Hello, from the Sketchy Traveler newsletter. A mostly twice monthly newsletter on drawing and life design. Excited to have you join us! If you are enjoying this newsletter consider becoming a patron to help keep this newsletter financially sustainable.

Well summer has officially come to a close here in the Pacific Northwest and the fall rains are moving in. So, this seemed like a natural time to start thinking about indoor spots to draw or draw from. There are many indoor spots to choose from ranging from coffee shops to museums that offer a warm, dry place to draw and allow you to stay for an extended time. In this newsletter, I will offer a couple of options you can try out when looking for you go-to indoor spot this fall and winter.

Coffee Shops

Coffee shops are a natural gathering place in the fall and winter when conditions are not amenable to drawing outside. A couple of qualities to look for in a coffee shop are interesting décor, an expansive view and good company. In Portland, there are several coffee shops with a motorcycle theme that provides plenty of interest inside them with their collection of machine parts and paraphernalia.

It is also worth considering the view from a coffee shop as sometimes a coffee shop’s interior is a bit plain, but it has an interesting view. And keep the locals in-mind too. Part of the fun drawing in a coffee shop is the fun bits of conversation you overhear or the ideas you pick up and jot down in your sketchbook.

Libraries

Besides books and media, local libraries can be great places to draw. The book stacks are perfect for practicing perspective and suggesting the texture produced by the books without drawing every book.

Libraries also often have interesting interior spaces. Old Carnegie libraries are particularly fun to draw and common throughout the United States.

Finally, libraries often have large views over the surrounding area and provide a warm, dry place to draw from. I have drawn in libraries offering views over dense forests and the heart of urban metropolises.

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Museums & Galleries

Another great place to draw during cold and wet weather are museums and galleries. Note that these spaces will often want you to draw in pencil to minimize potential damage to the works in their collections. Their collections can provide a great deal inspiration for techniques and scenes you might want to use in your own work. They can also provide interesting external views and interiors to draw too.

Galleries are often easier as they are usually free to enter and host events that can provide the perfect context to practice drawing in. While museums can be spendy, they often offer a free entrance day. In Seattle, for example, many of the big museums (Seattle Art Museum, Burke Museum, etc.) have free entry on the first Thursday of the month. Small and local museums are often cheaper to enter and are still great places to draw too.

Logan’s Happenings

Interest in life design?

I’m working on launching a newsletter on life design. This newsletter will focus on using the design thinking skills from Sketchy Traveler to build a life whether that is growing a hobby, relationship, career, business or leadership style.

Drawing Workshop

October 10th, 2026, 4pm-5pm

Corvallis, OR

The next on-site drawing workshop is coming up. If you are in the Corvallis area and want a live drawing demo with me now is your chance. I will host a drawing workshop every other week through October. We will cover foundational drawing skills, working with color and composing a scene. Each session is a standalone, so feel free to join when you can make it and progress at the pace that is right for you.

The End is Only the Beginning

Wow, you read all the way to the end of the newsletter. This is the end of the newsletter, but only the beginning of your journey. Here are some potential next steps:

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