Illustration | The Daily Norm

Aug 19

My travel sketchbook: El Tajo Gorge, Ronda

I could have sketched Ronda, the sumptuous Spanish city in Southern Andalucía, forever. Not only were the clusters of white terracotta-roofed old buildings more than easy on the eye, but the great El Tajo gorge upon which the city is precariously built is itself a feast for the eyes, and for a sketchbook. With its multiple craggy rocks, rounded by centuries of weather beatings and the expanse of plant life which has crept over its surface, the steep sided cliffs of the gorge are a picture of complex shapes, angles and shadows, and taken as a whole almost appear to defy gravity, such is the vertical, and in places almost inversed top heavy standing of these vertiginously high cliff faces. All this of course makes for a sensational drawing subject, and within hours of moving into our sumptuously large bedroom and terrace in the Paradores Hotel, I began two pen sketches of the incredible view which we could see from every part of our room.

Ronda 1 – Buildings above the Tajo Gorge, Ronda (2014 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen on paper)

The two sketches are fairly similar, hence why I am posting them together. They concentrate on the same section of the gorge, with a view onto the oldest quarter of Ronda with its main church stood proudly at the centre. However, one focuses more on a cluster of buildings showing just a little of the gorge below, while the other shows more of the gorge and just a thin slice of the bridge, helping the audience to appreciate just how small the buildings of Ronda appear when perched on the full expanse of this rocky canyon. And this is only what I could see from the hotel – the gorge plummeted deeper still, showing just how dramatic this scenery is.

Ronda 2: The Tajo Gorge (2014 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen on paper)

I am delighted with the capacity of these sketches to have captured that drama, along with the great contrast between violently brutal rock face and highly civilised historical architecture which makes Ronda – and now these sketches – so interesting to see.

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. For more information on the work of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, head to his art website at www.delacy-brown.com

Jul 17

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My travel sketchbook: Capri 2 – The Arco Naturale

The Arco Naturale in Capri is one of those sights which just takes your breath from you, propelling it into the atmosphere is a shower of fireworks. For there is nothing quite so stunning as the unexpected, and this mighty towering limestone arch looked so deliciously precarious as it balanced several hundred metres above the turquoise sea below that it felt almost like a stage set. There was something almost arousing about its huge teetering mass, thrust upwards into the blue sky like a declaration of robust resilience in the face of nature’s cruel seas; its hardy mass a swollen emboldened spectacle rising above the battered cliffs and sumptuous plant life besides it to frame the surrounding landscape with its gravity-defying arc. And despite the fact that the little pathway skirting alongside this awesome sight was something of a vertiginous spot, with a sheer drop right below it, I could not resist swinging my legs over the side and getting out my sketchbook to capture the impressive prospect before me.

So my fourth sketch of the Amalfi Coast trip was not made without risk, and although my legs were firmly curled around the railings above the cliff edge, I could easily have dropped my pens, or even my beloved sketchbook down that sheer drop – goodness knows how I didn’t. And it wasn’t like I didn’t have distractions – my sketching attracted not just the attention of fellow tourists, but also a dear little cat who curled around me, rubbing itself against the hard edges of my sketchbook, and at times appearing to teeter horrendously closely on the knife edge of the cliff-edge, its perfectly balanced slender body somehow nonplussed by the drop just below. But as you can see, my sketchbook lived to tell the tale – and indeed to be shared, on today’s Daily Norm.

Capri Sketch 2: The Arco Naturale (2014 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen on paper)

My sketching companion

Now that’s what I call an artist’s studio…

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. For more information on the work of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, head to his art website at www.delacy-brown.com

Jul 8

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My travel sketchbook: Positano 2 – View from the Beach

You will have seen from yesterday’s Positano beach post just how incredible the views of the town were from the average sunbed on its wide pebbly beach. They were indeed the same views that inspired my first gouache painting of the holiday (posted last week). The views were so good in fact that it felt sinful to simply lie out on a lounger, eyes closed against the sun, ignoring the view. Rather, not only did I feel compelled to keep my eyes on the view for fear of wasting such an incredible sight, but I also felt the inspiration rise within me to sketch it.

