If you’re an artist (if you’re reading this, you likely are), then you know that it’s not a 9-to-5 gig. Creativity is in your being, and it’s something that you take with you wherever you go. So why not take the means to create as well, and use a travel journal? Lisa Sonora Beam believes that you absolutely should. She’s featured in Paint Mojo, A Mixed Media Workshop: Creative Layering Techniques for Personal Expression (this download is only $5 right now).
“Travel and art making are my twin passions, so I always make travel journals wherever I go,” says Lisa. “When people see my travel journals, they’re surprised to learn that I travel very light, with just a small backpack, which includes all of my art supplies.”
In Paint Mojo, Lisa goes on to list ways you can travel light with just the art supplies you’ll need for journaling on the go. She also shares her technique for creating journal pages such as the ones you see here.
“In Mexico, blank sketchbooks are impossible to find,” says Lisa. “So for this travel journal, I recycled an old book found in a used bookshop.” |
Create a Travel Journal: Technique and Ideas by Lisa Sonora Beam
1. Whitewash the pages with a watered-down layer of light-colored acrylic craft paint: white, cream, buff or light gray are my go-to colors.
2. After the base coat of whitewash dries, add color with a bit of water-soluble wax crayon, watercolor pencils or watercolor paint.
3. Now you’ve loosened up. Sip your coffee and observe your surroundings. What details do you notice? Use your pencil to sketch in a few details. On this page I made some cloud-like designs because the Mexican sky is so beautiful. I also sketched a pattern I saw on a textile.
4. Think about your experience. What do you want to remember? It doesn’t have to be about travel adventures necessarily, but can be whatever you are experiencing in the moment. Here, I was thinking about my great love of travel and of art making. So I cut out a heart-shaped map and used a rubber stamp to capture my feelings.
5. Add painted lines to emphasize phrases or a snippet of poetry or dialogue you hear. I also cut blue pieces of paper from the map and used the colored paper to “paint” with. Use rubber alphabet stamps or lettering stencils or even your own handwriting to write on top of the painted lines. Consider adding the date to your page, in pencil or with a date stamp. ~L.S.B.
Since Paint Mojo is part of the Interweave store’s $5 5-Star Digital Download Sale, you can get it now for the lowest price ever. Refer to it for inspiration and mixed-media lessons, whether you stay local or give in to your wanderlust.
Art is life,