Ink over instant

Prashant Miranda’s last sketchbook has portraits of people he met during his travels, inked writings, ancient homes with thatched roofs and other interesting things that he found in places like Japan, Canada, Italy and Hawaii. “Sketching allows me to observe things at a slower pace. It is not as fleeting as a snapshot, and I get to focus on details and colours that I wouldn’t have otherwise,” says Miranda, who is presently in Italy.

The 50-year-old, who grew up in Bengaluru and moved to Canada, recently visited an artist’s residency in Sasama, Japan. His sketches tell a story of the traditional architecture of the village he stayed in, the local people and the nearby shrines and temples.

Observe the mundane

When England-based Baljinder Kaur, 35, went to Bangkok, she came back with a sketchbook which showed her artwork depicting local monuments and temples, people doing their everyday activities (even sleeping in random places); she also stuck stamps and wrote about her own observations in it.

“Keeping a travel sketchbook helps me to be present; to deeply observe, savour, document and reflect on my experiences,” says Kaur, who carried tools like a refillable ink pen, a small watercolour set of six colours, and an acrylic paint pen during her three-week travel. 

For 26-year-old Mumbai-based Neha Sharma, sketching is about connecting with her inner child and finding joy, albeit in brief moments. “I believe in capturing everyday moments, travel experiences and city life through on-location sketching,” says Sharma. “While photographs capture moments visually, my sketchbooks hold deeper emotional value through textures, colours, and personal details such as dates, times, locations, and cafe names,” says Sharma, who studied law but now pursues a career in the arts.

Imagine sketching a reptile and drawing its scales in a sketchbook. Richa Kedia is a wildlife illustrator based in Gurgaon who is passionate about sketching and outdoor painting. Be it trees, animals, birds and landscapes — every detail inspires her as a nature enthusiast. Kedia’s favourite places include Hollangpar Gibbon Sanctuary in Assam (where she sketched a rare monkey species), Rollapadu Bird Sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh (which she says resembles the Savannah forests of Africa, where she captured the stunning grasslands and jumping black bucks), and the evergreen forests of Nameri Tiger Reserve in Assam. “There is moss, fungi, orchids, and climbers growing on every centimetre of the trees. It was like love at first sight,” she says.  

“Beauty lies in the details. That’s what sketching helps you seek. But, when you only click pictures and make reels, you aren’t ready to see things closely or hear the sounds, even,” says Kedia, who regularly travels to Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan for sketching.

Akshatha Suryanarayana has been part of the Urban Sketchers Bengaluru chapter for eight years now and has hosted more than 30 sketch-meets. “When we sketch together, we find a common space where ideas flow freely. We inspire one another, exchange thoughts on techniques and tools, and build an artistic community,” says the 36-year-old.

“When you sketch, you bring the details to life through art. You discover not just the history, but also the unique characters of each place. There is a deep sense of belonging and connection,” says Suryanarayana, who loves sketching with her six-year-old as well.

“Initially, my biggest challenge was overcoming the awkwardness of live sketching in public spaces, but with time and practice, it gradually transformed into confidence,” says Sharma. “I have always been asked how it takes me five or 10 minutes to do a sketch. It’s not just 10 minutes — I have spent my entire life practising my art to distil my hand, eye, brain and heart coordination into those 10 minutes,” adds Miranda, who has more than 300 sketchbooks.

For absolute beginners, practice is key. A short online course from reputed institutes can allow even full-time working professionals to explore this hobby. “Go for 30 days of sketching and see it as an experiment, not a challenge. The rules are simple — pick up a pen, a practice card and a timer,” says Daria Bogdanova, author of the recently published book, The Drawing Habit. Bogdanova also offers worksheets that one can buy to practice anytime, anywhere.