Las Vegas feels like a playground for travelers and artists alike. I loved the idea of this city: a single street concentrating some of the most famous destinations from around the world. From pyramids to canals and the Eiffel Tower, everything is right there for you to explore. For me, this was the perfect chance to pull out my sketchbook and capture the city with spontaneous, colorful sketches. I used different materials each time, randomly picking from my bag to let the tools guide the mood.
I like to challenge myself with different materials, sketchbook etc. If you missed my previous post about sketching in landscape sketchbook you can find it here.
Airport Sketch
Every journey begins at the airport, and mine started with a bright yellow plane waiting at the gate. I couldn’t resist sketching it before takeoff. I used a rainbow pencil for this drawing, which gave the airplane a playful, colorful texture. Sketching planes is still a challenge for me, but I love how this one turned out. I consider it a warm-up for the sketching adventure ahead.
Pool Sketches
At the Bellagio pool, the slow rhythm of vacation set in. I started with a simple scene of two lounge chairs under a big umbrella, then turned my attention to a part of the hotel building itself. Both sketches were done with my favorite Pentel sign brush pen. The black ink gave the shapes a bold outline, perfectly capturing the relaxed yet grand atmosphere of the poolside area.
Room View Sketch
My hotel room view was a sketcher’s dream: directly facing the Eiffel Tower at the Paris Hotel. I sketched the iconic landmark with a Faber-Castell watercolor black pencil, enjoying the soft lines and subtle shadows. Somehow, looking at this view from my window felt even more magical than standing in Paris—it was surreal to see the desert hills behind a little piece of Europe.
Venetian Hotel Sketches
The Venetian gave me two completely different moods to capture. Outside, I sketched the Ponte Rialto and the tall Venetian tower, using a brown brush pen to mimic the warm tones of the architecture. Inside, under the painted sky of the shopping area, I sketched the ornate facades lit by soft lamp posts. The brown lines gave everything a nostalgic, travel-journal feel, just like wandering through real Venice at dusk.
Pyramid Sketch at Luxor Hotel
When I stepped into the Luxor, the pyramid and Sphinx immediately caught my attention. I randomly grabbed a red brush pen from my bag, and it ended up giving the sketch a dramatic, almost ancient vibe. The sharp lines of the pyramid and the iconic Sphinx felt bold in red, contrasting with the neon glow of the hotel interior.
This Las Vegas sketch trip felt like traveling the world without leaving one street. By letting my sketches be spontaneous and using whatever tools I pulled from my bag, each drawing became a memory of that exact moment. From airports to pyramids, pools to canals, every page of my sketchbook now holds a piece of that playful, surreal city.
