June Theme
Travel Journaling
June 6 – Week 23
Art Challenge: Illustrative Art Journaling
Journal Prompt: Take Me Away
These are some of my travel journals. I love these books more than anything I’ve created. They are chronicles of my adventures … tiny moments and sketches of things I might not have remembered if I hadn’t documented them. I love to go back through them and read about my travels, and one day, maybe grandchildren will enjoy flipping through them. These particular journals are handcrafted by Mychal at Iona Handcrafted Books. I love the hand torn heavy watercolor paper and the beautifully tooled leather. They are a bit heavy but the size is great and I can easily tuck them into my tote bag with my art kit when I am on the road!
This is how I document. Little sketches with watercolor and LOTS of writing and explanation. For example, my cafe in Vienna, Austria, with a lesson on what to order. For instance, I love lattes. If you ordered a latte in Austria, they would have no idea what you were talking about. You would order a ‘melange’ instead!
For this week’s challenge, I decided to recreate my packing list for a trip I will be on as you read this! Right about now, I am leaving Stockholm, Sweden headed for Russia, Finland, Norway and Denmark!
The Dylusions journal we are using for DLP is not like my watercolor travel journals, but here is an easy way to get a little “tooth” on your page to enable you to paint with watercolor on the pages of our DLP journals. I painted the surfaced with white gesso and once it was dry, I lightly sanded it down until it was soft and smooth. Next I painted the surface with clear gesso. Clear gesso is very gritty, but watercolor will ‘stain’ a surface with clear gesso instead of puddling up! Once the clear gesso is dry, lightly sand again.
I start every travel journal with an illustrated packing list! It is a real list that I actually use, and I like to document it in this way. Once I write the list with a Pitt Pen and sketch a few of the items in, I use Dr. PH Martin’s concentrated watercolor in an enamel butcher’s tray to stain the illustrations.
My finished packing list is above – I can’t wait to go! Want to know what I carry with me as far as art supplies? Here’s a video I created because I am asked so often. Hope you enjoy and I am looking forward to seeing how you get ‘taken away’ this week!
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Comments
Oh my gosh! I love your pages, Lorraine, and the idea of illustrating your packing list! Absolutely delightful! And your lettering is lovely, too!
That is one beautiful packing list! Have a fantastic journey, dear friend!
This is so adorable! I love the idea of sketching your packing list! Those water colors look amazing and much like something I would love for the intensity of their colors! Hmmm….I may have to make a supply run this week – 😉 I hope you have as much fun on your trip as I had reading your list! Love ya! Be safe!
Wonderful! Happy travels Lorraine!
Lorraine, I loved this post, and the idea for the clear gesso for us with the journal, so we can watercolor. And, you make your packing list so inspiring (mine is usually on a post it!). But most of all thank you for sharing the travel supply video. I always struggle with packing light, but this was super clear, and makes me feel like I can actually do something very similar with my favorite supplies.. thank you!! 🙂
I love your traveling art kit….I am looking for the actual list of things that you have put into the cosmetic case . . . this is perfect for me to take to the beach…….
I am always in awe at your sketching and watercolor art!! This is so fun and so you!!