ALOHAAA!!! It’s been a beautiful and whirlwind 2.5 weeks visiting my fam on Oahu. I need a vacation from my holiday! 

Everyday was jam packed with activities…early sunrise sketch beach sessions, sunrise yoga, açaí bowls at Bee & Tea Kailua, North Shore explorations, snorkeling, shelling, yummy eats all over the Island, NKOTB and TLC Hawaii concert, listening to live local music, daily trips to the beach, volleyball, Pau Hana in Waiks, watercolor exhibit at Honolulu Art Center, exploring the  Beyond Monet exhibit, hiking Lanikai Pillbox, walking Ho’omaluhia Botanical Gardens, HOMA nights at the museum, visiting friends and most of all spending time with my parents, sister and nieces. 

I recorded a lot of video and took over 1500 photos! So much inspiration for my artwork and a ton of artful explorations and places to visit. I’ll share more in an upcoming post.

In the video, I share inside some of my travel sketch art supplies and inspiration sketchbooks {a more in depth video will be coming soon} and talk through the process of sketching on the beach in Lanikai…my fave place!

It’s so peaceful and beatiful early morning before all the tourists come invade it mid day. TIP: visit Lanikai early at 6:30am-8:30 am, you’ll see pups prancing in the ocean and many of the locals walking the beach. The sun is coming up over the water and it’s majestic.. Once, mid morning hits, especially on the weekends or holidays it gets packed. If you’re up for an adventure, take a hike up Lanikai Pillbox

Some of my favorite supplies to take on the road are my #tracibautistaCOLOR pigment stones and Derwent water soluble pencils…like Inktense, Charcoal and Graphictint along with a water brush.

I LOVE how the waves leave a pattern of lines in the sand. I use this visual to inspire my mark making inside my INSPIRATION SKETCHBOOK. 

CREATIVE EXERCISE: on your next walk or hike, look down on the ground. What do you see? What patterns, lines, or shapes have been formed by nature? Capture a photograph or draw a quick sketch in your sketchbook or on your phone using Procreate Pocket. When you are back in your studio, record notes of what you saw…sights, sounds, smells, and colors.