Sketching Tours of Pueblos Magicos with Rhoda Draws
Sketching Tours of Pueblos Magicos with Rhoda Draws Logo
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Enjoy guided sketching trips to the
“PUEBLOS MAGICOS”
(magical towns)
in central Mexico.

Dolores Hidalgo
Sketching, Sight-seeing, Shopping
Day Trip

Friday, August 28, 2026

The Magical town of Dolores Hidalgo has historical significance in Mexico’s Independence from Spain. More importantly for us, it is the center for manufacture of decorative hand-painted Talavera pottery.

We will visit the huge showrooms of the Vazquez talavera factory. Fill a page with sketches of several ceramic pieces. We can observe (and sketch) the artisans painting delicate lines on a variety. of plates, bowls and vessels.

Then off to the Centro Historico to sketch Our Lady of Dolores Church, as well as the ornate gazebo and other structures.

We’ll enjoy a delicious group lunch at El Fruty, just off the main square. During free time, more sketching and sampling the town’s famous ice cream treat.

Fee of $3,100 MX includes transportation, museum fees, art supplies, instruction and individual coaching in “Sketching Fast & Loose.” Learn to capture the essence of the people, places and things you see in your travels. Only $2,100 MX total fee if you bring your own art supplies and don’t need instruction.

Advance deposit of $1,000 MX requested, balance payable in pesos when we meet.

…. times and locations might change.

9:00 – 10:00
Meet at Cafe Marulier (next to Mercado Sano), Ancha de San Antonio 121. Pay balance of your fee in pesos. You’ll be given your vinyl pouch with art materials. Introduction to Sketching Fast & Loose.

10:00 – 10:45
We’ll hit the road in Pancho’s van and arrive in Dolores Hidalgo.

11:00 – 12:00
Visit the Vazquez talavera factory. Sketch a variety of decorative pottery items. Shopping is encouraged.

12:00 – 1:30
Sketch the historic buildings and scenes in Centro.

1:30 – 2:30
Lunch at El Fruty, around the corner at Calle Hidalgo #2A.

2:30 – 4:00
Rhoda demonstrates drawings people in a scene. More sketching in Centro Historico

4:00 – 5:00
Free time

5:00
Back in the van. Return to San Miguel

Contact Rhoda for more info.

Our Lady of Dolores Church
Talavera boot

Guanajuato
Sketching/ Sight-seeing
Day Trip

Friday, October 30, 2026

GTO mariachis-LaGiganta
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Guanajuato city is known for its silver mining history and colonial architecture. It is the home of the University of Guanajuato and the annual Cervantes festival. Its network of narrow streets, alleyways and tunnels is typified by the Callejón del Beso (Alley of the Kiss), so named because the balconies are close enough for a couple to reach across and kiss.

Fee of $3,100 MX includes transportation, museum fees, art supplies, instruction and individual coaching in “Sketching Fast & Loose.” Learn to capture the essence of the people, places and things you see in your travels. If you bring your own art supplies and don’t need instruction, fee is only $2,100 MX.

Advance deposit of $1.000 MX requested, balance payable in pesos when we meet.

…. times and locations might change.

9:00 – 10:00 am
Meet at 9:00 to enjoy coffee or desayuno at Cafe Marulier, Ancha de San Antonio #121 (next door to Mercado Sano,) Pay balance of your fee in pesos. You’ll be given your vinyl pouch with art materials. Be sure to arrive by 10:00 for departure to GTO.

10:00-11;30
Our bilingual driver, Pancho, takes us to Guanajuato City in his air-conditioned van.

11:30 – 1:o0
Sketching in Centro: churches, steep hills covered with colorful houses, Teatro Juarez, “La Giganta” bronze sculpture. Demonstrations and individual coaching provided.

1:00 – 2:00
Lunch at restaurant TBA. Learn the basics for sketching people

2:00 – 3:30
Visit Museo Iconográfico del Quijote. This is an amazing collection of images, paintings, sculpture, cartoons of Cervantes’ famous anti-hero.

3:30 – 5:00 FREE time: suggest Casa de Diego Rivera – Calle Positos 47 or ride funicular to pipilar, overlooking the city.

5:00 Return to San Miguel.

Contact Rhoda for more info.

GTO Teatro Juarez
Guanajuato Teatro Juarez
See photos and sketches
Guanajuato: Teatro Juarez sketch
Guanajuato: Teatro Juarez
Plaza La Plaz, Guanajuato, MX sketch

Bernal
Sketching/ Sight-seeing
Day Trip

Friday, July 31, 2026

Templo San Sebastian, Bernal, MX
Templo SS
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Bernal, a Magical town in the state of Queretero, is known for its monolith called Peña de Bernal (a small mountain) and it’s cheese bread (a long Danish).

