The Paris Workshop in October was sooooooooo much fun and we just barely managed to scrape the "tip of the tower" as the city was jam-packed with places to see and visit and absorb and feel and taste and, and, and...

So I'm going back via an Imaginary Trip! This time around I'll be using my own photographs and I'll be showing you how I take a half finished sketchbook and begin to fill in the missing pieces, finish up pages that still need some polish and shine as well as capture some thoughts about what a magnificent place this was to visit!

An Imaginary Trip To Paris, Part 2 will launch on February 7th! It will contain four assignments along with lots of peeks into my sketchbook. I'll be working on adding more sketches as well as finishing you many of the pages I started and filling up some of the blank pages I left.

If you'd like to join in the fun, please click HERE to learn all of the details of the online class. 

Actually, I think it's time for two BRAND NEW Imaginary Trips To Paris!


As most of you know, I'll be getting on a plane to Paris in a little over two months...squeeee! I am so excited and I want to share my excitement with all of you as well. (There's still time and a few spaces if you want to come to Paris, too! Click here to get the details.)

To make the trip last longer and so you can come and play too, I've put together two trips—one before I go and the other after I return!

In the first Imaginary Trip To Paris!, we'll be visiting some of the city's famous iconic sites. We'll delve into the rich lives of Parisians along with how they travel in style as well as the cuisine. This class starts on Thursday, August 23rd! To learn more and sign up for special savings, please click here. 

Prepping For Paris: Choosing A Journal can be found here.

Prepping For Paris: Choosing Art Supplies can be found here.

Extra-Special Items You Might Want To Bring
Getting ready to go to Paris or anywhere really, especially when you fly, is a matter of making choices based on how much you use an item, how much use you get out of an item and how much room you have in your luggage!

For me, extra-special items usually have to meet a few requirements or they get to stay home in the studio. I generally ask 3 questions:

• Does the item or tool have more than one use? 
• How much does it weigh/how much space does it take up (and can either be reduced)? 
• Do I already use it in my journaling when I am close to home or at home?

I used washi on the page above to add a spark of interest

A variety of papers in different shapes can add a lot of pizzaz to your journal pages!

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To learn more about this image and what's in it, click here

Part One: Packing Art Supplies WITHOUT Taking The Whole Studio
Long years ago, I packed a BOX of Art Supplies to take on a seven day road trip to Tennessee with my husband. (Note the emphasis on box and art supplies.) The image above is NOT from that box, but it will give you an idea of what I took!

A BOX. As in the BOX was 12" W x 18" T x 6" D and I crammed it full of all the Art Supplies I thought I could possible need or want, things I didn't even normally use in my studio at home because you never know, right? I had extra paper and all kinds of markers, pens, watercolor pencils, traditional brushes, rubber stamps, glue, masking fluid, a mask remover, a special brush for applying the masking fluid AND soap for cleaning the special brush.

And do you know what happened?

I did not open the box the entire trip.

Not once.

I maybe sketched twice?

Colossal fail.

Fast forward a few years and we went back. This time, I managed to get it down to a bag of Art Supplies. The bag was bigger than my regular purse and I crammed it full of all kinds of Art Supplies that I could possibly imagine needing.

Mind you, we were going to Tennessee, not a third world country.

I did manage to sketch and paint that trip, but I didn't use anything but my normal kit the entire trip. No glue was needed, no masking fluid was applied or removed, no watercolor pencil applied, no stamps stamped. Nada.

Now go back and re-read these first few paragraphs substituting the word FEAR for Art Supplies.

Because that's what I packed—FEAR in the disguise of Art Supplies.

Entering The Unknown
When we don't know what we're doing (or we don't do an activity often enough to develop any confidence) and we're "expecting" to come home with a visual record of our travels, we tend to want to stack the outcome in our favor as much as possible and that translates to taking every possible Art Supply we could conceivably need because we're afraid of failing.

Because we wouldn't want anyone to know we didn't know what we were doing (gasp!) or that it was the first (or third or eighth) time we tried to sketch on location (gulp!) or the purpose of the entire trip we took just so we could sketch (eek!), would we?!

And if we came home without a sketchbook full of adorable pages of sketch after perfect sketch, then we would have failed, wouldn't we?

And if this happened because we didn't have the one exact art supply we needed because we left it in our studios, then the failure would be our fault, wouldn't it?

Can you see how slippery the slope becomes and how easily things can spiral out of control when fear is woven through our thought process?

