the less perfect and forgotten corners of the Spanish city, showcasing my personal perspective on the places I visit.

Of the many wonderful things about living in Portugal, being so close to Spain is one of the best. At least Galicia, which is right next door, allows us to stretch a weekend trip a little and explore a new place. The city we have visited most often is, without a doubt, Santiago de Compostela. It is simply magical.

I think we can partially credit Paulo Coelho, who, in our adolescence, told us so much about his pilgrimage. This made Santiago de Compostela a place that marked our collective imagination forever. So, whenever the road takes us near Santiago, we end up stopping there for a while. This drawing of Santiago de Compostela is exactly from one of those days.

We paused for lunch and to sip on a few beers, or as they order them there, a “caña”, just to enjoy the moment.

I must apologise to people who only seek out the perfect tourist spots in cities. My focus is to sketch the strange, less remembered or well-known corners of cities, which nonetheless carry their own unique beauty.

That afternoon, the glass of “caña” on the table in front of the Praça da Iglesia de San Martín Pinario transformed into another registered memory. It is a fragment that will live in my remembrance forever. That is what Travel Illustration is all about: capturing these sensations, the atmosphere, and the small, observed details.

This is a way to practice Urban Sketching and go beyond the perfect façade. It is not just a monument; it is the life that happens all around it. Thus, this Santiago de Compostela Drawing was created right there, at that wobbly table, with the watercolour somewhat mixed with the cold “caña,” as good moments in life deserve.