Aloha Hawaii: Sketches of the Hawaiin Islands by Rene Wojcik

A couple of weeks ago Rene Wojcik got in touch with me to share some sketches he’d made during a recent trip to Hawaii. Now, Hawaii is somewhere I’ve never been before, but it conjures up images of sprawling beaches and swaying palm trees. Guess what? Rene’s lovely watercolours reflected exactly how I imagined Hawaii and now I’m desperate to go!

Your sketches have a lovely, serene feel to them. How did this style develop?

I’ve been painting in watercolor since the early 1990’s so I guess my style has evolved from years of experience, various workshops and formal classes I’ve taken through the years. I am not a story teller but I do like to capture the essence of the place or the activity I might be involved in. When I sketch I can vividly remember where I was on that day. A Photo does not seem to have that same sensation to me. I have a few hundred digital photos but I don’t know why I took them because they are such fleeting images.

Let’s talk about process. What steps do you take when creating each piece?

I sketch onsite for the most part but may have to add watercolor in the evening. I usually start a sketch with pencil, then switch to a Uniball Jetstream ballpoint pen or my Lamy pen. I erase the pencil marks and then use my watercolors. My paint box I use is a Winsor & Newton travel set of half pans. I started to get more involved in sketching in the past two or three years when I joined the Austin Urban Sketchers (of which I am an assistant organizer). We sketch the sites around Austin, Texas. I also have a number of books on the subject of sketching (i.e, Gabriel Campanario, Danny Gregory, Marc Taro Holmes, etc.). I also enjoy Art Lien’s courtroom sketches. I take digital photos of the scene or subject for reference and a means of comparison to what I’ve sketched.

What inspired your sketches of the Hawaiin Islands?

I decided to sketch during our Hawaiian trip because I had wished I did so during recent trips to Alaska and New Orleans, LA. I feel like I missed out on some great opportunities on those trips for making sketches.

What do you hope your sketches tell viewers about the Hawaiian Islands?

I think the reason I want people to see my Hawaii sketches is to show them that anyone can express themselves with a sketch and report what they see in a way a photograph cannot. I just want the viewer to see a few of the places I visited and the impressions of what I saw. The Hawaiian people are so friendly and culturally they love their islands. This aspect is difficult to sketch.

What was your favourite thing or place to sketch in Hawaii and why?

I went to Hawaii because I wanted to see the Volcano’s and lava flows. I spent my career (43 years) as a petroleum geologist in Texas. We don’t have any active volcanoes in Texas.

If you could sketch anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

I am also interested in Archeology as well and would like to plan some future trips to areas such as Italy and Greece or the Yucatán in southern Mexico.

What travel tips would you give to readers who are planning on visiting Hawaii?

I prefer guided tours as opposed to winging-it. The guided tours seem to hit the highlights while giving a person free time to explore on your own. The primary industry in Hawaii is tourism.

Finally, do you have any advice for readers who might be interested in sketching whilst they travel?

I would advise anyone to have a travel journal to write or draw their impressions on their travels. You will be rewarded with lasting memories that photos don’t even come close to. All you need is a quality sketchbook, pencil, ballpoint pen and perhaps watercolors. You will always have a few spare moments to sketch.

See more of Rene’s work on Facebook.