I can remember being in my studio and looking at an item while thinking, "well, I haven't used this in six months (or ever) but you never know, I might need it. I want to be prepared!" and then I chucked it into the box.

I lugged approximately 20 pounds worth of art supplies (fear) that never saw the light of day the entire time we were gone.

Not once did I open the box.

Fear's job is to keep you "safe" and fear has become a master at disguising itself in clever ways (extra art supplies, anyone?) so it can do that job. Make no mistake, fear is determined and sneaky. It will hitch a ride any way it can to keep you "safe."

Your job is to recognize the fear before you drag it around the world with you!

To Truly Stack The Outcome In Your Favor...
If you really want to stack the outcome in favor of you coming home with that adorable sketchbook full of sketch after perfect sketch, I suggest the following:


I know, that's not a lot of fun. We all have dreams of creating these phenomenal pages using all these specialty supplies while on location and some artists do...those that draw, sketch, paint and create on location on a very regular basis.

They've honed their process so that they know what they need and they take very few "extras" because they know what they need to create.

There is something to be said for only having what you need as this bring a certain magic into play when we consciously choose to limit our choices. Remember, not only are you going to sketch, you're going to "see" a new location, to experience the culture and to take in as much as you can.

While making art is a top priority list while traveling, it's not the only priority on the list and if we make the art-making process too difficult by overwhelming ourselves with choices, then it is likely the process will suffer, if not break down all together.

To learn more about this image, click here

Keep It Simple
1. Choose a sketchbook that is appropriate for your chosen medium. In this case, I'm going to use watercolor as an example.
2. Choose a lightweight palette* and fill the wells full. Give the pigments plenty of time to firm up by doing this a couple of weeks ahead of your departure date...nobody likes to open their palette and find their paint ran everywhere! If you already have a palette you use on location, top off the wells and use that. If you are setting up a brand new palette, be sure to set the pigments up in the same order as your usual palette so you are not scrambling to learn the new layout while on location.
*Do not, under any circumstances, take a palette or any art supply that has great sentimental value or cannot be easily replaced. It's not worth the grief if something happens to the item while you're traveling.
3. Two identical**, large-tipped waterbrushes (if you use them) as well as two identical**, small-tipped waterbrushes. I recommend taking them out for a spin BEFORE leaving to make sure they work properly and do not leak.
4. Choose two identical** mechanical pencils, two pens** with permanent ink in whatever colors you normally sketch with and or two most common nib sizes you use. Limit yourself to no more than eight pens in a variety of colors and nib sizes. Make sure the pencil has plenty of lead and a new or nearly full eraser. Make sure all of the pens work well on the paper in your sketchbook and that they are permanent on that paper.
**A plus of having identical waterbrushes is that if you run out of water in one brush, you can switch the tip to the full handle of water in another brush and continue sketching without having to find a water source. Also, if one tool breaks, becomes damaged or stop working, you have an identical item for backup.
5. A kneaded eraser or a white eraser that will not mar the paper.
6. A ruler that is no larger than six inches in length and there is a bonus if it's clear.
7. Two white gel pens with non-water resistant ink and two white "ink" or paint pens with permanent ink.
8. Paper towels or a wrist band to wipe your paint on and a pack of facial tissues.

And that's it. That is all you really need. Because these are the tools you are most familiar with, you will not be struggling to not only learn how to use a new tool but also create in the moment while you're on location. (Now, is that all you're going to take? Not likely, but that's another post!)

Make A Test Run
Before the trip arrives, pack your kit. Set out your "must-haves" (journal, pigments, pens, pencils, etc.) and fit them into the bag or pack you plan on using on your trip. Once everything is in there, including any extras like your phone, camera, keys, lip gloss, glasses, etc., lug it around with you for a day. Even better, take it out and use it a time or two.

If your neck and or shoulders begin to hurt, look for ways to lighten the pack by either carrying less or by finding lighter items.

