Out of Office-ish

I’m in Sweden! That is to say, I’m technically on holiday, out of office-ish. But I wanted to pop in with a little update and hopefully a bit of inspiration from the road.

In short:

• I’m away but still replying to comments (mostly from the front seat of a van)

• There are new workshops and retreats now open for booking

• I’m filming a part of a new outdoor sketching course while we travel (and part at home, and part elsewhere in the UK too!)

• I’m also trying to actually rest a bit too

• And at the end of this post, there are a few photos you might want to sketch from

Laptop, running shoes, sofa and the sharp eyed among you may spot my cafetière.

Is there anything missing from my mid-life crisis?

Every year, we come here with Tash’s family, and it’s a trip we look forward to. This year’s a bit special though, because for the first time, we’ve brought Betty, our wild, brilliant, slightly unhinged dog. In fact, we basically got the campervan for exactly this reason. There’s no one who can look after Betty when we’re away. She needs us, and we didn’t want to miss out on the trip, so she came too.

I think betty is saying 'dude, this doesn't feel safe, I'm not a seal'

The journey over was, I imagine, absolutely surreal for her. One minute she’s curled up in the back of the van, then suddenly she’s on a boat, then back in the van, then in a giant German pet store (we had to get EU-friendly dog food), then back in the van. Then we stopped and did a parkrun. Then back in the van. So she’s had a sensory rollercoaster of quiet naps followed by total madness.

Betty and me post-parkrun!

Since arriving, it’s been lovely. We’ve done long walks, had swims in the lake, and I’ve even taken her for a run. We’re starting to build some fitness for the winter canicross season (that’s cross-country running races with your dog, for anyone wondering). She’s done brilliantly and, as usual, made everything slightly more chaotic in the best way.

This one is called 'get me off this tractor!'

One handy thing about the van is that I can actually work a bit from the road. While Tash drives, I’m on the front seat, laptop out, hotspot on, replying to your comments and checking in on things. I’m not at my usual setup (obviously!) so if I’ve missed something or not replied yet, do just give me a nudge. I’m balancing relaxation with a bit of work, and doing my best to keep on top of things between swims, hikes and dog naps.

Now, onto the exciting updates from the road:

1. Workshops and retreats

While driving through Germany and Denmark, I opened up a few new in-person options. They are all available to book on https://www.urbansketch.co.uk

• Cambridge mini-workshops on 25th October - short, relaxed, affordable, and the two workshops on that day will be different so you can come to both if you like!

• One day en plein air workshops - a couple of spots left in Durham later in August. If the weather holds, then there will be more dates in September too.

• 2026 weekend retreats in Mevagissey and the Cotswolds are now bookable

• A February 2026 Cambridge weekend is also on the cards, just waiting on venue confirmation

One of our sketchbook throw downs from a Cambridge en plein air workshop!

2. My book is now available for pre-order

The full launch will be in September, but it’s quietly live now. Most importantly I have the book launch all sorted with a couple of workshops and loads of time for drops in on October 25th in Cambridge (More details also on urbansketch.co.uk...)

Here I'll have copies of my book to sell, and also would love to just meet people, chat about your sketching, share a cup of tea and a biscuit too.

3. Filming a new course

Despite being away, I’ve started capturing footage for a new course, Sketching Outside. This one’s been months in the making because you need good weather, good light, and no interruptions.

It first started as a planned workshop in my new urban course, but it kept growing and growing. And I realised I couldn't contain it!

Below is a sneak peak of one of the scenes I've sketched and filmed for it. Focussing on the simplest of techniques that I use outside.

Being in Sweden has also been perfect for adding some visual variety - different buildings, trees, skies. I didn’t want this course to just be the same views over and over again. And some of workshop two, which is all about creative ideas to play with outside, will be sourced from here. For example, the sketches below will be turned into a dramatic inky landscape in a technique I call 'outside-inside sketching'!

The idea is to make outdoor sketching feel do-able and exciting, no matter where you are. If all goes well, I’m hoping to release it in the next month or two. If not, it’ll be spring — but either way, it’s coming.

4. Here are some photos to sketch from!

I haven't tried this one yet, it's photo from our ferry as we arrived into Holland. But I would LOVE to see someone give it a try!

The view from our holiday home - it's been rainy today, but I'd love to see someones interpretation of this lovely sunset!

Mandatory to include... Betty on a rock in a German campsite. A lovely pose and elegant ears? Yes, this post has been a bit heavy on Betty references!

That’s all for now. Just wanted to check in, say hello, and let you know what’s coming up. Thanks for all your support and comments as ever — they really do keep me going, and I’ll be back at my desk soon.

Warm wishes,
Toby