Copics For a Travel Journal

One of the fun parts of traveling for me is journaling.  We went to South Dakota recently and of course I dragged along a travel kit.  Except this time, it wasn't a watercolor painter's kit.  It was a Copic Sketch Marker kit and a 5" x 7" Bristol Board sketchbook, and I enjoyed it immensely.

The coolest, most inspiring place we visited along the way was Bent's Old Fort in Colorado.  The adobe walls and handmade, authentic furnishings made me fairly ache with the desire to pioneer somewhere.  

The kit was made up of only 24 colors, which in marker-land is only a few, and a handful of drawing pens.  The markers were much easier to use as we drove than a cup of water, paintbrush and palette.  I had to improvise for colors I hadn't brought, which was pretty fun, and it felt playful and creative.  No pressure to create mini-masterpieces.  For me, that's a biggie.

This was fun to do as we went through different states, highlighting things that struck me about each area.

When I began playing with the Copics, I couldn't find many examples of them as "sketching" tools for art (or journaling), although that's what they are billed as.  However, there are thousands of examples of them used for manga illustration-type stuff, fashion design, architectural design and fantasy works.  I'm just using them a little differently than most, I guess.

Although I would like to add Mt. Rushmore on the left side, I haven't had a chance to yet.  I'll remember this trip with my little sketches much better than I would with a piece of stuff to own from a gift shop.  Fun times, great memories.  

The kit was portable and lightweight, as well.  Sitting in the car, at a table or outside, it was easy to use and easier to cleanup.  I will use them like this again.  Big win in my book.  Yay, Copic!

Thanks for stopping by- Alice