Likely Culprits

• Leather bags and leather covered journals are beautiful, but they are heavy and they'll triple their weight by the end of the day! Only you can decide if it's worth it to lug those items around. The same could be said for large journals (8 x 10 inches and larger).
• Question every item in your pack and make sure you absolutely need it. Consolidate items where possible rather than taking two or three different organizational containers.
• Metal palettes are great, but they are much heavier than plastic. However, paints do behave differently on each surface. If you're used to and happy with metal, take the metal but see what else you can remove to make the kit lighter. 
• Check to see if there are any items you can take with you, but not haul around daily (like duplicate items—with the exception of waterbrushes, I leave the duplicates in my room). You likely will not need two black pens, two red pens and two blue pens for one day of sketching. Take only one size and color of each pen (the size/color you use most) and add any additional pen work when you get back to your stash. 
• If you're traveling with a partner, see if you can figure out a buddy system for those extra, nice-to-haves-but-not-need-to-have items. This can cut down the amount of weight you're both carrying. 
• If you already know you will have trouble with your neck and shoulders, pare down your kit to the most basic you can make it...one pencil and one pen along with loose pieces of paper cut down to the size of your sketchbook. Leave the palette and sketchbook back in your room. Add paint later. Glue the paper into your final sketchbook when you're done. It's not worth missing out on the trip because of the pain!

Those Special Extras
In the next "Prepping For Paris" post, I'll be discussing those "extra special items" to take with you and I'm going to leave you with a question to ponder...what item or items would you likely use on a trip that would make it worth hauling them (weight-wise and space-wise because they will be taking up space in your luggage!)?

A sampling of the sketchbooks I've made or used

Choosing a sketchbook is (or should be, in my opinion) as important as buying a pair of shoes you can wear all day long, every day you're on a trip. It will be your daily companion and there are few things worse than being stuck with a lousy companion made of crummy paper! It's worth it to make sure you will like your choice long before you leave. 

One of the cool things about planning out a trip to Paris so far in advance is that I have plenty of time to start playing with my sketchbook NOW rather than just before time to go. The image above shows my layout plans for my new sketchbook cover with the finished item at the top right.

I knew early on that I would be making a sketchbook to take to Paris as I wanted to play around with a variety of page configurations and I LOVE square format sketchbooks. I also wanted control over my paper choice. Using Moulin du Roy 140 lb. CP paper, I have already torn down four signatures of four pages each. The pages all have different folds and some of are different size though the overall size of the sketchbook pages is 5.75 x 5.5 inches. The cover is 6.25 x 6 inches...not quite square, but close enough!

Flexibility
The reason I make the sketchbook cover SEPARATE from the signatures is because I can easily take the pages or signatures in and out of the book. If I don't want to carry the entire sketchbook, I can remove a section. If—heaven forbid—I were to lose my sketchbook, there's a good chance I would not lose everything.

The other reason I like this layout is because it allows me to pull individual pages in and out to work on rather than try and rustle with a whole book. Once the signatures are bound, this won't be possible, but until they are it makes working much easier. The elastic loops securely hold the pages in place. Also, because I've been adding a lot of "extra" items (maps, stickers, stamps, ephemera, etc.) If the sketchbook gets too bulky to handle easily, I can slip a section out of the book.

Once my pages are complete (after I return from Paris), it may be that I didn't use all the pages/signatures I expected to. I can use these books in a different sketchbook. I have the option of binding the completed signatures into a more permanent cover (which is my plan) or I can continue to use the sketchbook cover you see in the images.

I used this system way back in 2014 on my trip to Acadia National Park and it worked tremendously well. You can see the leather cover I made for that trip here and read about it as well.

Leather vs. Material
When I started to plan out my journal cover, I was going to use leather and even made a leather cover. However, there are some advantages of using material over leather:

• Pockets - It's pretty easy to sew a pocket onto a piece of material. Leather is a bit more challenging. The pocket allows me to carry a few pieces of ephemera, tracing paper, etc. and it's an excellent place to tuck items away until I can add glue them to the page. I only added one, but it would be fairly simple to add one to the front of the cover if you so chose. 
• Pen Loop - You can buy a clip that has a pen loop to use with a leather cover, but they're metal and they add weight to the sketchbook. With the fabric, I incorporated a piece of elastic into the seam. The weight is negligible and it is more secure.
• Speaking of Weight - Leather weighs substantially more than material and if I'm going to lug this sketchbook all over Paris along with my other art supplies and a cell phone and umbrella and so on, I want to stay as light as I possible can. By saving an ounce or two here and another over there, I'm saving my neck and shoulders a lot of stress and strain. 

How Did I Do It?
If you have basic sewing skills and a sewing machine, it's not hard to create a cover to your specifications. I read a lot of posts and watched a lot of videos on how to make a DIY fauxdori sketchbook cover, DIY Traveler's Notebook, and other combinations. There are a host of posts out there. Some of them do not require sewing.

