u/SabuKinattukara

This is a Spoon-billed Sandpiper in breeding plumage, one of the most unusual birds I have seen in the wild.
I am now sketching 250 rare and iconic birds that I have personally seen over the last 20 years. Each sketch is based on my own field experience and memories of seeing the bird.
This is my attempt to record those encounters through ink and watercolour, one bird at a time.

Spotted on Eastern Himalayas ( Sikkim ) on my biring trip in 2024 . My sketch

I visited Panagia Paraportiani in Mykonos, Greece, in 2003, and more than twenty years later, I found myself sketching it.
It is one of those places that stays with you. The simple white forms, the irregular shapes of the church, and the deep blue of the Aegean make it instantly recognisable.
When I sketched it, I was not trying to produce a perfect architectural drawing. I wanted to capture the memory of being there and the character of the place as I remember it.
This sketch is part of my Church Sketchbook, my project to sketch 300 iconic churches around the world and share the stories behind them.

A black church. A lava field. Snow-covered mountains. That is all Búðir Church needs to become unforgettable. Here is my ink and watercolour sketch of one of Iceland’s best-known churches.

This sketch is part of my project to draw 300 iconic churches from around the world and share the stories behind them. What do you think of this one? Video link is in the Bio

In the middle of Macau’s glittering casino district stands St. Dominic’s Church, built in 1587 by Spanish Dominican priests. It is one of China’s oldest Christian churches and a reminder of the city’s Portuguese past. I sketched its warm yellow façade to capture how centuries of faith and history continue to stand quietly amid modern skyscrapers.

In the middle of Macau’s glittering casino district stands St. Dominic’s Church, built in 1587 by Spanish Dominican priests. It is one of China’s oldest Christian churches and a reminder of the city’s Portuguese past. I sketched its warm yellow façade to capture how centuries of faith and history continue to stand quietly amid modern skyscrapers.

Every church has a story. This is the first sketch in my goal to illustrate 300 remarkable churches worldwide. St. Francis Church, Kochi, witnessed the arrival of a new era in Asia. I have also made a short video showing how the sketch came together and the fascinating history behind it.

St. Francis Church, Kochi, India. Built by the Portuguese in 1503, it is widely regarded as the oldest European church in India. More than an architectural landmark, it marks the beginning of a new chapter in Indian history, when European religious missions, trade, and colonial ambitions became closely intertwined. Vasco da Gama was first buried here before his remains were returned to Portugal. Today, the church stands as a quiet reminder of how faith, commerce, and empire shaped the Indian Ocean world. This ink and watercolour sketch is part of my Church Sketchbook series, documenting historic churches through slow observation and hand-drawn travel sketches.

At 7 a.m., rich golden light washed over the temple, revealing the details of its historic architecture. Located in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, this temple is renowned not only for its cultural and spiritual importance but also for its immense treasures, valued at more than ₹22 billion and believed to be among the largest temple holdings in the world. Capturing it through travel sketching was a way to slow down and appreciate a place where history, faith, and heritage come together.

I came across this pack of rare Ethiopian Wolves in Bale Mountains National Park, about 400 kilometres from Addis Ababa. I was there on a birdwatching tour, but my fascination with rare wildlife led me to this high-altitude landscape, over 3,000 metres above sea level, where I was fortunate to witness one of Africa’s most threatened carnivores. A very special moment indeed.

Ink and wash sketch of a vintage Piaggio Ape, one of Italy’s most recognisable three-wheelers. I was drawn to its character, compact design, and the stories it seems to carry from another era.