July 4, 2025

Postcards from Morocco: Painting on the Go

“Postcards became a way for me to stay grounded in the present moment while connecting with someone far away. Even if the card gets lost in the mail, the act of making it still matters.”

By Sophia Trinh

A person holds a colorful artwork depicting an archway, standing in a narrow path surrounded by tall, earthy-colored walls and small plants.

For someone who deeply appreciates culture and beauty, having the opportunity to visit Morocco was a dream come true.

In preparation for the trip, I knew I wanted to experiment with warmer tones—burnt siennas, ochres, deep reds—especially since we’d be traveling through the Western Sahara Desert. I also planned to paint postcards for my best friend, someone I’ve been exchanging postcards with since the third grade. It’s a tradition that has kept us connected across distance, and painting her postcards felt like a way to bring her along on this journey with me.

A collection of watercolor paints arranged on a black wooden surface. The palette features various colorful blocks of paint, while a partially used paint swatch paper with different color squares is placed below. Several small metal pans are also visible around the palettes.
My Folio Palette, swatch card, and other palettes-in-progress.
Map of Morocco with watercolor tones in shades of orange and blue. Key cities noted include Rabat, Fes, Marrakech, and Western Sahara outlined. The name "Morocco" is written in bold blue letters at the bottom.
Seattle to Morocco.

Given that my Demi and Pocket Palettes didn’t have quite enough space for the full range of desert-inspired colors I wanted to bring, I rearranged and consolidated my pans into my Folio Palette. That’s one of the things I love most about Art Toolkit palettes—the flexibility. The pans pop out easily, which makes it simple to customize your setup for a quick ski trip or a longer international adventure like this one.

My Paints

Row 1: Pyrrol Orange (DS), Winsor Orange Red (WN), Indian Red (WN), Cobalt Violet (WN), Shell Pink (Holbien), Lavender (Holbien)

Row 2 : Cadium Free Orange (WN), Winsor Orange (WN), Quinacridone Burnt Scarlet (DS), Permanent Magenta (WN), Ultramarine (WN), Cobalt Teal Blue (DS)

Row 3 (top): Pyrrol Scarlet (DS), Brown Ochre (WN), Neutral Tint (WN), Payne’s Gray (DS), Cascade Green (DS), Leaf Green (Holbien)

Row 3 (bottom): Coral Reef (DS), Compose Green (Holbien), Olive Green (WN)

Row 4: Hansa Yellow Light (DS), Payne’s Gray (WN), Moonglow (DS), French Ultramarine (DS)

Chefchaouen: The Blue City

We took off from Sea-Tac and landed in Paris before flying to Tangier, Morocco. The next morning, Ben and I made our way to Chefchaouen, also known as the “Blue City”—and fun fact: it’s Issaquah’s sister city! Everywhere I turned, I found beautifully painted doors, hand-crafted goods, and endless shades of blue.

A narrow, vibrant blue alleyway in a Moroccan city, with blue-painted walls and steps leading up to a partly cloudy sky. White buildings and decorative details create a picturesque scene.
One of the many alleys in Chefchaouen.
A vibrant blue-walled entrance leads into a spacious, lightly colored interior with a wooden ceiling. A large, weathered blue plank leans against the wall on the left side.
Different shades of blue around every corner.
A hand holds a watercolor painting depicting a blue door and a cobblestone path, with a watercolor palette resting below it. The background features lush greenery and wooden decking.
A sketch from the Blue City.
A weathered blue door set into a textured stone wall, accompanied by blue draped materials and a glimpse of greenery above. The scene appears sunlit, highlighting the rustic charm of the surroundings.
A blue scene that inspired my painting!

Fez and the Medina

From Chefchaouen, we continued to Fez, where we explored the old city, the Medina. The market was a feast for the senses—piles of vibrant spices, colorful woven scarves, natural dyes, handmade carpets, and intricately worked leather goods. One of the most memorable (and pungent) parts of Fez was visiting the tanneries, famous for dyeing leather using traditional methods—including the use of pigeon droppings to help remove fur from hides. The smell was intense, but it was fascinating to see this ancient process still in use.

