No. 18: A 10-Day Travel Sketch Journal
How to make time for drawing while away, a few announcements, and more.
I am settling in at home in Brooklyn after ten days in Europe with my family. The transition back to daily life is never easy for me, and this time is no exception. I am not ready for vacation to be over!
This trip was just long enough that I got used to my minimal wardrobe, my body got accustomed to sleeping in different beds and eating foods I don’t normally eat, and I was beginning to speak a few French words. I have been trying to learn French on Duolingo, and although I am on Day 465, I am still too shy to actually say anything out loud. Parisians are much nicer than they used to be about Americans assuming that everyone speaks English. My go-to is either to say boldly in English, “I’m sorry, but do you speak English?” or to utter (in a horrible accent), “Je suis désolée. Parlez-vous anglais?” Pretty much everyone I spoke to in French answered me in English. In a way I wish they had made it harder for me or that I was ashamed like I used to be, as then I would have been forced to practice my French.
When we arrived in Paris, the weather was uncomfortably hot, and by the end it was cool and breezy. Paris is perfect in any weather, though, and this trip only solidified that opinion for me. My husband even said that being in Paris made him want to learn French. I may be able to convince him we need that Paris pied-à-terre after all. I can dream, right?
I filled up my little Fabriano sketchbook with all sorts of notes and memories, but this time I only shared little previews in my Instagram stories. Here is a link to see a flip through. I decided not to worry about posting anything until I got home. This was a huge change for me, as most of my vacations over the past five or so years have been filled with anxious moments of not feeling there was enough time in the day to get it all down and also be fully present for my family. I have always felt rushed and have even compromised my sleep in order to finish pages and make them Instagram-ready. For so long it’s been about finding a spot to photograph and then frantically staring into my phone to make the images brighter and sharper, rushing through writing captions, hitting the Share button, and then waiting to see how the post was being seen and appreciated. A lot of energy and minutes wasted when I could have been seeing, creating, and experiencing.
In fact, my kids have mixed feelings about social media because of my work. On one of our trips, Instagram featured my page on its main feed. There is no denying how cool this was, but for about two days during that trip, the boys watched me suffer through the highs and lows of being so exposed. I was a completely distracted mom. So for this trip I simply drew a little bit each day, outlined the drawings in ink, and that was that (more about this process following). The drawings are very loose and quickly drawn. I painted a little bit here and there, but waited for the plane ride home to finish the painting part. It was actually the perfect time to paint, as I had a chance to slow down and reflect as I filled each little space with color. Luckily it was a smooth ride with little turbulence!
I have been thinking more and more about how much time I have wasted worrying about social media while traveling. The efforts have absolutely paid off, as I have completed some of my best journal work while away from home, and these pages have gone into both of my books. Books that frankly would not be in existence if it weren’t for Instagram. It is nice to be in a place now where I can appreciate both sides of the coin. The purpose of keeping a sketch journal while traveling is to capture your memories, thoughts, and opinions in one place that you can look back on for years to come. It’s all about appreciating and savoring the special moments away from the normal day-to-day. Though for me the lines have blurred, as these drawings have become my work and I have a responsibility to my followers. At the same time, the purpose for most people is not to create a curated perfect illustration for an audience but to practice drawing while away. So it can be tricky.
How do you make the time to draw while away?
This is a question I get a lot. Without making it too complicated, this is my recommendation for squeezing in drawing time during even the fullest travel days:
Have a small sketchbook on you at all times. The smaller it is, the easier it is to throw in your bag. And if you have it, then you never have to worry about the moment getting away from you.
