My Travel Sketchbooks and Journals
The drawings, notes and records I make on the road, from the early Moleskines to the journals I carry today
Updated October 10, 2026
Since the late 1990s, I’ve carried a journal everywhere I travel. The book itself has changed over the years: for a long time it was a pocket Moleskine, lately it’s a Hahnemühle with paper that can take a real wash of watercolor, and in between there have been whatever notebooks a village shop had on the shelf. What goes into them hasn’t changed: field notes, hand-drawn maps, illustrations, travel plans, species lists and story ideas. They’re my alternative to guidebooks and itineraries—small, rugged, and built for travel. I record plants, birds, overheard conversations, and fleeting ideas, all while sketching the places and people I encounter.
Sketching in the field sharpens my focus. I notice shapes, colors, and gestures I'd otherwise miss. Many of my finished travel illustrations begin as quick marks in these journals, made on ferry decks, forest trails, and roadside cafés. The process of putting ink to paper anchors my experiences more deeply than any photo or blog post ever could.
If you're interested in what materials I use to create my sketchbooks, I have an entry on building your own lightweight travel sketchbook toolbox.
What Kind of Pens Do I Use in My Sketch Journal?
I love the following liner pens, all of which I recommend:
- Sakura Pigma Micron's, my trusty everyday liner pen.
- Staedler Pigment Liner, which has great black ink and a nice pen feel.
- Copic Multiliner, which have really fine, sharp tips.
Sakura Pigma Micron Pen
What Size Moleskine Journal Do I Use?
I use all sizes. Featured in the list above, I use large size Moleskine Sketch, classic size Moleskine Sketch as well as Large and classic watercolor notebooks.
Moleskine Classic Size Sketch Notebook
How Do I Carry my Watercolors Around the World?
I use this watercolor palette, which I write about in this post. The regular ivory paper in Moleskine journals is not ideal for watercolor, unless you paint in the 'dry' style, never letting the paper get too wet.
Watercolor Palette, which I use with my Moleskine Travel Journal
Why Are My Sketches So Bad?
There is a lot of beautiful Moleskine art out there on the web. Check out Urban Sketchers or even MyMoleskine for amazing Moleskine art. These are my actual notes, which I use while I am traveling. These are quick sketches, drawings and notes, many of which I use to come up with a photograph or to quickly identify an animal.
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