Sketching Lisbon

I started sketching Lisbon because drawing gives me a way to slow down and really look at the city. I’m not a photographer, so sitting in front of a building and drawing what I actually see feels like my way of documenting the experience. I’ve been especially drawn to the architecture—the churches, facades, lines, and little imperfections that make the city feel alive. I try not to worry about making the drawings perfect, because the places themselves aren’t perfect, and that’s part of what makes them interesting. What surprised me most was realizing that something I usually keep private in my sketchbook could become part of the larger project. After I showed one of my drawings to our designer, she began thinking about ways to incorporate my sketches into the publication. That made the experience feel even more meaningful. Something I was doing simply because I loved it suddenly became a way I could contribute to how we tell the story of Lisbon.