Wanderlust – a strong desire to wander or travel and explore the world

I have always had wanderlust, so making my online course Your Travel Sketchbook has been a delight.

I travelled back through my many books and journeys to make a course that will help you to find your own unique way of recording your trips and travels. I use pens, inks and collage in a free way that allows the character of the place to shine through.

When I first started recording in sketchbook, on an Art Collage travel scholarship to Amsterdam and Paris, it was more of a diary of funny events and art gallery visits, with little thought to the presentation. Even at art college we were not really encouraged to work in books, and even if we did it was a pencil drawing, or a few ideas on a page with little development or exploration. I know from my own teaching experience that students nowadays have sketchbooks that are full of amazing ideas, drawings, collage notes, a wonderful record of their teenagers years. A treasure to look back on. I tell them to put their book under their bed for a few years, and then look and see how wonderfully creative you are!

A sketchbook, a few pens and my heavy SLR camera – that was my art travel kit in my 20’s. Gradually as time went by I included collage papers, glue and a set of watercolours. Some people use identical books each time, whereas I have varied my books from A3 down to pocket size, I have adapted pre-printed books, stitched and  spiral-bound, but my favourite is the concertina.

I fell in love with concertina sketchbooks about 15 years ago and haven’t looked back. I use the A5 size from Seawhite of Brighton www.artesaver.co.uk The paper is strong (140gms) and double. I have worked wet on wet with inks and watercolours, scratchy pens and sticks and these books hold up well. They also have a range of sizes from pocket upwards. I prefer A5 which is a good size for travelling, about the size of a paperback book.

If you have taken one of my courses I hope that you are a concertina convert by now!  I know that the many people  are addicted to them. I love how a concertina allows your drawing/collage/mark making to flow from one page to the next, a never ending story, and when one side is complete just turn over and carry on.

The main focus of my latest course Your Travel Sketchbook is collaging and drawing Mediterranean towns and villages that I know so well, but you can apply it to anywhere in the world, even your local town. There is an option of some basic perspective and a spot of sketching at sea!

You need to be a realist: working in a sketchbook outdoors often means perching on a cold step, searching for shade, dealing with noise, traffic, bystanders and impatient friends! Above all therefore we need to have a sense of humour, be adaptable and sometimes quick on the draw!

This course is about getting out there and getting on with it!

I share all my personal inspiration using examples of my sketchbook drawings collage and photographs from France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Morocco, Australia, Zanzibar, New Zealand and Bali to help you see the world through my eyes. I demonstrate, in short videos,working on location and back in my hotel room.

Your Travel Sketchbook is a labour of love. I would like to keep adding to it as time goes on, and hopefully show some of your sketchbooks – if you share them with me. 🙂