Keep a Travel Sketchbook – 10 reasons to start

Are you hesitating to keep a travel sketchbook? Here are 10 good reasons to get you started…

1. Keep a travel sketchbook to learn how to draw and paint

Your sketchbook is small, can be carried everywhere, and helps you make fast progress.

Drawing at a cafe is one of my favorite activities! This sketch was done at a cafe in Paris. ©Pauline Fraisse

2. Draw fast to improve your observation skills, creativity, and imagination

Your sketchbook is a personal space where you can express freely. It helps you develop your artistic eye, and enriches your other art practices. Thanks to their sketchbooks, Delacroix, Turner, Gauguin… prepared their oil painting works.

Why not use felt pens? Bright colors? This sketch was done in Giverny. ©Pauline Fraisse

3. Sketch in your journal to train before a trip, but also…

4. …to rediscover your everyday life.

Marvel at simple things.

If you can’t travel, why not draw your home? India ink and watercolor drawing. ©Pauline Fraisse

5. Fill your sketchbook to travel in a different way

Alone, with your children, your friends or your partner. Documenting a region, a time.

When I was living in Yunnan, this street was a dirt road. It has now become a highway… This sketch was done on location with ink and watercolor. ©Pauline Fraisse

6. Thanks to your travel sketchbook, meet with others & share

With other travel sketch lovers, with locals when traveling… Your sketchbook is a fabulous media!

On a market in China, this young woman and this little girl were looking at me drawing. Drawing is often a good way to chat or exchange with others. ©Pauline Fraisse

7. Keep a sketchbook when traveling to memorize more

When drawing, you will notice a multitude of details, you will recall the emotion associated with a place or a moment. You will train your memory.

How many naga snakes on these Laos temples? ©Pauline Fraisse

8. Sketch to relax

Drawing is a relaxing activity, making you sweat like when exercising, and quieting you down just like meditation does.

Happy New Year card in 2012. ©Pauline Fraisse

9. Observe and draw to slow down

Embrace slow living. Put down your smartphone, and return to the pleasure of creating.

Put down your smartphone and draw it… ©Pauline Fraisse

10. Add drawings to your notebook, to keep track of memories

Your paper sketchbook will live on. You may add texts, photographs, collages, and create an authentic art-journal.

New York skyline from New Jersey in 2015. ©Pauline Fraisse

Join my travel sketchbook classes and workshops at my studio, in different neighborhoods of Paris, and in other cities!