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Next time you plan a trip, take an art journal. Regardless of your skill level, making art on the road gives you a more profound experience of your trips.

Travel journals are a great way to express creativity and document the places you visit. And when you illustrate them in addition to writing about your experiences, they become visual journals where you record your trip highlights, your feelings, and the new things you’ve learned.

While traveling, you become more mindful of everything you see, taste, or feel. The same is true when making art, whether it’s a doodle, a sketch, or something more detailed.



When you take the time to sit down and make art, you’re forced to slow down and pay attention to your surroundings. This act of mindfulness can help you be more present in the moment and appreciate the beauty of your surroundings in a way that you might not otherwise. You might want to draw a picture of a street scene you like, an interesting animal or plant you saw, a building you find beautiful, or even a comic about an experience you want to remember.

What Are the Benefits of Travel Art Journaling?

Have You Tried Travel Art Journaling? Here's a Fun Way to Creatively Capture Your Adventures! - Excerpt from a Sketchpad - Frayed Passport

Not all sketches need to be nature or urban. Artist Jane Maday encourages and teaches artists to doodle in sketch books, capturing what she calls “glimmers” of joyous, or challenging, moments throughout your day.

There are lots of benefits to travel art journaling—here are just a few that’ll convince you:

  • It can help you to improve your drawing skills.
  • It can help you to learn about your surroundings and to see details you might miss otherwise.
  • It can help you to connect with your community by paying closer attention to what people are doing all around you.
  • It can be a fun and relaxing way to spend time outdoors.
  • It can be a great way to document your travels.

You only need a few tools to get started. Keep your art kit basic and start with a simple subject. Be bold and embrace mistakes—they’re part of the fun!

What Do You Need to Get Started with Travel Art Journaling?

Have You Tried Travel Art Journaling? Here's a Fun Way to Creatively Capture Your Adventures! - Travel Bag of Art Supplies - Frayed Passport

A fully stocked, soft-sided “art tool kit” makes it easier to carry myriad art supplies to different locations. My toolkit has several paper tablets, watercolor palettes, water spray and dropper bottles, collapsible water containers, paint brushes, pencils, fine liner pens, watercolor pencils, erasers, a color theory wheel, paper towels, mixing trays, and more. Any of these items can be pulled out and tucked into a smaller case for quicker and scrappy art sessions.

Here are some tips for choosing easy-to-use art supplies while traveling:

  • Choose a sketchbook that you love. Your sketchbook will be your travel companion, so choosing one you love is essential. Look for a sketchbook that is the right size, has good paper, and is durable.
  • Pack a travel palette to keep your paints organized and easily accessible. Many travel palettes are available, so you can choose one that fits your needs and budget.
  • Practice painting at home before you travel. This will help you get used to using your supplies and ensure your comfort with the process.
  • Bring a small water container—a bottle, a small cup, and a travel water brush. You’ll need water to wet your brushes and mix your paints.
  • Pack essential tools, such as a pencil, eraser, and sharpener. If you plan on doiTng detailed work, you could also bring a ruler or a compass.
  • Pack your supplies in a waterproof container. This will protect them from getting wet in transit.
  • Consider packing a folding watercolor easel. This will give you a stable surface, even if you paint outdoors.
  • Don’t be afraid to experiment. There are no rules when it comes to art travel journals. Experiment with different mediums, techniques, and subjects. The more you experiment, the more you’ll learn and improve.

Recommended Supplies List for Travel Art Journals

Have You Tried Travel Art Journaling? Here's a Fun Way to Creatively Capture Your Adventures! - Markers - Frayed Passport

A slippery slope for all artists, and budding artists, is the delight that happens when you buy art pens and markers. You can’t buy just one! You need all the colors and all the pen brush sizes. Top of most lists are Tombow and Writech watercolor brush pens. This handy carrying case accommodates both types of pens and keeps them safe, organized and easy to use.

Here are just a few of the art supplies I use for my art journals:

Books

Cases & Caddies

Sketch Pads and Journals

Pencils, Pens, and Paints

Finally, remember to pack your creativity! Art journaling is a great way to capture travel memories and express your artistic side. Enjoy the process, and let your creativity flow.

About the Author

Robin Van Auken, MA, RPA, is the CEO of Hands-on Heritage. She is an anthropologist and registered professional archaeologist (National 15069). She specializes in working with communities, galvanizing individuals to contribute their memories, photographs, and artifacts to develop legacy projects. Through in-depth, sensitive interviews, she learns the important stories that connect people through time and space. Robin especially enjoys the challenge of hunting for historic photographs and artifacts that highlight America’s history. As a professional archaeologist, she has directed multi-year public cultural heritage projects, working with hundreds of volunteers and educating thousands of visitors.

Images courtesy of the author.

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