And so, stretched out on a beach lounger, a glass of wine in one hand and a pen in the other, I set about sketching this very detailed but fairly quick impression of the town of Positano – the gem of the Amalfi coast. Unlike my gouache interpretation of the same scene, this sketch is more fastidious in capturing the details of Positano’s buildings, and all of their details – windows, balconies, garden terraces and so on. But devoid of the pastel shades contrasting against the grey-purple and forest green backdrop of the mountain, the whole architectural force of Positano appears to melt more permissively into the mountainside, as though nature and mankind have become a single inseparable form. And it’s a beautiful form to behold, both in reality and, I think, on the pages of my sketchbook.

Positano Sketch 2 – View from the beach (2014 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen on paper)

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. For more information on the work of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, head to his art website at www.delacy-brown.com

Jul 1

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My travel sketchbook: Positano 1 – Balcony View

It was only around 5 weeks ago that I was lucky enough to spend a long weekend in the Croatian jewel of Dubrovnik, and there to open the pages of my brand new leather backed moleskin sketchbook and begin covering those pages with pen sketches. There is nothing quite so nice for me as making sketches on the spot, particularly of views from cafes and piazzas, on bustling beaches and of stunning views, because unlike the process of taking a quick photo, the duration and experience of making a sketch makes the process more memorable, and the resulting image far more rich and rewarding. I’ve already shared with you some of the sketches which came out of my Dubrovnik trip, and now I am delighted to be able to share some of the works which have come out of my visit to Italy’s Amalfi Coast.

Following in the tradition of my Norm Sketches, I tend to create my sketches using a fineliner pen rather than the more traditional pencil or charcoal. I find the permanence of pen sketches more attractive, and the depth of black that can be achieved more dramatic. It does however mean that there is no scope whatsoever for mistake, and so very often artistic license takes the place of reality when inevitable errors have to be “corrected” such as to salvage the whole work. This may mean that a few buildings come out a bit wonky, but I enjoy this aspect of the “hand made” about a sketch (and indeed a painting). After all, if you want photographic perfection then you may as well take a photo.

Positano Sketch 1: Balcony View towards the Sirenuse (2014 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen on paper)

Positano Sketch 1: Balcony View towards the Sirenusas (2014 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen on paper)

My first sketch is of our base on the Amalfi Coast, Positano, and more particularly one part of the stunning 180 degree panorama we enjoyed from our hotel room with a view. This sketch captures the view looking Westwards towards the tiny group of Sirenusas islands (otherwise known as the Li Galli) which can be seen on the horizon of the sketch. That little archipelago is named after the Sirens of Homer’s Odyssey, as they are reputed to be the location where the Sirens lived, and from whose deathly allure Odysseus had to be protected by being tied to a mast with wax blocking his ears from their tempting song. It is undoubtedly no coincidence that our room was named “Li Galli”, because our balcony probably afforded the best view of these islands of any other in the hotel. There was no way I was going to miss the opportunity to do the view justice therefore, and this first sketch of the holiday is my homage to it.

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. For more information on the work of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, head to his art website at www.delacy-brown.com

Jun 17

Norms in Dubrovnik | Up the Cable Car

Like us, Norms do enjoy a good view. After all, their faces feature not the nose or mouth of humans (although rumour has it that these intriguing little creatures eat through pores that open in what would approximately be the location of a mouth on a human face), but two huge wide eyes, which are perfect for taking in the most stunning of sights. And where better to indulge their view-loving tendencies than from the Dubrovnik cable car, where the very best aerial view of the city can be admired.

Of course these Norms are a squishy lot, and that means that when it came to filling the cable car, rather a lot could fit in. That didn’t mean it was particularly comfortable for the tightly packed Norms however, and as this much happier lone Norm photographs the city from atop the hill, he cannot help but notice how those poor cable-car Norms look rather more concerned with the crush they’re enduring than the view below them. Still, they’re almost at the top, and once they get there they can enjoy one of the most unrivaled views of the Adriatic.

Norms in Dubrovnik take the Cable Car (2014 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen and ink on paper)

And there ends my four-piece collection of Dubrovnik Norm sketches. I hope you enjoyed it!

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. For more information on the work of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, head to his art website at www.delacy-brown.com

Jun 13

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Norms in Dubrovnik | Life’s a Beach

There is nothing that Norms like more than a good day out at the beach. Their little round tummies sit particularly well with lounging around by the seaside, although they have to be careful to protect their pearly-white skin. I’m not sure that the bottle of factor 15 seen in this little sketch would provide apt protection to these reckless beach-going Norms. But Norms can’t be mistaken for being lazy. They love the water too, and bobbing around in warm seas is one of their particularly favourite occupations, not least in waters so clear and clean as Dubrovnik’s, particularly when the waters, and the beach benefits from a sensational backdrop of the city like this one.

