✏️ How to Start a Travel Sketchbook (Even If You’re Afraid to Draw)

Have you ever bought a sketchbook, opened the first page… and then quietly closed it again. Not because you didn’t want to draw—but because you were afraid to ruin it.

I know that feeling very well.

For a long time, I believed every page had to be perfect. I would spend more time thinking about what to draw than actually drawing. And when I finally started, I was so careful that the joy disappeared.

But everything changed when I started using my sketchbook differently—not as a place to create perfect art, but as a place to capture moments.

And that’s exactly what a travel sketchbook can be.

🌿 What Is a Travel Sketchbook, Really?

A travel sketchbook is not about creating finished illustrations.

It’s a visual diary.

A place where you:

• Capture what you see

• Record how you feel

• Collect small, everyday moments

It can be:

• A quick sketch of your coffee

• A street corner

• A view from a window

• A simple note about your day

It doesn’t need to be impressive—it just needs to be yours.

💭 “But I’m Not Good at Drawing…”

Let me gently challenge that.

You don’t need to be “good” at drawing to start a travel sketchbook. What you need is the willingness to show up and observe.

Your sketchbook is not for other people.

It’s not for social media.

It’s for you.

And the truth is—those imperfect, slightly wonky sketches?

They often hold more meaning than the “perfect” ones.

✏️ A Simple Way to Start (No Overthinking)

If you’re feeling stuck, start here:

1. Choose One Simple Subject

Look around you right now.

It could be:

• Your cup of tea

• A chair

• Your view from the window

Keep it simple.

2. Use Minimal Materials

You don’t need much:

• A sketchbook

• A pen or pencil

• (Optional) a small watercolour set

That’s it.

The simpler it is, the more likely you are to begin.

3. Draw Quickly

• Give yourself 10–15 minutes.

• Not hours.

• This removes pressure and helps you stay loose.

4. Add a Few Words

• Where you are

• What you’re feeling

• A small detail about the moment

This is what turns your sketch into a memory.

5. Let It Be Imperfect

• This is the most important step.

• Your lines might be shaky.

• Your proportions might be off.

• Your colours might not match.

• Let it happen.

• Because this is where the magic is.

⸻

🌍 You Don’t Need to Travel Far

One of the biggest misconceptions is that you need to be on holiday to start a travel sketchbook.

You don’t.

You can start:

• At home

• In your local café

• In your garden

• On your daily walk

Travel sketching is not about distance—it’s about attention.

🎁 Want a Little Help Getting Started?

If you’re not sure what to draw, I’ve created a free Travel Sketchbook Starter Guide with simple prompts and ideas to help you fill your first pages.

And if you’d like more guidance, inside my course Sketch Your Travels, that will be launching soon, I walk you step by step through building a sketchbook practice with ink, watercolour, and storytelling—without pressure or perfection.

Join the waitlist for my upcoming course and learn how to sketch your travels with confidence, simplicity, and joy.

When you join the waitlist, you’ll receive the Free Travel Sketchbook Starter Guide.

Join the Waitlist Here