Do you miss #Rome? Do you *really* like #Rome, or are you just saying that to sound cultured? And be honest—did you cancel your trip to #Rome last year because of the lockdown, or were you secretly relieved to stay home in your pajamas?

This month I’m channeling my inner Renaissance artist by painting exclusively about my favorite Roman locations. Which sounds fancy until you realize I’m basically just an excuse to procrastinate on adulting while drawing old buildings and winter decorations.

Rome in winter: where Christmas lights are so aggressively festive near the Spanish Steps that you need sunglasses at 6 PM. It’s basically a giant beacon saying “come take a 500-year-old selfie.”

Christmas in Rome is a fairy tale—the kind that, once you’ve experienced it, you’ll bore your friends about for the rest of your life. (Sorry, friends.) At Christmas, Rome transforms into what I can only describe as “architectural Instagram on steroids.” It drowns in decorations, garlands, and holiday sculptures so elegant you feel inadequate for not draping tinsel over your life with the same level of sophistication.

Rome’s Capitoline Hill: where the streets are basically a chaotic timeline of architectural styles from “when Romans ruled everything” to “last Tuesday.” Pro tip: rent a horse carriage and pretend you’re royalty. (Spoiler: the pigeons don’t care.) Rome’s iconic parasol pines—with their top-heavy silhouettes that defy all laws of physics and good taste—are one of many things that make this city utterly unique. I spent 45 minutes trying to draw one without it toppling over in my sketch. The pine won.

Bon voyage! Until the next travel adventure (or lockdown forces us inside again). Stay healthy and possibly more disciplined than I am.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission. Also, please don’t use my work as reference for your “I can fake being an artist” TikTok series—I see you out there.

Tools I used for these paintings (aka the expensive habit I can’t quit): Watercolour—Charvin and Van Gogh brands (because I apparently have fancy taste in pigments), Pastel GrayPas Expressionist (the artsy cousin nobody talks about), Derwent watercolour pencils (for when I want precision), and Faber Castell artist pens (the pens that actually work after spending $8). Paper: Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.), which is the perfect size for carrying around while pretending to be a “serious artist.”