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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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
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