Travel Journaling
A page from my travel sketch book.
There is no set way to create a travel journal. Every trip is different and how you see the world around you changes. My journals have evolved as I have improved as an artist and continue to practice my art.
What to put in the journal? Sketches, notes, ephemera that relates to the trip. Maps are useful, hand drawn maps even more so as they are personal. Annotate the map with stops, landmarks and other things that are meaningful.
Britain went away from paper money in the 30 years since I had been there. I have a 5 pound note left over from that trip that is going in my journal. I also have some other random bits of paper that will be collaged onto a page. That page happened as I started drawing a building but rapidly realized that I had the perspective way off.
Page layout
I mix my drawings from one filling a page to multiple across a two page spread. Boxes can assist in breaking up a page and creating a layout. Pretty much it’s up to you as to how you arrange the art, words and ephemera on a page. Experiment before you travel with various layouts to see what is comfortable for you. I am all over the place as far placement of images. For me, it’s more what the images demand of the page and the need for writing to accompany the images. I have been filling in the remaining pages since I have been home with more images that I didn’t have time to draw while traveling. They have a slightly different feel than the ones sketched in the field. But over all, it’s a recording of my journey. Personally, using photos to sketch from to complete the journal is perfectly fine. I know there are sketchers out there who would disagree with me, but they are allowed to.
Travel Art Materials
I took the Folio pallet from Art Tool Kit with a combo of mini and standard pans. I have Pocket Pallet but wanted a greater color selection than the seven in it. Love these thin pallets. You can pack a lot of paint into the pans. Their white mixing palette on the lid is prone to staining, but that is not a major deterrent when traveling. You should know your materials before you travel and what each color does and how it mixes.
I use a combo of Di Vinci and Rosemary brushes. Rosemary brushes are made in the UK and are available via mail order in the US or from Art Tool Kits. No affiliation! I just like the brushes. I did make use of my water brush on occasion when I managed to paint in the field or in the pub. It was easier than setting up a water cup and regular brush.
My journal is the Pentalic Aqua Journal, the blue covered ones that I sold in the store. They are still the best and can be found online from various art suppliers. I looked at making my own sections and then binding them after I returned home. I may do that one day, but the ease of hauling a hard bound journal around had me on this trip.
Because I used a hard bound book I did not need a work surface. However. I did cut a single piece of Cor-plast (corrugated plastic, sort of like corrugated cardboard) that I bought a Michaels into a size that fit in my bag. I added two Bull Dog large clips with rare earth magnets to the board. Gaffer’s tape went around the edges. A quick and easily hand held surface. The small pallet sticks nicely to the magnets that rest on the Bull Dog clips.
Tower House, Rye England