Because I wanted a bit more structure to my sketchbook cover, I combined two ideas to make mine. You can see them here and here. I wanted a spine, but I wanted the soft flexibility of the DIY Traveler's Notebook cover.

The size, the number of signatures and so on are completely customizable so you can create a sketchbook that is uniquely your!

Are YOU Coming To Paris?!
Would you like to?! You know you want to! I am so looking forward to going to Paris. It's been a pleasure to start working on this project already. My sense of anticipation has already started to build as I learn and read and sketch. By the time I return home, I hope to have a sketchbook worthy of my experiences while I'm in the City of Light. I would LOVE to help you create a sketchbook that captures your love or travel and art into a sketchbook you'll cherish for years.

A small group of artists will be joining me and we'll be exploring Paris off the beaten path as well as some of the iconic sites. I will be providing spontaneous demos each day based on where we are and what we see. I will also be available to guide you and answer questions as you capture your memories and create a sketchbook like no other! I hope you'll come and join the fun! Come and check out all the details here and here.

Even though I won't actually go to Paris until October, I want to maximize my anticipation of the trip by working in my sketchbook NOW!

The image above is the cover page of the sketchbook I'll be taking to Paris in October. I created an image in Photoshop using the leaf I had previously painted, some French ephemera and some indicia stamps. I then used gel medium to transfer the image to my sketchbook page.

The sketchbook is one I'm making and the page is 5.75 inches square. It's made from 140 lb. CP Moulin du Roy watercolor paper. I'm loving this paper! It's easy to work on and it folds nicely for a bound sketchbook.

Transferred images are not hard to do if you A) practice first and B) have plenty of patience. There are directions all over the internet if you're interested in giving it a whirl. Just be sure to give the gel plenty of time to dry and be very gentle when you go to remove the paper fibers!

Expect and embrace some imperfections in the image. (I've never had one to come out spot-on perfect.) In this case, the little things that went wrong add to the aged look of the letters behind the leaf.  I did one other version which had a different stamp on it and my impatience cost me the page as I lifted the paper before the transfer was completely dry. It lifted the stamp and left a gaping whole in the image.

While this isn't something I'd likely try while traveling, it is fun to do to build up my enjoyment and anticipation of the trip. By creating NOW rather than waiting until time to go, I'm able to work past the "white page paralysis" of a new journal and I'm keeping my sketching skills sharp.

Examples of other pages I intend to create include what I'm learning about Paris, books I've read, movies and shows I've watched about Paris, what I'm packing, my art kit, frequently used French words and so on. I also want to get out and do some sketching at the local coffee shop as a way to acclimate myself to sketching around people more.

Interested in joining me in October? There are still a few spots left for this workshop but it is beginning to fill! If you're thinking this is the trip for you, please sign up soon. Click the Paris link at the top of this page or click here for more info!

Have a question? Leave me a comment or use the Contact form at the top of the page!

It's entirely possible, maybe even probable, that I have all things Paris on the brain these days since I'll be going to teach a Travel and Art Workshop there in October 2018! And what could be more Parisian than the Eiffel Tower?

Along with having Paris on the brain, it seems I have the holidays on my mind as well and what could be more fun than rendering the tower as a gingerbread cookie?!

French tradition calls for placing special treats into a shoe or shoes left by the fireplace. However, I couldn't make up my mind on what kind of shoe to have, so I went back to the traditional stocking instead. Once I chose the stocking, it seemed only fitting to fill it with delectable treats, art supplies and useful things for a trip to Paris (maps, passport and boarding passes)!

Then I decided you all needed to share in the fun and joy with me. So I created a FREE TUTORIAL over at The Imaginary Realm!


The Tutorial also serves as a free preview of the holiday class, 'Tis The Season, where we'll be exploring a holiday theme each month through 2018. If this sounds like fun, you can find more info HERE.

I hope you will come and join the fun, both in Paris and the holiday class!

Exploring Ideas

Building a sketchbook, or modifying one I've purchased, is part of the fun when I'm planning a trip like Paris 2018. (Wanna come to Paris, too? Click the link!) After all, why wait until the month before we leave to start playing with our art supplies? I'm ready to go now, but since that isn't possible, I can start preparing.