Colorful sacks filled with various spices arranged in a market. Each sack is labeled with its spice name, including cumin, coriander, and paprika, showcasing a vibrant array of yellows, reds, and browns.
Spices from the Medina.
Aerial view of a tannery with numerous square pits filled with colorful dyes. Surrounding buildings feature traditional architecture, with a background of hills and clear blue sky.
Fez tanneries.

The Western Sahara Desert

After two full days in Fez, we embarked on an eight-hour bus ride to the Western Sahara Desert. My favorite part of this leg of the journey was seeing the stars at night in the desert—so many of them—unobstructed by city lights. In the Sahara, we rode camels, watched the sun rise, and spent a peaceful night surrounded by silence and sand.

A hand holding an open postcard featuring a watercolor painting of mountains against a soft pink background. The backdrop is a vast desert with rolling sand dunes under a clear sky.
Capturing the desert landscape.
A person wearing an orange top and black pants stands in a desert, looking away. A baseball cap is attached to their bag, and a small toy is also visible hanging from their waist. The sandy dunes stretch out in the background under a clear sky.
Sophia in the Western Sahara Desert.

The long bus ride to Marrakech offered the perfect opportunity to paint. Outside the window, I saw colorful doors and vivid pops of paint standing out against the desert backdrop. These little bursts of pink, turquoise, and mint green were like visual love notes—unexpected and joyful against the brown desert backdrop.

A hand holding a watercolor palette with various colors. Next to it, a small painting with a warm gradient is taped to a tray on a train or vehicle interior.
On the bus to Marrakech.

Moroccan Doors

One thing that stood out to me throughout Morocco was the doors—each one like a piece of art. Whether painted in deep indigo in Chefchaouen or intricately carved in Marrakech, Moroccan doors are more than just entrances. They reflect the country’s craftsmanship, history, and cultural symbolism.

Traditionally, these doors are made of wood, hand-carved or adorned with metalwork and geometric patterns. Because the door is the first thing a guest will see, it  represent protection, hospitality, and in some cases, social status. I couldn’t stop photographing and sketching them. Each door seemed to hold a story, inviting you to imagine the lives unfolding just behind it.

Intricate wooden panel featuring detailed geometric patterns and floral motifs in shades of brown, gold, and blue, framed by a pointed arch.
A hand holds a colorful artwork depicting an arched doorway, with a view of a sunny pathway lined by tall, warm-toned walls and potted plants.
A hand holds a small artwork depicting a colorful archway and sun against a blue sky, framed by tall, earthy-toned walls and plants in a pathway.

Marrakech was our final stop. Ben and I explored the old city, the Medina, wandered through vibrant alleyways, and visited the Musée d’Art Contemporain Africain Al Maaden. I did some sketching in the museum and relaxed in the garden, listening to birds sing.

Morocco definitely unlocked new creative inspiration for me. Not only is the country full of depth and history, but the people were incredibly kind, and I found the Arabic language poetic and musical. One of the bands I picked up while there is called Sarah & Ismael. Highly recommend!

A smiling woman holds a watercolor painting while sitting at a table on a balcony. She wears a light blue oversized shirt and a green scarf. A glass of beer is in front of her, with a palette of paints nearby. The background features a view of a city and palm trees under a partly cloudy sky.

One of the most exciting parts of traveling is discovering new color palettes and unexpected subject matter—like the Moroccan doors—I might not have painted otherwise.

Postcards became a way for me to stay grounded in the present moment while connecting with someone far away. Even if the card gets lost in the mail, the act of making it still matters.

So next time you travel, I encourage you to pack a few blank postcards and your Art Toolkit. Paint what you see, write what you feel, and let it go. You might be surprised by how freeing it is—and how it helps you embrace the beauty of imperfection and the magic of the journey itself.


Sophia Trinh
Website | Social Media

An artist sites on a rock, dipping a paintbrush in a Pocket Palette.

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