Why you should have a travel sketchbook

While on vacation in Indonesia, I decided to bring a smaller sketchbook with me to save space and make daily drawing more manageable.

I picked up a Talens Art Creations hard-bound sketchbook in the size of 4.7" x 4.7". Although its 140 g/m² (90 lbs) paper makes it suitable for watercolors, it absorbs less water than standard watercolor paper and it is best to paint only on one side of a page to prevent the paper from breaking.

What seemed to be a disadvantage at first, turned out to be a blessing. I only paint on one side of the page, leaving the other blank for a brief description of my drawing. This motivates me to learn more about the things I depict, which is especially useful when exploring a place we have never been to before.

It is the best memento from the trip I could have hoped for. I'll be capturing some of my drawings from Indonesia in the coming blog posts.