During China’s long public holiday, I spent ten days in the Eternal City — Rome — wandering through cobbled streets, stepping into centuries-old churches, and sketching ancient ruins with my sketchbook always close at hand.
This year is the Jubilee Year, and I’m deeply grateful to have been invited by my sister, Angie, and her husband, Willie, to experience what truly felt like a once-in-a-lifetime event.
The first couple of days were spent exploring, getting lost, and sketching — simply trying to get a feel for the city. Then I had the joy of meeting my wonderful friend Kristina, who flew in with her husband for what we now hope will become our annual meet-up (last year’s was in Paris!). We spent those days touring on the Big Bus, eating gelato, and catching up over long, leisurely coffees.
I wanted to share these in a two-part post. This first post captures my experience in Rome through my two sketchbooks. (P.S. I realized after returning home that I have a few photos of my sketches from the location.)
✏️ Two Sketchbooks, One Journey
I began the trip with my usual travel journal — the same one that’s accompanied me on many adventures since 2024. Beautiful, yes, but a little too big and heavy to carry everywhere. After a few long, full days in the city, I switched to a smaller sketchbook that slipped perfectly into my Bellroy sling. It was a simple, practical change that made sketching on the go so much easier.
I also was very very very particular about carrying as little as possible since I’ve heard of warnings about pickpockets everywhere. Fortunately, no incident like one in Paris last year.
🎨 Sketching Between Queues and Crowds
With so much to see—and so many tourists—sketching often meant seizing small, quiet moments amid the rush. I drew whenever I could…
Here is Sketchbook/Journal #1 using the BomoArt Sketchbook Half Leather Bound
…sitting quietly in church pews or tucked away in a shaded corner before the next wave of visitors arrived.
…waiting for the Pope during the Papal Audience, a perfect opportunity to notice details of St. Peter’s Basilica and capture even a portion of it on paper.
…or standing in line for basilicas and museums, where fleeting scenes became subjects: the back view of several Augustinian priests with St. Peter’s Basilica rising behind them, as we queued to enter the Holy Doors.
Here is the smaller square sketchbook from a local Chinese brand.
One of my favourite sketches came from the Vatican Museums, looking out toward the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. The light was just right, and for a brief moment, it felt as if time had paused long enough for me to capture it.
✏️ My Go-To Sketching Tools
My go-to tools on this trip? The Caran d’Ache Technalo and Prismalo bi-colour pencils — sometimes switching things up with a Caran d’Ache Luminance coloured pencil.
I had brought my full urban sketching kit, but these pencils (paired with a waterbrush) quickly became my everyday essentials. They allowed me to capture quick impressions and make expressive marks even when I didn’t have space and time to spread out my brushes and watercolours.
💛 What I Learned
Travel sketching always reminds me that perfection isn’t the goal. It’s about slowing down, observing, and recording fleeting moments in ink, pencil, or paint — before they fade into memory.
With two sketchbooks filled and nearly 400 photos to sort through, I came home with a full heart — and so many memories to relive through my pages.
Have you ever sketched while traveling? Or do you prefer to soak in the sights first and draw later? I’d love to know how you capture your journeys.
✈️ In my next post, I’ll share more about the trip itself — from exploring the city’s hidden corners to savoring small, unforgettable moments in Rome.
Thank you for stopping by.
