7 Travel Journals

I have now completed 7 travel journals which encompass several years and many places. From the Lake Louise & Banff to Montana, the desert of Drumheller to Sylvan & Beaver Mines Lakes, Kelowna to San Francisco, and an amazing trip to Nova Scotia, I've been able to capture the feelings of each trip in my little paintings.

I have learned which watercolour paints I prefer (either M.Graham, although they can be a bit sticky in hot weather, to Daniel Smith or Joan of Art - a Canadian female owned company). They need to reactivate and set quickly. Plus, I like to put them into small mint tins for weight & size, though I also like the Art Toolkit case (I have filled it with M.Graham warm & cool primaries) as it is originally a business card holder.

My favourite sketchbooks are the Handbook Journals by Speedball...I like the fact that the pages don't wrinkle too badly (I don't mind a bit of character), I like the creamy colour, and the shapes available work well for me. Plus, I do like a hardbound book with an elastic to hold it shut (or open, if needed). I also find the 3.25x5.5 perfect for my shoulder pouch (and less weighty for long walks) or the 5.5x5.5 (great shape if I'm not walking far). 

I also use a Pentel mini waterbrush, a small rag (or cotton bag) and a butterfly clip (again, to keep pages open). Finally, I include a red Faber-Castell pencil crayon (cut short) that I use for my original drawing, a sharpener and a fountain pen filled with red D'Atramentis Document Ink...I love the red against so much cool colour (lots of blue, green & purple in the outdoors) and the ink is permanent. My favourite pen has become the Kaweco Sport pen as it collapses quite small & I also use a converter that I can refill regularly. 

Often I will begin my drawing on site and then take a photo so that I can continue it when we stop for a beverage or a meal. It works very well as I usually travel with a family member or a friend. Sometimes the images are even completed once I arrive back home or while we're travelling in a car or airplane. I'm so glad I finally found a process that works well for me.