Travelling solo and sketching in Tbilisi, Georgia

Guest post by Soroshi Michelle, in Tbilisi, Georgia

Early this October I had the opportunity to leap into a spontaneous, solo adventure to the charming city of Tbilisi in Georgia. When you travel alone, you have the freedom to move at your own pace. This gave me plenty of time to fill in my sketchbook.

I usually draw from photographs, not from direct observation. However, of late, I have become attracted to drawing on location. I draw in antique blue ink with a fountain pen – the Lamy, since this allows for different thicknesses with a single nib. 

The first morning sketch over a breakfast of Khinkali (dumplings) and a cappuccino with the lovely view of the City Square overlooking Metekhi Church. It is a very distinctive orthodox church, devoid of ornamentations.

A ride in the city’s cable car brought me to a hilltop to the Botanical Gardens. I liked how the railing of the staircase sort of anti-framed the ticket cabin. The ink I’m using is now black. This was an impromptu trip and I forgot to refill my pen with the blue ink. Luckily, I had a black cartridge in hand.

Tbilisi has wonderful graffiti and sculptures hidden in some of the most random places. I call this “The Flying Man”. I tried to capture his intense joy in his flight (no hands, but a cloak for wings). The chill in the air stiffened my fingers quite a bit and I wasn’t able to complete the details in the wall of creepers behind.

The Street corner of Bambis Regi – two long buildings frame the curved street that is filled with outdoor cafes and art galleries and plenty to do through the day. I’m quite happy with the way this turned out, loose and flowing.

A daily dose of Saperavi, the local wine, helped me stay warm during my visit. I found a quaint Irish Pub with its characteristic brick and cozy wooden interiors.

I also kept on hand a postcard sketch book which was perfect for watercolours. I was able to draw and post a few cards while I was traveling.

Soroshi Michelle is an architect and an Urban Sketcher in Dubai, UAE. Her works can be seen on her blog.