Abbey Sy - The Art of the Travel Journal: Chronicle Your Life with Drawing, Painting, Lettering, and Mixed Media

Ive been documenting and journaling about my life since I was thirteen, but it wasnt until I was twenty years old that I accidentally discovered travel journaling.

The first time I kept a travel journal was during my first trip to Europe in 2013. I was in Paris, waiting in line outside the Louvre in the cold, and I had nothing else to do. I remember having a small journal with me and a fineliner pen, so I created drawings about my trip for a half hour while the line was moving.

The idea of keeping a journal while traveling was not something I knew of back then, mostly because the concept of travel was foreign to me at a young age. I didnt know that it was possible to go from one place to another by way of airplanes, ships, and trains. As someone who grew up mostly glued to studying, my fascination for travel came later in life and coincided with my love for documenting, which subsequently opened a new avenue for my creative expression.

As the years went on, my love for documenting unfolded in different ways. I traveled a lot; as a self-employed artist and author, journaling was my main escape. In one journal, I would sketch architecture from Budapest. In another, I would stick all the packaging and tickets I got from a day trip to Kyoto. Eventually, I kept more and more journals, and Ive discovered that this medium has allowed me to creatively explore and experiment in the best way I can.

Many of my journal pages are a collection of experiences and memories that linger in my mind. My travels over the years signify specific periods in my life that are full of learning and exploration as I try to build a connection with cities I encounter from every part of the world.

How to Use This Book

Hey there, fellow artist!

Im so glad you picked up this book, and I hope youll find it useful for your creative endeavors.

The Art of the Travel Journal, in essence, is a compendium of ideas and inspiration you can use as you start or continue your travel journaling pursuits.

Keeping a journal is a great way to be in tune with your memories and experiences in the years to come, whether youre looking for a way to document your day-to-day life or explore new cities.

Here are some ways you can maximize the use of this book:

• Set an intention. Why do you want to keep a travel journal? Identifying this early on helps give you ideas for how you want to document your adventures.
• Define your journaling style or preferences. What topics interest you while traveling, and which ones do you want to document?
• Choose the tools that you need to create. In this book, I share different art tools, journal types, and writing materials you can try for journaling. This will help you decide which supplies you want to use for a specific trip, depending on your chosen art medium.
• Get inspiration from the journal spreads. Ive been keeping travel journals for many years now, and I hope you find inspiration from the spreads Ive made. Ive enjoyed the process of experimenting with the craft, such as creating sketches and ephemera-filled journal pages, and I hope you do, too.
• Try your hand at different styles. Youll find a handful of tutorials inside this book to guide you, including how to hand letter a full page and create collages. These lessons allow you to explore a variety of ways you can document your travels.

Remember, the best part of where youre going is where you are right now. That holds true, too, as you pick up your journal and start writing about your own travel stories and adventures. Im looking forward to seeing what you create and document as you embark on your journey.

Always Be Creating,

Ready to embark on this new journey? This chapter is all about how travel and journaling started, what you need to start your own travel journal, and some great reasons why you should document your travels and adventures.

Becoming familiar with these terms will help you better understand the process of journaling and what it entails. Feel free to refer to it anytime you need a refresher.

Analog: Not involving or relating to the use of computer technology, in contrast to a digital counterpart

Archive: A collection of historical documents or records providing information about a place, institution, or group of people

Collage: A piece of art made by attaching a variety of materials, such as photographs, paper, or fabric, onto a backing

Diary: A consistent personal record of thoughts, reflections, and experiences

Ephemera: Collectible memorabilia, usually made of paper, such as postcards, posters, maps, and tickets, that were intended to last a short time when they were produced

Hand lettering: The art of creating lettering by hand in any font style

Journal: A personal record of thoughts, reflections, and experiences

Journaling: To keep a journal; to enter or record thoughts and experiences