So in my latest Norm sketch, we see the Norms in the midsts of a day of seaside happiness: one is sketching, sat up on the rocks, another teaching his baby Norm how to float with the help of a safety ring. On the water’s edge two little Norms are building sand castles from the rather limited stocks of sand to be found on Dubrovnik’s otherwise pebbly beach, and two more are being conscientiously healthy by playing ball games in between swims. One more Norm is about to go snorkelling in waters which are so clear as to afford him a great view of the fish within, while another is more concerned with that amazing city view, and has swum out quite far to get the very best vantage point.

Norms on Dubrovnik Beach (2014 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen and ink on paper)

Life truly is a beach for this little group of holidaying sun-loving Norms.

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. For more information on the work of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, head to his art website at www.delacy-brown.com

Jun 11

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My Dubrovnik Sketchbook (Part 3) – Viewed from the beach

My third and final post sharing extracts from my progressively filled new sketchbook are those pages which I sketched while on the beach adjacent to the old walled city of Dubrovnik. I was a little reticent at first to take my sketchbook on the beach – I envisaged grease splodges from suntan cream and grains of sand getting into the binding. But then owing to the unique position of Dubrovnik’s beach right next to the city affording views over its world-recognisable skyline, who could resist? And so taking extra caution with my sketchbook, I stretched out like a sun-loving cat on my lounger and propped my sketchbook up on my knees and drew.

My first sketch is not of Dubrovnik itself, but of the verdant island of Lokrum which sits bang opposite the city out at sea and is covered all over with a lustrous growth of greenery. The island is mysteriously beautiful, and while its green colour may not come across in my black and white sketch, hopefully the texture of its rich vegetation does.

The island of Lokrum (Dubrovnik) viewed from the beach (2014 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen on paper)

For my second sketch, I departed my lounger and went to sit on a nearby rocky pier which affords the most perfect views of the city beyond. And it was this incredible view that I sketched that afternoon, taking a good 20 minutes or so sketching the various details of the city, and getting myself a royally sunburnt shoulder in the meantime!

The Old Port at Dubrovnik, viewed from the City’s Beach (2014 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen on paper)

I’m delighted with these first attempts at proper on-site sketching and miss the very process of taking out my book to start a new scene afresh. But I’m sure that this summer will provide further inspiration for me to fill those pages – and you can be sure that whatever I draw will feature on The Daily Norm!

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. For more information on the work of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, head to his art website at www.delacy-brown.com

Jun 6

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My Dubrovnik Sketchbook (Part 2) – Created from a Café

Almost as exciting as the prospect of filling my new sketchbook with views of Dubrovnik has been the process of lifting my sketches out of my sketchbook and onto The Daily Norm and the wonderful reception they have received from all of my kind blog readers. My last sketch post was so well received that I have been doubly inspired to fill the eager remaining pages of my sketchbook with further views from my forthcoming summer travels. But before I start my work on them, I still have a few more Dubrovnik-inspired sketches to share.

Next up are two of my favourite sketches from the bunch; favourites not just because of the views they share but because of the memories they hold. For these sketches were made during my favourite time of the day – when after a day’s hard sightseeing, we would settle down into one of the city’s perfectly scenic cafes and I would open up my sketchbook and record the always sensational views just ahead of us.

View of Dubrovnik Cathedral from the terrace of the Gradska Kavana Café (2014 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen on paper)

The first of these views was drawn from the rather swanky terrace of one of the city’s most popular cafes: the Gradska Kavana Café. Situated right opposite the church of Dubrovnik’s patron saint, Saint Blaize, and just along the shiny marble road from the city’s main cathedral, this terrace offered perfect views ripe for capturing in my sketchbook, and as soon as my coffee was served, I set about sketching one such view before us, looking down the Pred Dvorom onto the grand domed cathedral.In the bottom left hand corner you can see a corner of the cafe terrace and its mighty awning offering shade to all the elegant customers. It reminds me of Van Gogh’s famous cafe terrace featured in one of his most famous views of Arles.

