sketchbook travel journal : the practicalities

 
 Recently I reflected on my blog on the realities of sketching and drawing in a sketchbook while travelling, and on how and what/how I would draw. On my holiday in London and Barcelona, I could put my theories into practice and test them to see what happened in reality.
 
 I also had a chance to experience the realities of the act of sketching while travelling. I now have the opportunity to reflect on the practicalities of sketching . This is what I experienced and will be vastly different for everyone, but might give some insight.
 

                               PRACTICALITIES – MY PENCILS

I have a customised pencil wrap for my watercolour pencils. Read and see the story of its creation. This was my opportunity to test it out while travelling. I found that the design was great for all of my on the spot sketching, for example leaning up against a wall, at cafes or on the plane. I can have it out in front of me and see all colours at once.   I only lost three pencils in London. (Light Chrome Yellow had to be replaced twice – why was it jumping out??). But losing pencils (and erasers) proved an excellent excuse to visit two amazing art shops that I knew of. They are both traditional shops that are a joy to browse through – lots of wooden drawers with papers, paint pigment for grinding and other Cornelissen & Son Artists’ Colourmen in Bloomsbury and Green & Stone of Chelsea. Heaven

 

day before London- a lot dirtier and worn now

Sharpener pocket
 
I had asked for pockets for my eraser and my pencil sharpener.
  
Sharpener – worked brilliantly. I found that I did not take the sharpener out of the pocket, but put the pencil into the sharpener while it was in the pocket.  The pocket did fill up with pencil shavings, but it worked really well. I think we may make the next version using a sharpener with a container attached to it. I think Staedler make one

 
Eraser  – did not work. I broke my eraser into smaller pieces and would put one piece in the pocket. However, they fell out and I lost so many erasers throughout London in the first week. Very frustrating. But then, in Barcelona at the Urban Sketching Symposium, we were given lots of freebies by the sponsers. One was a mechanical eraser – It has solved all my problems. And I can put it one of the pencil slots in the wrap.



Tombow mechanical eraser
 
 
PRACTICALITIES – OPPORTUNITIES  TO SKETCH
  
 
 

I slept with my sketch book next my bed (or is that in my bed ??), so that in early hours of the morning (we had long summertime hours in the UK) This was in London in the first few days.

This photo was taken in Sydney, but gives you the idea of how I sketch at the table. Please note  I usually put my pen down when eating. My pencil wrap would be on my lap or on the table

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

  • As a passenger in planes, trains and cars. This worked best when I knew how long the journey would take 
Sydney Airport



a quick sketch and slow drawing on the long plane journey

  •  In queues. There are plenty of those and some of them very long
 
on the Tube  no time to sketch! the trains come so regularly

at the check in desk at Barcelona airport. the line moved so fast !!

 
  • While waiting  for people. When a travelling companions are texting, emailing, resting, shopping. I usually asked for 1/2 hour “meet back here”.  I then had a known timeframe. My travelling companion knew that this was a sketching holiday for me and was prepared to these moments.

 
 
and I sketched everywhere 




Albert Memorial



      

The Tower of London
 
 
Trafalgar Square

Barcelona



A closeup of how I hold my sketchbooks and pencils. My sketchbook is balanced ontop of the pencilwrap, so that I can easily lift it up to gain access to the pencils. I also hold a selection of colours I am using in my sketching hand. It sounds awkward but it works for me


 
outside of St Paul’s Cathedral

outside of St Paul’s Cathedral
 
I would love to hear others experiences when travelling and any hints and tips. What do you do ?



If you are in Sydney. I am talking about my travel sketchbooks at Erin Hill Sketching  sketchclass on Oct 26 . Book in and I will see you there !



10 thoughts on “sketchbook travel journal : the practicalities”

  3. lee kline

    Thanks to you, I have joined the Sketchbook Project. My sketchbook is on its way. I opted for the digital route. I looked at yours for 2013 and, although we have visited France many times because our daughter has lived there for 20 years, your sketchbook makes me want to go back and do another. I did one in Turkey this year that I am pretty happy about. it is on my flickr page under the set, A Turkish Journey.

  4. Alissa Duke

    Thanks Sue – they are the main photos of me n London ! sketching
    lee – I hope that you have fun on the Sketchbook project . I entered three years in a row and put a lot of time and effort into each one. It was hard to send them off . However, they have been viewed by people in the US and next week the Australian entries are coming to Melbourne and I am going to visit my sketchbooks ! I am going o have a look at your Turkish Journey – should be fascinating

  5. Donelda

    Hi Alissa. I was planning a trip to London and Scotland just before or after yours. I was reading your blogs and seeing all your envelopes! So fun. I decided to take a sketch book with me and give it a try. I used a cheap “protractor” kit – took out the tools and replaced them with my coloured pencils, charcoal pencils, small travel watercolour set, paint brushes, etc. It is perfect! It was FUN! I didn’t do nearly as much sketching as you did – generally on the plane or train rides. But now I take it with me if I go anywhere and sketch at least 1 picture of my travels. Thanks so much for the inspration! I love my travel sketch kit.

  8. Alissa Duke

    Hello tascarni. I’ve added an enlarged part of a photo to the blog. A closeup of how I hold my sketchbooks and pencils. My sketchbook is balanced ontop of the pencilwrap, so that I can easily lift it up to gain access to the pencils. I also hold a selection of colours I am using in my sketching hand. It sounds awkward but it works for me

  9. Alissa Duke

    Thanks Barbara . I am glad that you discovered something useful. There is always something to learn from other sketchers! I constantly am finding things out.

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