We travel to explore and experience new places, cultures and events. Often, all the new experiences fly at us. It becomes hard to keep everything straight. Sometimes after a trip, I find all the places and events blurred together. I can’t remember which event was at which town. Travel sketching is a wonderful way to capture how a place looks, tastes, sounds, and even how it made you feel. Read on for travel sketching tips on how to make your trip more creative and memorable.
With a sketchbook in hand, and an open heart, just sit. Breath in and notice what is around you. Listen to your feelings, observe colors and what is happening in the scene. Close your eyes and soak in the sounds around you. Incorporate these sounds into your sketches.
Travel, Art and Yoga Retreats
I do a fair bit of traveling, both for personal fun and business retreats. My business partner, Patti Shelton, and I co-host Yoga and Art Adventures. On these retreats, we balance fun excursions and mindful practice through yoga and art. We have been all over the world to places like Kenya, Sardinia, Costa Rica, Bhutan, and Morocco. Our next retreat is Croatia!
Learn More: MonahanStudio.com
Travel Sketching Tips – Keep it Simple!
What and How to Pack for Travel Sketching
When I go on a trip, I love to pack light. As hard as that is, especially when I host a retreat, that means I must keep my art supplies at a minimum. Keep it simple. A small sketchbook and travel watercolor paint set is important.
I’ve experimented with many travel watercolor boxes and found the best is a small fly- fishing box. It’s leak-proof with compartments to squirt in my favorite tube watercolors. I take travel watercolor brushes that have water in the handle. Pentel is my favorite. Also, I pack ink pens, pencils, eraser and sharpener.
Plus, I bring a sweat wristband, which makes a great hands-free rag to dab my brush on. I like to collect tickets, leaves and other tidbits along the way. To keep track of them, I tape a little envelope to the back page of the sketchbook. This way, I can slip the little goodies in it to glue or tape into my book later. That’s it. Bag packed and ready to go!
Five Travel Sketching Tips
So now the trick is to actually sketch on a trip. It’s easy to get caught up in the picture-taking and running from one thing to another. Then, pretty soon the trip is over and I forgot to sketch. Here are 5 tricks to ensure the sketchbook will be full before the journey home.
1. Let your trip-mates know you plan to sketch.
This does two things. It gives you accountability. They will be asking what you sketched. Share your sketches with them! Plus, they will give you a bit more time when you want to linger somewhere to sketch.
2. Before your trip, plan a few places you will want to sketch.
Then, schedule to stay there a half-hour for a more detailed sketch. You can even prep a few pages with fun boarders before your trip.
3. Take sticky notes with you that you write quick notes.
Then at the end of the day, write them in your book and add a little sketch. This is great for remembering names of places, foods you eat or fun facts. I’ve found this is also an excellent way to unwind and relax after each day.
4. Remember travel sketchbooks don’t have to be perfect or beautiful!
It is more about taking some extra time to observe and soak in the scene. Those quick sketches might look frightful on your trip. But, two months later you will be reminded of wonderful things you might have otherwise forgotten. You’ll be happy to see them.
5. Keep your sketchbook in an accessible pocket with tool of choice strapped to the book.
One grab and you are ready to sketch! There is no fumbling around as your trip-mates hurry off to the next great thing. All you really need is 5 minutes to sketch something fun!
How to Choose What to Sketch
Many of us are not sure what to sketch. There are so many new and interesting things. When you are sitting in a beautiful scene, it can be overwhelming what to include. With travel sketching, you don’t have to include everything in the sketch. I often sketch food, parts of buildings, artifacts, plants or animals. In other words, not the whole scene.
If you sit in an elaborate bustling castle courtyard, you can just sketch a small statue, flag, or clump of flowers by your feet. Then write a few notes on the location, date, and sounds. A year later when you look at the sketch, the memory of the entire courtyard experience will come back to you. This happens because you set aside the quest, to soak in a moment that will stay in your heart.
Enjoy Travel Sketching!
For travel sketching keep it simple. You just pack light and plan for sketching in your itinerary. This rewarding practice will help you to be mindful in your travel moments. By capturing your trip highlights through art, your experience and memories will be enhanced.
About the Author, Nicole Monahan
Nicole Monahan is an illustrator who works in an inspirational studio, tucked in among the ferns and frogs in a Pacific Northwest forest. She loves to illustrate stories that celebrate nature and encourages the reader to value what they experience in the natural world. Along with illustration, she teaches all ages drawing and painting through classes, workshops, and retreats around the world. Visit monahanstudio.com to see her whimsical art.
