For the first time, I filled in the whole sketchbook on one holiday. Inspiration was flowing in from each side. Great memories needed to be noted and stored for later. So here I am presenting to you Dear Reader my visual blog about West Canada… from Vancouver through Rocky Mountains to Calgary … Sit back and enjoy my Canada art with a little commentary at the bottom of each sketch.
Our first morning in Vancouver, when we woke up really hungry and had to wait 3 hours for a breakfast place to open.
So peaceful and beautiful. The water is flat and reflections are clear. Only our tummies are rumbling loud.
Such a green city, with all kinds of trees in different shapes and colours.
On a ferry to Vancouver Island, my son gets creative in his own sketchbook.
Our days in Vancouver were filled with cycling, It’s easy to move around on two wheels.
Could a city have better views than that? Wow to Vancouver!
Lovely farm stay in Vancouver Island. We get the lake to ourselves!
On the road somewhere in the Ice Fields. Breathtaking views!
A deer on the train truck. So many trains trucks here. Leftovers from the Gold Rush era and still operating!
We are approaching Jasper National Park. We can’t believe we are finally here!
My guys playing in a tiny mountain stream on the massive body of ice belonging to Glacier Athabasca. Who holds their hand longer in the freezing water?
Paget look out point. We take a long break here to eat, climb and draw.
Random boy running down the mountain by himself. Quick and sudden like a ghost. Or maybe it was a ghost…
Always taking photos. Cloud space is getting crowded.
The wall of trees and all sorts of plants with mountains in the background.
Somewhere around Whistler, trekking the mountains on the Canada Day!
Stanley Park in Vancouver is in fact a beautiful natural forest.
Grizzly Bear Boo chilling in the biggest single bear enclosure in the world!
His story is heart warming and this conservatory does a really good job.
When you see a Grizzly and you can’t run away, play dead instead. Cute but dangerous!
On the way to Beaver Lake is Ice Fields. At the same time hoping and fearing to meet a bear. All we find is a bear poo tho.
Finally in The Rocky Mountains! Happiness all the way!
Let’s get silly and paint our faces!
A really big crow…
Sunwapta Falls with an island full of trees in the Middle and super rapid Athabasca Falls.
Finally on a big trail! Beautiful C-circle in Banff.
This view was really worth all the struggle! WOWZA
Banff is a vibrant town surrounded with mountain and there is a hot spring nearby.
Robbie continues sleeping while standing on the bed… Waking up a teenager is a pain …
Milky water river and really pleasant city of Golden. We let the kids sleep longer today.
Oh these are so funny! Jumping out and hiding in the underground homes like in one of those games in the arcade ha ha
When the mountains finish… it’s suddenly weirdly flat…
How did my sketchbooking start?
The first time I created a travel diary, was when I was 9 or 10. Every summer until my rebel teenage age I was spending at my grandparent’s place. They lived in the country and there was plenty to explore and get inspired by. Later in life, I switched drawing for photography and this era lasted until my kids were a few years old and discovered that I could draw. Encouraged by them, I started drawing comics and making up short children stories themed around our family holidays. Since then I switched my camera to a sketchbook and never looked back.
So here is my Canada sketchbook. Full and happy decorated with fun stickers from our trip. All the other sketchbooks at home will be so jealous! Don’t mind the duck at the bottom ha ha
If you are interested to explore my sketchbooks, here is a few of my travel blog posts.