I was recently on holiday in Ghent, Belgium – on a short holiday via Eurostar – and of course I took my sketchbook. Here is a view sketching from one of the many canal-side cafes in the centre of this historic town.

Cafe sketching has many advantages: you can seat in comfort, have a drink or some snacks – and also in the case of this holiday, to shelter from passing showers.

Here is my finished sketch.

If there is one snag with cafe sketching it is that after you’ve had your tea and snacks it is polite to move on, although my experience is that generally cafe staff are quite happy having a sketcher, at least for a short while. There is also the possibility to go go and do some more – in the case above to add more to this partial sketch- time allowing.

Below are a couple of links to previous Ghent posts

On Burgstraat, Ghent

Cafe sketching in Ghent, Belgium