Travel Sketching Workshops & Vacations
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UPCOMING SKETCHING RETREATS
Sketching the Cape Winelands
6th – 13th September 2025
Cape Town, South Africa 🇿🇦
Oh my word….as the South Africans would say. Yes, it’s time. We are organising our very own special sketchy trip in the Winelands of South Africa! Join us to explore Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Hermanus, Franschoek and so much more. You’ll see some of the oldest buildings in South Africa; Cape Dutch architecture; spectacular mountain views; world-class wine estates and eat some incredible food. And sketch it all too of course!
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS
🇬🇧 1 DAY URBAN SKETCHING WORKSHOPS 🇬🇧
AUGUST 2025
UNITED KINGDOM
Join me for a day of creative exploration as we sketch our way through some of the UK’s most charming cities. These workshops focus on building a complete sketchbook spread — combining loose architecture, quick vignettes, and visual storytelling.
You’ll learn how to simplify complex scenes, sketch confidently on location, and create a page that captures the feeling of a place — all in a relaxed, supportive environment.
Perfect for beginners and intermediate sketchers. All you need is your sketchbook and your curiosity.
Sketchy Adventures in Cullinan
Dates for 2025 TBC
South Africa 🇿🇦
Cullinan, a charming little town in Gauteng, South Africa, is famous for one sparkling reason—diamonds! In 1905, the world’s largest diamond, the Cullinan Diamond, was found, weighing a staggering 3,106 carats! This discovery put Cullinan on the map, and today, it’s a delightful blend of history and small-town charm.. The town’s quaint, historical charm, with its preserved Edwardian architecture and picturesque landscapes, provides endless inspiration for sketchy folk just like us.
Sketchy Adventures in Parys
Dates for 2025 TBC
South Africa 🇿🇦
Parys is a delightful small town with vintage charm, perfect for sketchers seeking character and atmosphere. Its historic buildings, quirky shops, and lively café culture offer endless inspiration, with each corner revealing interesting textures, signage, and street scenes. The relaxed pace and friendly locals make it an inviting place to slow down and sketch everyday life as it unfolds.
Sketchy Adventures in Heidelburg
Dates for 2025 TBC
South Africa 🇿🇦
Heidelberg is a beautifully preserved town where history and charm come together, offering sketchers a wealth of inspiration. With its Victorian-era architecture, old railway station, and tranquil town square, every corner invites you to capture textures and stories from a slower, more graceful time. Framed by rolling hills and big skies, it’s an ideal place to soak in the atmosphere and fill your pages with quiet character.
Who We Are
Pretty Sketchy Tours is led by Taria and her husband Duncan. They run all of the workshops & vacations in South Africa.
Spain & Portugal trips are organised by Adler & Marlow.
TARIA
Taria has been travel sketching for over 10 years and has sketched across the world. She published a Beginners Guide to Urban Sketching with a US publisher which is available in bookshops & online. She teaches hundreds of students both online (on her platform Pretty Sketchy TV) but also in-person workshops across the world.
DUNCAN
Duncan likes spreadsheets. Need I go on? Ok, he is an organisational & logistical hero. Many years of herding cats (including rockstars) has prepared him well for herding sketchy people. He may or may not be present at a sketchy adventure but you can be sure he is busy behind the scenes no matter what.
TESTIMONIALS
It was an absolutely delightful Sketching Spain tour led by Taria! The supportive teaching, the stunning places visited, the local delicacies and wine, the compatibility of our group— all contributed to its success. I appreciated Taria’s laid-back style of guiding us through multiple ways of capturing the essence of what we were seeing, and experiencing. She was always very hands-on, and gave each of us the individual attention and encouragement needed. Her insights as to what might enhance our individual sketches were invaluable. I still hear her telling us about perspective, sketching what draws our eye most, how to capture the ocean waves…etc. I’ll ever be grateful for the time spent in community with Taria, and a special group of artistic souls!
Rachelle, USA
Sketching Spain 2024
I am not a sketcher. At least I didn't think I was until I had the privilege of taking an urban sketching tour in Spain led by Taria last April. My wife, an avid fan of sketching, encouraged me to join her on the trip. I was not hip on the idea. Then I thought, "why not?", especially since it was advertised that no experience was necessary. It turned out to be a lovely trip full of drawing and seeing the world from a different perspective. Light, color, antiquity, culture, and fantastic architecture made this the experience of a lifetime! I caught the bug, or should I say the bug caught me and "guess what?" I learned that with a little guidance and direction from Taria, and a lot of encouragement from my new-found friends, I could indeed sketch! So it is that I can now draw something with my pencil, go over it with ink, and add a little water color and actually have something enjoyable to look at! It's all such a gift and a new way to see and love the world! For me, Sketching Spain was even a little more than that. I made some very nice friends in the process, fellow skechers, and a wonderful tour guide. Many thanks to Taria and for sharing her amazing gift of bringing things to life on the page and her welcoming spirit!
Gary, USA
Sketching Spain 2024
What an exciting weekend away we had on our trip to Cullinan with Taria’s Sketchy Adventures.
I never realised there was such a historical town just outside of Joburg.
The itinerary was perfect! Everything was planned ahead for us so all we needed to do was check in and we were done.
We learnt so much about urban sketching, about sketching on the move, sketching in other environments, and working with watercolours. It was such a different experience to a weekly art class and I would highly recommend it!
It was also an amazing experience sketching on location in a group. Taria is always there at your side if you have any questions, providing quiet encouragement and unbridled enthusiam. She also encourages you to be a free thinker 🤔 and to never doubt yourself. Taria explains art in a way that just makes you think you have freedom to choose how to do things!
Thank you Taria. We will be back.
Louise, South Africa
Sketching Cullinan 2024
Taria is a great teacher, knowledgeable, patient and encouraging.
Carly, South Africa
Sketching Cullinan 2024
A truly magnificent and well planned sketching weekend to Cullinan. Taria’s clearly a sketchy genius! The days were well planned, with time to explore, have fun, and most important get some sketching done. Taria’s patience and guidance was well received. Thank you for a superb sketchy weekend!
Resh, South Africa
Sketching Cullinan 2024