Friday 1 June 2012

New favourite sketchbook and some travel sketches

I found this Moleskine Storyboard Notebook in a shop in Hamburg and thought it would make a perfect illustrated (travel) journal. It has four frames on each page which are perfect for small sketches, and with plenty of room for notes. I started to fill it with sketches right away, working on them in the hotel in the evenings.


I had planned to carry a sketchbook with me all the time, and to make sketches during the day, but the temperaturs went up to 30 degrees Celsius, and with the heat, and all the walking I did, carrying my camera  all day was more than enough. So instead I used this notebook in the evenings, using the pictures I had taken during the day as references.


Luckily, I had taken a whole box of CdA Neocolor II and a couple of water reservoir brushes to add colour to my sketches. So here are a few first highlights from my trip to Hamburg last week:

  • Of course the Strandkörbe ("beach baskets") at the beach in Travemünde
  • The pier and lighthouse in Travemünde, where the river Trave flows into the Baltic Sea, and where in the evening the huge ferries from Scandinavia come in
  • The charming Speicherstadt in Hamburg
  • The Holstertor in Lübeck
  • The weather forecast on Wednesday made me laugh. It said that in the following five days there would be: plenty of sun on Thursday, sunny on Friday, sunshine on Saturday, sunny on Sunday and lots of sun on Monday. It sounded as if someone was trying very hard to come upf with as much variation as possible to describe what basically was simply sunshine and blue sky one day after the other
  • I almost missed the Queen Mary 2, which had arrived in Hamburg on Sunday morning for a day's visit. It was only thanks to a lazy detour that I saw her. She's certainly a very impressive sight
  • I practically lived on ice cream, it was so hot all the time. My favourite flavours were: mint chocolate chips, blueberry and master of the woods. The first one is hard to find here in Switzerland, and the other two pretty much inexistent, especially the last one
 
I still want to add lots more sketches from my trip to Hamburg. An then of course take it with me to London in summer and Sweden in the autumn, and wherever I'll be going after that. I really love this journal/sketchbook/notebook.

Linking this up with Paint Party Friday. I missed last week's party. And while I really enjoyed an interenet-free ten days, it feels good to be back, especially with this fabulous and inspiring group of artists.

37 comments:

  1. wow your work is gorgeous and such a wonderful keepsake. Happy PPF, Annette x

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  2. What a wonderful notebook! I hadn't seen them before either, but immediately ordered a couple! Thanks for the tip! And your sketches are wonderful! I love them!

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  3. Your illustrations are amazing. This will be such a treasure for you as the years go by. Happy PPF.

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  4. Your sketches are indeed fantastic, keep on having fun! I missed your Mr Berry post last Friday, I love it! You've let loose and had so much fun with that one, it's great!

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  5. Beautiful- I could totally see something like this as a published travel guide- you should pursue the idea! Really, REALLY wonderful work!
    Happy PPF,
    Stephanie
    P.S. Still so jealous that you can get Caran d'Ache so inexpensively- I was just pricing some for my next class and they are now $2.10 each!

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  6. I love this journal - the 4 little sections just for sketching are such a brililant idea - I want one!! Your illustrations are beautiful - as it your writing by the way - so neat! Thank you for taking us with you on your tour of Hamburg! I love Germany and have been to many parts of it but not to Hamburg yet. What did you use for the white highlights on your paintings - it looks lovely.

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  7. I love it....tiny little works of art...beautiful....and HOW to do write in a STRAIGHT line....awesome....

    blessings,
    Cindy♥

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  8. What a journal- your sketches are magnificent! One of my favorite things is to art when on vacation- I am going to have to try and find one of these journals!!

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  9. What a smart and lovely notebook, I just went to look at their web shop..
    You've drawn so beautifully, and the book is a good idea! :)

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  10. Now that is the coolest journal ever! But of course your sketches are what makes it - very impressive!

