Tra Que Herb Village
Posted: April 28, 2026 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Hoi An, travel sketching, urban sketch, Vietnam, watercolour sketch 7 CommentsOne of the things I loved best about the food in Hoi An was that with almost any dish that you ordered, there was an accompanying plate of fresh herbs that you could add to soups and noodles or roll into Bánh xèo. The herbs often included basil, mint and coriander, but on the plate there were also greens that I had never seen and that made every dish so tasty.
One of our first bus outings was to Tra Que Herb Village. I was really looking forward to learning more about (and drawing!) the mysterious and delicious herbs. From our shaded spot we looked out into the gardens to draw the fields, the farmers and the surrounding houses. I hope I conveyed the steamy heat that we felt as we drew.
I asked for and was really hoping that someone would give us a tour of the garden or pick a selection of herbs that we could draw for our sketchbook pages, but that didn’t work out as expected. Later in the week I filled the space on that spread with a sketch (using Inktense pencils) of a utility pole that echoed the poles in the field. It’s not the herbs I was hoping for but those poles and wires are so much fun to draw!
Inside outside
Posted: April 24, 2026 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Hoi An, travel sketching, urban sketch, Vietnam, watercolour sketch 11 CommentsWe arrived in Vietnam late at night, so it wasn’t until the next day that I could really see what Hoi An looked like. When I threw open the blackout curtains on our first morning I saw two things. The first view of the manicured hotel grounds was directly below our balcony: a turquoise swimming pool surrounded by lounge chairs, lush greenery, silk lanterns and a poolside bar. The second view — beyond the hotel — was the Vietnam that I had been looking forward to seeing (and sketching): a bustling street with noisy scooters flying by, an outdoor restaurant with tiny red stools, construction workers wearing Nón Lá (the conical Vietnamese bamboo hats), all of it lit by a hazy orange sun coming up in the sky. In preparation for my first day of teaching, I sat in the shade of our hotel entrance to draw this busy scene.
On the first morning of the tour, my group and I drew this view together. For this one I used ink instead of pencil for the initial drawing, and I also simplified the composition.
Note: I do not recommend the tour company that hosted my group. If you are thinking of going to Vietnam on a sketching trip, please email me privately for more details.
Scooters
Posted: April 23, 2026 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Hoi An, sketchbook, travel sketch, urban sketch, Vietnam, watercolour sketch 17 CommentsThere’s a very welcoming café facing the east side of the central market in Hoi An. You can sit there for hours, undisturbed, drawing and enjoying a Vietnamese coffee or fresh coconut water. It was one of my favourite spots in the city. From there I watched the vendors selling yellow flowers and the ladies shredding fresh coconuts.
I realized quite quickly that there was a constant stream of shoppers parking their scooters in front of me. Instead of ignoring them, I added the scooters in as foreground shapes. In a scene like this where the middle section is full of colour and detail, I decided that it would be best to leave the scooters as near-silhouetted shapes. They are not the focus here. I drew them quickly, knowing that they would be gone very soon, and added a few simple washes of shadow colour on them. Like the yellow walls and the silk lanterns, they are everywhere in Hoi An and a street scene would not be complete without them.
I also did a quick sketch of the coconut ladies on another visit.
Chez Sauvé
Posted: May 24, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: architecture, Hudson, sketchbook, urban sketch, watercolour 29 CommentsIf you want to get a good sketchable view of Casse-croûte Chez Sauvé, go on a Monday or Tuesday when it’s closed. During the rest of the week there’s a constant stream of cars parking in front of it, and you won’t be able to see the small building from across the street.
I’ve been wanting to sketch this Hudson institution for years, but it’s only now that I live nearby that I’ve been able to get here on the right day of the week. At lunchtime during spring and summer, it’s packed outside with people eating hot dogs and fries, which makes it perfect for people sketching, but if you want to sketch the classic snack bar exterior, then you need to go when it’s quiet. Because it’s on Main Road in Hudson, people still park in front of it, but luckily most everyone who saw the sketcher across the street moved their vehicles. The kindest one was the school bus driver who moved his big orange bus when he saw me, and then came over to see my sketch and chat. Hudson is a very friendly place, as I am finding out.
These are a few of my favourite things
Posted: May 15, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Hudson, sketchbook, spring, street scene, urban sketch, watercolour 31 CommentsIt’s finally warm enough (and I am home long enough) to sketch outside. That’s a reason to celebrate. I’m still discovering new places to draw, and of course trying to find places that look like my old favourites. The village of Hudson reminds me so much of Pointe Claire, especially now that it’s spring and the main street is getting busy again.
Today I ordered coffee from Furley’s Bakery and sat outside on their terrace to draw the view down Main. I felt SO rusty so I started with something I feel comfortable with: the bins and the utility pole! My drawing grew organically from there. The tree was next, then the yellow picket fence, a bit of the building, the awnings, etc. It made me so happy to be outside, to be looking at the things I love to draw and to watch people going by.
There’s plenty to draw in Hudson, including lots of charming buildings, a lakeshore and even a boat club. I’ll happily be discovering it all with my sketchbook this spring and summer.
