Pen and Watercolour Travel Sketching Retreat Essaouira, Morocco 25 May-1 June 2027

Retreat Price

The total cost is US$1,950 per person paid in two separate parts.

  • US$1,200 retreat fee

  • US$750 instructor fee paid directly to Patty Edge

Non-sketching partners are welcome. As partner places are included within the maximum group size a reduced instructor fee of US$100 applies.

Accomodation and Transport-

Accomodation, food and local transport are arranged by Tedrartcorp. Full details of the accomodation, itinerary, inclusions and booking conditions are available on their website.

Sketching Tuition

My instructor fee includes all scheduled sketching tuition during the retreat, including:

  • on-location demonstrations

  • guided sketching sessions

  • group talks and discussions

  • guidance and feedback during the scheduled group sessions

  • a specially prepared workshop booklet

Please note materials are not included

With a maximum of 12 participants , there will be plenty of opportunity for questions , guidance and feedback in a relaxed and supportive environment, with lots of fun and laughter along the way.

After booking your retreat place with Tedrartcorp, please contact me to arrange the payment of US$750 instructor fee. I will send the payment details to you privately.

Please include your full name in the email and confirm that you have completed your booking with Tedrartcorp.

Minimum numbers

A minimum of five sketching participants is required for the retreat to proceed. Please do not book flights or make any non-refundable arrangements until you receive written confirmation that the retreat is going ahead.

If the retreat cannot proceed because the minimum number is not reached, any instructor fee paid directly to Patty Edge will be refunded in full. Refunds of payments made to Tedrartcorp will be managed according to their booking terms and conditions.

Please note: Once the minimum number has been reached and the retreat is confirmed, the instructor fee is non-refundable if you cancel or are unable to attend. If your place can be filled by another participant, the fee will be refunded less any transaction costs incurred.

Comprehensive travel insurance covering cancellation, illness and other unforeseen circumstances is strongly recommended.

View details and book with Tedrartcorp
EMAIL FOR PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS

A Moroccan adventure for your sketchbook

Essaouira is a wonderfully inspiring place to sketch. Brilliant Atlantic light falls across its old stone walls, blue boats crowd the working harbour and winding medina streets reveal colourful doorways, market stalls and everyday Moroccan life.

Our journey will also take us beyond the town—to a traditional regional souk, the wild beach at Sidi Kaouki, an argan oil cooperative, the landscapes of the Agafay Desert and the vibrant streets of Marrakech.

This is more than a workshop. It is an opportunity to slow down, experience Morocco with knowledgeable local guides and create a personal visual record of the places we discover.

What you’ll learn

Using my clear, repeatable step-by-step approach, I’ll help you feel confident when faced with an unfamiliar or complicated scene.

We’ll explore how to:

  • Find a strong and interesting composition

  • Simplify complicated architecture and busy street scenes

  • Establish structure and proportion in pen

  • Create expressive linework without becoming lost in detail

  • Use light and shadow to give your sketches depth

  • Add fresh, lively watercolour washes

  • Capture moving figures and everyday street life

  • Develop your own way of seeing and sketching

There will be more than 25 hours of tuition, including on-location demonstrations, guided practice and individual feedback.

You can read more about how I teach here.

All levels are welcome, whether you are beginning your travel-sketching journey or refining an established approach.

A taste of the retreat

The sample itinerary includes opportunities to sketch:

  • Essaouira’s blue fishing boats and working harbour

  • The medina’s winding streets, markets and historic ramparts

  • A traditional regional souk

  • The wild Atlantic coast at Sidi Kaouki

  • A women’s argan oil cooperative

  • The landscape and evening light of the Agafay Desert

  • The colour, movement and street life of Marrakech

The final itinerary will be confirmed by Tedrart and may vary according to local conditions, accommodation and the needs of the group.

What’s included

  • Eight-day hosted Moroccan retreat

  • Accommodation with private bathroom

  • Full board

  • More than 25 hours of sketching tuition

  • On-location demonstrations and individual feedback

  • Local licensed guides

  • Transport throughout the itinerary

  • Scheduled airport and hotel transfers

  • Maximum group of 12 participants

What’s not included

  • Return flights to Marrakech

  • Art materials

  • Single-room supplement

  • Entrance fees to monuments

  • Optional activities, spa treatments and alcoholic drinks

  • Travel insurance

  • Personal expensesn

Blue fishing boats beside the historic harbour walls in Essaouira, Morocco.
Historic ochre-coloured sea ramparts beside the rocky Atlantic coast in Essaouira, Morocco.
Bright blue traditional doorway set into a weathered stone wall in Essaouira, Morocco.
View through a stone archway into a lively narrow street in the Essaouira medina, Morocco.
Artist sketching beside the wide sandy beach and Atlantic Ocean at Essaouira, Morocco.
Pen and watercolour sketch of colourful blue fishing boats and the harbour at Essaouira, Morocco.