If you are like me, there are a lot of extra things to carry anyway when exploring a new place: hand sanitizer, tissues, sunblock, wallet, sunglasses, etc. When my kids were little, I had to carry around even more stuff. So keep your art supplies minimal, down to just a pencil or two, a pen or two, an eraser. That’s it. This way you have what you need to get the sketches started and planned, but the paints and more bulky materials aren’t weighing you down. Take “snapshots”: make little notes very lightly in pencil, working quickly. The main objective is to get some thoughts and visuals down so that you don’t forget. Below is a page in process. The sketches are super quick and loose, just a few things spread out on the page. I can easily finish this later with some reference photos and my memories. If you relax and make the time to plan loosely like this, then you can finish the pages at any time without the stress of trying to remember details like names of restaurants or streets later on.
If you have a little more time while waiting for your food to arrive or while you are at a café early in the morning before the museums or shops open (for example), then you can add more detail. This is when I tend to add ink to my pencil sketches.
This is how I make the time. It doesn’t take away from our flow but just gets squeezed in. If you want to make the time, you will. It is a decision, after all. If pulling out a sketchbook is impossible, just take some reference photos and come back to them as soon as you can. The other thing to keep in mind is that a great time to get quick thoughts and sketches on paper is when you are winding down at the end of the day. This is the perfect opportunity to take ten to twenty minutes to reflect and record the things that stand out in your memory.
Finishing your pages is a personal choice and process. The amount of time it takes to complete your drawings and make your pages as finished as your personal style requires is different for everyone. I do not like to wait too long, but some of that pressure to finish is because my sketch journal has become a part of my work. As long as you have the reference photos, your notes, and those quick sketches down, you can come back to finish a few days later, a week later, or even months later.
All of this said, the moral is: Take your time to complete your pages. There are no rules and there is no rush. Draw and record your adventures in any way and in any timetable that works for you.
I am working on a guide for paid subscribers that will share all of our favorite shops, museums, cafés, and restaurants that we visited during our trip. Please join me as a paid subscriber if you would like to know what we saw and discovered!
I had the pleasure of being the fifth “Bench Talk” episode on the Joe Coffee social media feed. Click here to watch.
I don’t go on TikTok often enough, but my son sent me this video and I realized there is some good content there. Check out these pencil sharpeners from the past.
My New Skillshare Class
Drawing Every Day: Motivational Sketchbook Practices for Creative Fulfillment now has over 1,100 students. The reviews have been wonderful to read, and I am thrilled with the projects that have been shared. It is really satisfying to know that the class works and that students are enjoying the process of creating their drawing exercises and sketchbook spreads. Check out the class here!
I was honored to be a contributor to this month’s issue of Calligraphy Crush Magazine all about artful journaling. Thank you so much for having me, Maureen!
Ambassador and Affiliate codes
If you’ve been following my work for a while, you know I am a loyal fan of Blackwing pencils. I have one or two (or even three) in my bag at all times. I am really honored that they have just added me as an official ambassador for the brand. If you’d like to try out the pencils for yourself, and also help support my work, please shop using my unique link, blackwing602.com/sdionbaker. When you purchase using my link, there’s no additional cost to you and I earn a small commission. I appreciate your support!
Additionally, all Canvas lights and accessories are 10% off with my discount code: SDB10. They just introduced a mini light, so there are even more options to choose from!
Thank you for reading. Writing these emails and creating content for paid subscribers has become part of my job these days. While most of what I share is free for everyone, I would love for you to be part of the smaller Draw Your World community. We have a lot of fun. Click the link below for 20% off a year subscription.
I envy you and Sue Clancy for your beautiful drawings in journals. I'm a writer and occasionally "records" thoughts in poems. Their brevity helps me describe a scene and experience along with a feeling in just a few words. My drawing and watercolors, however, have not developed much past blotches defined by a few strokes of black ink. You have inspired me to dig into my very old stash of art supplies and do what you do ... quick sketches with a note or two. Thank you.
I absolutely LOVE that you share your early pencil sketches here (and in your books, too)... it's hard to remember that first stage (especially when you're getting back to a practice after twenty years!) that it doesn't look like it will by the end and to stay grounded in the patience of the process... Thank you for the inspiration, as always!