The Amerling Fountain on the Gunduliceva Square, Dubrovnik (2014 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen on paper)

The second sketch features the beautiful Amerling Fountain, which is to be found on the corner of the bustling market square of the Gunduliceva Poljana. I set about drawing this sketch as we finished a delicious portion of fired squid and whitebait, accompanied by another creamy coffee as I drew this, our favourite of the city’s several beautiful fountains.

And just in case you should doubt the beauty of the surroundings which inspired me as I sketched these two beautiful views, here are some photos of me taken by my partner as I went about capturing the city in my sketchbook.

More to come… next time!

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. For more information on the work of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, head to his art website at www.delacy-brown.com

Jun 5

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Norms in Dubrovnik | Tourist Norms on the City Walls

Dubrovnik is, unsurprisingly, a very popular tourist destination. Thousands pour into the tiny old town encased within its thick stone walls every day, and the thousands have now become tens of thousands owing to the popularity of the TV series, Game of Thrones, which is filmed there. It’s not uncommon to see a whole cluster of cruise liners docked off the coast shunting out boat loads of tourists to explore the city – my taxi driver told me that some days they have to cope with as many as 6 cruise liners, each with several thousand passengers, visiting the city in a single day. And this is on top of the many hundreds of tourists who head to the city every year under their own steam. And where is the first place that these tourist hoards head to? The city walls.

From the unique vantage point offered to us by the Stari Grad Hotel nestled in the centre of the old town, we were able to see several sections of the city walls. When we headed up to breakfast close after 8am the walls were pretty quiet, but by 9pm they were starting to fill, as group after group of tour-led travellers started walking in single file along the top of the narrow walls. By lunchtime there were so many people along the walls that the masses looked like an extra line of masonry.

Tourist Norms visit the Walls of Dubrovnik (2014 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen and ink on paper)

In Norm-world, the Norms are facing exactly the same problems as they too head up the step of Dubrovnik’s walls (bouncing as they go) to visit this renowned medieval attraction. Here in my latest Dubrovnik sketch, we see the Norms being bustled along the walls by various tour guides; a stream of tourist Norms so extensive that you can see them reaching all the way around the walls as far as the eye can see. But just look at the incredible view the Norms get from that unique vantage point: the sea of terracotta roofs on one side, and the sparkling Adriatic on the other. That has to be worth the tourist-Norm cram along the walls of Dubrovnik.

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. For more information on the work of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, head to his art website at www.delacy-brown.com

Jun 3

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My Dubrovnik Sketchbook (Part 1) – Rooftop panoramas

I’ve always loved stationery: a new tin of pencils, a tray of unsqueezed paint tubes, an unwritten notebook and the thrill of a blank canvas. One item of stationery which gets me truly excited is a fresh new sketchbook, its pages literally begging to be filled with art. So heading to Dubrovnik with a brand new moleskin sketchbook in my bag meant that sooner rather than later, those crisp white pages were going to be filled with reflections on the city. And the first view which I rushed to capture was, perhaps unsurprisingly from my photos on yesterday’s post, the incredible rooftop view from our bedroom at the Stari Grad hotel.

Me sketching on the roof terrace and in our room

Having captured the view of rooftops from one window, together with a slightly wonky rendition of the bell tower of the Franciscan monastery next door, I moved onto the second window from which our corner room benefited, this time undertaking a far more comprehensive roof top view extending almost across the whole of the walled city. From bedroom views, I headed up to the roof terrace, and the hotel’s waiters soon got used to the sight of me taking my breakfast with a sketchbook in one hand and a set of drawing pens in the other. From the breakfast terrace I then completed two views – one looking towards the old port, and another concentrating on the imposing Jesuit church.

View from window of the Stari Grad Hotel, Dubrovnik (2014 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen on paper)

View from the roof terrace at the Stari Grad Hotel, Dubrovnik (at breakfast) (2014 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen on paper)

View of Dubrovnik Rooftops from our bedroom at the Stari Grad Hotel (2014 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen on paper)

Rooftop view with the Jesuit Church, Dubrovnik (2014 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen on paper)

So following on from my rooftop photography focus yesterday, I therefore thought that today would be a perfect time to share these first sketches with you. They’re by no means perfect works, made quickly and in pen which is of course unforgiving of any mistakes, but they were made in the moment, at speed, and for me carry more memories of a time and an atmosphere than a quickly shot photograph. I hope you like them!

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. For more information on the work of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, head to his art website at www.delacy-brown.com