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  11. These are gorgeous! I really like sketching small myself, so this is really appealing. I almost bought a journal for my upcoming trip that that a blank page on the right and journaling lines on the left, but it was very expensive. Instead I found some Strathmore mixed media journals on sale, and I'm going to create my own journaling guides. This gives me the inspiration to divide some of the pages in half. Thanks for the idea!
    Rinda

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  12. Wow! Have never seen the Moleskine storyboard notebook!
    What a perfectly wonderful way to document your travels!!
    ♥♥♥
    Happy PPF!!
    Mary
    Mixed-Media Map Art

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  13. An incredible, beautiful and laborious work, you should be proud. Saludos

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  14. What a wonderful journal! In Seattle there are so many ways to forecast cloudy and rainy weather, but my favorite it the expression Sun Breaks. We are so anxious for a glimpse of the sun!!

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  15. What a very beautiful and organize journal book you have here!! I want it for me ;), it's just beautiful!!

    Thanks for sharing
    Have an amazing and very creative day!
    Nora

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  16. Great sketches! What a terrific idea for a sketchbook. Might have to find one for my next trip...and some ice cream too.

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  17. I've never seen a storyboard Moleskin. I have an Moleskin sketchbook but the storyboard is wonderful! I'm going to the closest Barnes & Noble and picking me up one.

    I LOVE your sketching in your storyboard book...they are FABULOUS!! Wonderful work! Happy PPF!

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  18. What a great sketchbook! A storyboard one - how cool! (I want one!) Your travel paintings are fantastic and will make such great memories too.

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  19. such beautiful work, I love how neat and tidy it is as well, so wonderfully organized, I like that, you are very gifted and that journal is something to treasure,

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  20. This is so cool. I absolutely love the story board notebook. Great!! Happy PPF

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  21. Your journal is very neat and orderly this way. Great paintings...I'm more the all over the page artist, but this is a great way to keep trip memories in order for sure! Enjoy. HPPF!

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  22. Such a cool sketchbook and expressive sketchwork. Just wonderful! :)

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  23. Love that notebook and it looks awesome with your notes and illustrations!

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  24. BOAH..wie genial?????? schwärm!

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  25. I love your illustrations of what you saw. Really very nice and lots of memories involved. What a treasure. The notebook is great. Happy PPF and thanks.

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  26. Illustrations are excellent in your journal pages ~ fond memories created ~ thanks, ^_^

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  27. I love your sketchbook! I've never seen one, and it looks like it takes watercolour well too, unlike the other moleskines.
    I love the weather descriptions. That's my chuckle of the day, lol! :0) what a great way of remembering your trip. Such lovely sketches and so much nicer than photos :0)

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  28. this is glorious... I can't wait to see the next sets of sketches... that is such a great idea using that storyboard notebook... thinking I need one of them... now if only i had wonderful travels to draw into it... thinking trips to the grocery shop and school pick up line not quite as inspiring...xx

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  29. Wonderful way to journal as well... great sketches!!

    Hugs Giggles

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  30. Was ein tolles Journal! So inspirierend! Glaub sowas werde ich im nächsten Urlaub auch mal ausprobieren!!! Danke schön :)

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  31. Hi, thank you for visiting my blog.
    I love your journal, what type is it of book? Do you think it is available on Amazon? I would love to have a book like this.
    Love the way you are using your book, great paintings.

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  32. Aaaah, mein Mann kommt aus Hamburg und wir fliegen bald wieder hin. Deine sketche sind der Wahnsinn und ich bin auch schon über diese sketchbooks gestolpert. Tolle Idee, tolle Skizzen!

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  33. This is a treasure in making :)Awesome illustrations !

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  34. This is a perfect journal for your thoughts and amazing art!
    xx

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  35. Wow..so very beautiful!! Gorgeous..magical and inspiring!!
    Victoria

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  36. Your pages look wonderful! Very alive! I am not good at working on a book.

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  37. I've had a quick browse through your blog and I'm hooked. You are SO talented. I love this Moleskine storyboard sketchbook....must see if they're available here. Your sketches are gorgeous!

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