Erin sketching at the beach

Travel sketching is about catching moments – a particular corner of a market, the busy atmosphere of a street, a man’s hat, a pile of coconuts in a village, the light on a beach. It’s about selecting and seeing, and then having the technique to get it down fast. Erin Hill will show you how to do just that.

We’ll start off at Daku Resort with an introduction to the skills of sketching, and then go out and do it.

With Travel sketching you’ll soon find that every line you put down adds to the personality of your sketch, and from each you learn a little more. Sometimes we may have only a few minutes, sometimes all afternoon. That’s the challenge – getting it down in the time you’ve got. The fabulous thing about sketching is that’s it’s your version of what you see and doesn’t require anyone else’s approval.

We’ll follow a programme of visits to places like the beach at Devodara with its fringe of coconut palm, and the market in Savusavu where the locals sell red chilies, green beans and yellow pineapple, and the pearl farm which produces Fiji’s lustrous black pearls. We’ll also have a chance to snorkel and see something of Fiji’s beautiful underwater life – and if you have a simple underwater camera you can bring back the phots and sketch that too! By the end of the week you should have a small sketch pad crammed with scenes, details, colour and memories.

We’ll start each morning with an easy 45-minute yoga session which you can use to focus your thoughts, stretch your body and greet the day. If you’ve done yoga before you’ll know what a wonderful way it is to start the day. And if you haven’t, you’ll have a chance to find out about it, guided by teacher Jo Daniels who runs regular classes in Sydney.

And then to work.

A list of materials will be provided.

Erin Hill

Erin Hill is a professional artist who has been creating art since childhood. She was an Art Director in advertising till making the decision to move into Fine Art. After 4years of study she holds a diploma of Fine Art from Julian Ashton.

For Erin, to paint and sketch the world around her became her focus. For many years she had the Erin Hill Gallery in Mosman where her cards prints and originals of local scenes were immensely popular and her first Art School began. After sketching and painting on so many Art Tours to Greece, France, and Italy she opened her very sunny Erin Hill Studio in Manly where she resides beside the beach nearby. This was where all the ideas could be  created and displayed and where Sketching became an even more important part of her life.

So many people travel and so many said they wished they could sketch. With that in mind the Travel Sketching Classes began. “My greatest pleasure is to see people discover that they can sketch and the joy we get from inspiring each other.”

You can see her work at  www.erinhill.com.au and read some of the testimonials from past students here.

Jo Daniels has been practicing yoga for 23 years. She incorporates the latest physiotherapy body work approaches such as core strengthening. Her classes are designed for the over 40s – but she emphasizes that it’s not about the age in years or the condition of the body but rather the attitude to life. Her yoga is the yoga of fun and irreverence, caring and sharing, self awareness. Her classes draw from Hatha yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong and dance movements with a yoga nidra (relaxation practice) as the end of each class.

Price:

AUD $1800 twin share

Single supplement: $350
Non-painting partners: $850

Program Includes

Return airport transfers from Savusavu to Daku Resort.
7 nights accommodation at Daku Resort in traditional bures with private facilities.
Breakfasts, lunches and dinners are provided.
Course fees
Lectures and excursions as indicated.
Program Excludes
Flights to Savusavu. We are happy to quote on these and book them for you if requested. Flight prices fluctuate according to demand.
Comprehensive Travel Insurance.
Optional activities not listed on the program.
Costs of a personal nature such as laundry, massages, private trips.
Meals taken in transit at the airport.

If you have any queries, please email us with the Contact us form. If you would like to make a booking, please fill in our booking form.

Daily Programme

The daily programme may change a bit from day to day depending on the weather and the interests of the group.

Saturday 14 Sept
Fly to Savusavu.
6.00 Welcome ceremony
7.00 Dinner

Sunday 15 Sept
7.30 Breakfast
9.00 Yoga
10.00 – 12.30 Introduction to the week. Workshop at Daku
1.00 Lunch
Time for extras: Optional snorkelling (F$40 a head)/ Massage (F$70 an hour) / relaxing by the pool
4.00 – 5.00: Tapa making demonstration (traditional decorated bark cloth) – everyone can try it out
7.00pm: Dinner

Monday 16 Sept
7.30 Breakfast
9.00 Yoga
10.00 – 12.30 Workshop in town, visiting the local market and the shops.
1.00pm: Lunch
Time for extras: Optional snorkelling (F$40 a head)/ Massage (F$70 an hour) / relaxing by the pool
3.00 – 5.00 Sketching at Daku
6.00 pm Pearl farm presentation
7.00pm: Dinner in town

Tuesday 17 Sept
7.30 Breakfast
9.00 Yoga
10.30 boat visit to Pearl Farm with sketching opportunities
12.30 Lunch
2.30 – 4.30 Afternoon sketching in the property behind Daku
Time for extras: Optional snorkelling (F$40 a head)/ Massage (F$70 an hour) / relaxing by the pool
7.00pm: Dinner

Wednesday 18 Sept
7.30 Breakfast
9.00 Yoga
11.30 – 3.00 Picnic lunch at Devodara Beach with sketching and swimming
Time for extras: Optional snorkelling (F$40 a head)/ Massage (F$70 an hour) / relaxing by the pool
7.00pm: Dinner in town

Thursday 19 Sept
7.30 Breakfast
9.00 Yoga
11.30 – 4.30 Visit local village for sketching; lunch in village. Meke (traditional dance)
7.00pm: Dinner

Friday 20 Sept
7.30 Breakfast
9.00 Yoga
10.00 – 12.30 Visit Copra Mill to sketch
1.00 Lunch
Free afternoon; finish sketches; Time for extras: Optional snorkelling (F$40 a head)/ Massage (F$70 an hour) / relaxing by the pool
7.00: Final lovo dinner

Saturday 21 Sept
Return to Nadi and on home.