Pau Gasol Valls’ confident markings and bold colours in his holiday sketchbooks

Barcelona-based illustrator Pau Gasol Valls takes us back to those warmer months with his sketchbooks of summer doodles. Created during his trips to various European cities like Berlin and Amsterdam, Pau’s illustrations vary between full double page scenes to smaller, more detailed studies.

His use of watercolour and coloured pencils allows the illustrator to create light and shade in hues reminiscent of breezy days in the sun. From train journeys to dinner parties, the constant in Pau’s illustrations is people and his depictions of how they interact with each other, whether it’s a big group of friends or the back of a stranger’s head.

Through his sketches and bold use of colour, the illustrator communicates a mood and atmosphere rather than just simple observations. His quick style is full of confident markings and by using the page as his canvas, it forces Pau to be decisive yet spontaneous when creating his illustrations.