Capture Your Travels with Sketching
Tired of snapping hundreds of photos, applying filters, and searching for your next wi-fi connection? You’re not alone. Particularly while traveling, the endless cycle of shooting and sharing can be exhausting – not to mention that screen time pulls you out of the moment (and the place).
Luckily, there’s another meaningful way to document your adventures. On your next trip, give your phone a break and bring a notebook. Not only will you enjoy any destination more when you’re fully present, but you’ll find that you have to truly observe a place in order to sketch it – whether you’re attempting to draw a picture of Machu Picchu or record the details of an unforgettable dinner in Paris.
The Case for Going Analog
Back in 2008, during my first research trip as an iBestTravel author (destination: Patagonia), Instagram didn’t even exist. I took photos of whales and glaciers solely for my own pleasure and personal record. I wrote everything down in a notebook – not just the information I was collecting for the guidebook, but also details of what I ate, a funny conversation overheard on the bus, and interesting snippets from an indigenous museum in Tierra del Fuego.
A few years later, social media was in full swing. Like everyone else, I was snapping and sharing photos left and right; however, unlike most, my job as a travel writer took me to visually stunning places regularly. My Instagram feed became a colorful showcase of international destinations: waterfalls in Brazil, mysterious pyramids in Mexico, a castle in Spain, and a crater lake in Nicaragua. Eventually, the constant search for the right angles and perfect lighting left me weary, feeling burned out on all beautiful images – both mine and everyone else’s.
My experiment in Morocco turned it all around. Determined to reconnect with my writerly roots, I took a notebook and jotted down my observations. I began sketching things that words struggled to capture: the silhouette of a minaret, the shape of a doorway, an unusual pattern of zellige tiles. I was thinking again, not just snapping photos. By the end of the trip, I had a unique and intricately layered document of my experience.
This sketching experiment evolved organically. Now, I frequently create watercolor postcards, maps, and illustrations – a process that helps slow down my thoughts, encourages observation, and promotes reflection. Here are some favorite methods to capture a travel experience using paper, pencil, and paint. Sharing on social media is optional; the primary goal is to create something meaningful for yourself.
Make a Map of the Place
Sketching a map of the location you’re visiting – or a broader travel itinerary – serves as an excellent way to familiarize yourself with a destination before departure. From a practical perspective, it helps in organizing travel plans, taking into account distances between points A, B, and C, and potential stops or detours along the way.
The map could range from detailed, like my itinerary map from an iBestTravel assignment that took me to Grand Canyon National Park and parts of southern Utah, to simpler watercolor interpretations created during a recent honeymoon in Spain.
Draw Pictures of What You Ate and Drank
Who wouldn’t want to remember all the delicious dishes sampled while on vacation? Additionally, if you choose to draw or paint food and drink images, you’ll avoid being that mildly annoying person at a café who’s overly engrossed in capturing the perfect food photo.
During a recent trip to Basque Country, I recorded our culinary experiences using a travel watercolor set. This practice proved beneficial: I am sure I would have overlooked some details otherwise.
Illustrate Something You Learned About a Culture
Consider this approach as an infographic that could provide guidance to fellow travelers. This format is perfect for sharing practical or cultural challenges you successfully navigated – such as understanding how to enjoy public baths in Budapest, etiquette at a milonga in Buenos Aires, or ordering coffee in Rome.
Sketch an Architectural or Natural Monument
Before starting your drawing, spend time observing your subject. You may sketch in real-time or base your work on a quick photo. Often, I like to snap a picture of my postcard alongside the monument (as done here near the hike to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe), but these sketches can also hold their own as standalone pieces.
Choose a Few Details You Love About a Place
Think of the myriad small details from your travels – and how many are lost over time. Such drawings are an ideal way to preserve these nuances. It’s best to create drawings while still in the area or as soon as you return, capturing the specifics while fresh in memory.
Capture Scenes from the Street
This technique allows you to capture subtleties that may otherwise fade. The quirkier the details, the better! I sketched one scene after a lengthy stroll through Buenos Aires, highlighting memorable street impressions.
Make a Postcard Series
This method works particularly well after returning from prolonged trips featuring numerous destinations. Alternatively, you can use the postcard format to document separate adventures over time.
Bonus for Family Travel: Get Kids Involved
Before, during, or after your travels, engage the entire family in travel sketching using art supplies. I often create maps with the children in my life; for example, ahead of a trip to Chile, I sketched a national map while my niece Isidora filled in details like the ocean and mountains. We both had fun and learned while collaborating on the project.