We begin our adventure at the Museo de Mascara, where we’ll view items from the amazing collection of masks from all over the world. After that, we’ll draw the red and yellow architecture of Templo San Sebastian and the delightful pink and white town hall.

Enjoy a delicious group lunch. Free time includes buying long loaves of cheese bread to take home. Then it’s back to SMA with sketches, memories and new friends.

Fee of $2,100 MX includes transportation, museum fees, and sketching demonstrations. For an additional $1000mx, you get a complete sketching kit and personal instruction. Learn to capture the essence of the people, places and things you see in your travels.

Advance deposit of $1,000 MX requested, balance payable in pesos when we meet.

Sketch by Shelby

…. times and locations might change.

9:00 – 10:00
Meet at Cafe Marulier, Calle Ancha de San Antonio 121 (next to Mercado Sano). Pay balance of your fee in pesos.

You’ll be given your vinyl pouch with art materials. Rhoda will make a presentation and demo of “Fast and Loose” sketching methods.

10:00 – 11:30
We’ll hit the road in Pancho’s comfortable van and arrive in Bernal

11:30 – 12:30
Visit the world-wide collection of masks at Museo Mascara.

12:30 – 2:00
Rhoda demonstrates sketching buildings in Centro. Sketching the Templo San Sebastian and the Town Hall.

2:00 – 3:00
Lunch. Rhoda presents the basics of human proportions and facial features. Practice drawing people.

3:00 – 5:00 FREE time: shopping, sketching, buying cheese bread.

5:00-6:30
Return to San Miguel

Contact Rhoda for more info.

Museo de Mascara mask, Bernal

Atotonilco
Sketching/ Sight-seeing
Day Trip

Friday, September 25, 2026

It’s a short ride in our air-conditioned van to the charming town of Atotonilco. We’ll visit the iconic Santuario de Atotonilco and sketch inside and out. Vendors along the street provide a variety of subjects for sketching.

After a group lunch at Hotel Nirvana Restaurant and Retreat, we’ll go to the Galeria Atotonilco just a few minutes away. This large gallery features the finest quality Mexican folk art, collected from all over the country. It is an unforgettable experience of México.

Our final destination is the Patria winery for sketching and tasting

Then it’s back in Pancho’s air-conditioned van for the trip home, along with your sketches, photos, souvenirs and new friends.

If you bring your own art supplies and don’t need instruction, fee is only $2,100 MX. This includes transportation, museum fees and sketching demonstrations. Additional $1,000mx includes art supplies, instruction and individual coaching in “Sketching Fast & Loose.” Learn to capture the essence of the people, places and things you see in your travels.

Advance deposit of $1,000 MX requested, balance payable in pesos when we meet.

Itinerary for day-trip to Atotonilco…. times and locations might change.

9:00 – 10:00
Meet at  Cafe Marulier (next to Mercado Sano), Ancha de San Antonio 121 for coffee/desayuno. Pay balance of your fee in pesos. You’ll be given your vinyl pouch with art materials. Introduction to Sketching Fast & Loose. Be sure to arrive by 10:00 to depart for Atotonilco.

10:00 – 10:30
We’ll hit the road in Pancho’s van and arrive in Atotonilco.

10:30 – 12:30
Visit the iconic Sanctuario de Atotonilco.
Enjoy the marvelous murals inside the church.
Sketching the exterior of the church: Rhoda demonstrates using continuous ink line.
Drawing people: learn basic proportions of the human figure.
Sketching/shopping: vendors lining the nearby street

12:30 – 2:00
Lunch at Nirvana Restaurant and Retreat
Share sketches from this morning.

2:00 – 3:00
Visit Galeria Atotonilco, a vast collection of folk art from all parts of  Mexico.
Sketching/shopping encouraged.

3:30 – 5:00
Visit Patria winery for sketching and tasting

5:00
Back in the van. Return to San Miguel

Contact Rhoda for more info.


Sketching adventures in
San Miguel de Allende:
Dia de Los Muertos
November 1 and 2, 2026

We’ll sketch the people, places and things during this spectacular celebration: Catrinas, cemeteries, altars, makeup artists, and more. Join me for two exciting and colorful days of sketching “Fast & Loose.” 

Nov. 1:  10:00am – 1:00pm
Nov. 2: 10:00am – 1:00pm      

$2800 pesos covers both days,
includes art supplies and instruction. Only $2000 pesos if you bring your own supplies and don’t need my guidance. All skill levels welcome.

Contact Rhoda for more info.

  • “…Not only is Rhoda a talented artist and sketcher, she is a gifted teacher…

    … She has a unique way of breaking the art of drawing into bite sized understandable pieces, and encouraging students to practice new ways to take their drawing to new levels…all in fast and fun ways! As a beginner… I was surprised at how much I learned in just a few hours… The class was a highlight of my trip to San Miguel.”
    Judy M., Whidbey Island, WA.
    Sketching Fast & Loose Student