The system I used when I went to Acadia National Park was one of the most successful systems I've used for travel. (You can read about it here.) It involves creating a leather cover and signatures of the pages separately. The signatures are held in the leather cover via elastic bands like a Midori Traveler's Notebook. Once the trip and pages are complete, everything is bound into a permanent book with a nice cover if I choose or I can leave them in the leather cover.

Second Arrangement

I liked the system because I have a lot of flexibility to change the order of the pages and the ability to add in a page if I needed. It also saved a lot of wear and tear on what would be the final cover. One of the other BIG reasons I like doing it this way is a little scary to mention, but this is it—if I should lose my sketchbook or it became damaged, chances are good I would only lose the pages currently in the sketchbook because I won't carry all the completed sections with me each day I'm in exploring Paris.

In the images above, I have stamped out a variety of stamps on paper and then cut them out so I can arrange them in a bazillion ways on top of the paper that represents the overall size of my sketchbook. Until I find the combination and layout I want, I'll continue to push the pieces around.  

Once I discover the winning combination for the leather cover, I will use permanent ink to stamp them onto the leather and I'll share that part of the process with you in case you're interested in building your own system.

Since the trip is still ten months out, I have plenty of time to explore these ideas and make the sketchbook. If I was boarding a plane next week, I'd be going in a completely different direction with either a book I've already made or altering the cover of a purchased sketchbook.

Do you prefer to make your own sketchbook or do you use one you've purchased?

If you happen to have missed the news, I am going to be doing an Art Workshop in Paris next October with Blue Walk Tours, and I've been talking about it a lot...

Okay, more like non-stop because I am so, so excited for the opportunity and because, well, it's Paris!

I have been thrilled by the enthusiastic and excited response the trip has received. It seems like Paris is on everyone's bucket list even if they've already been there!

Talking about the going to the City of Light to sketch and to explore the city through a sketchbook has brought out a number of hesitant questions from some of the artists interested in going and I thought it might be helpful to address a few of them here in case these same questions are in your mind.

How good of a sketcher do I have to be? Because I'm really not all that good and I don't know if I'm ready. 

Being "good enough" is a minefield of doubt and insecurity and while we've all been there at some point, there's no need to worry. Rather than worrying about being good enough, I like to focus on the incredible learning opportunities that always happen when you're surrounded by like-minded people, a teacher (me!) and immersed in a location with art and sketching on your mind! There will inspiration around every corner, literally!

I'll be with you throughout each day providing on-the-spot demos based on our views as well as to help you whenever you need me. There will also be a workbook full of ideas with tips and techniques to help you with this trip. (I'll also let you in on a secret...another cool thing about this trip is that it will begin long before we ever step foot in France! We'll have time to get started on filling the pages of our sketchbooks well before we leave for the actual trip.)

Part of the success of keeping a sketchbook while traveling is setting realistic expectations. We each know what our skill level is and everybody (yes, everybody!) wants to be able to come home with a sketchbook full of art that's worthy of a spot in the Louvre. Whether this happens or not, isn't really the point of sketching on the location. At least, it never has been for me though occasionally, I have to remind myself of that fact. It's really about capturing more of the experience than I can with just a camera and I assure can you, I cherish those pages no matter what my skill level was at the time!

You will remember so much more than you ever thought possible when you include pieces of art on your pages. Pages that don't live up to your expectations—at the time—become invaluable because they still serve as a portal back to those memories! Even simple doodles can go a long ways towards capturing the memories you will make during your visit.

As for being ready...I suppose it's like most things: even if you're not, you'll find a way because you are a most capable, flexible, intelligent artist and nothing will stop you!

I don't really know how to draw. I do a lot of tracing. Is that a problem?

Because we're going to be out and about and exploring Paris rather than sitting in a classroom setting, it's going to be difficult to do any tracing. That said, the beauty of announcing the trip a year in advance is so that it possible to start learning how to draw NOW long before the trip rolls around next year! There are a number of classes available online that teach you the basics. There are books at the library and you might even check with some of your local groups for opportunities to meet up and sketch in your town.

If not, I have recommended for years to sketch FROM LIFE for 15 minutes a day. It's not so much what you sketch, but that you sketch everyday. Start with a cup or a box. Sketch it each day for 15 minutes. Once you feel you've mastered the view, change it, add an item or sketch a different object. Once this becomes comfortable, trying adding the environment around the object. Rather than just drawing a mug, draw the table it's sitting on. Next time, draw the mug, table and the window behind it.

By sketching daily or near daily, you increase your visual vocabulary and you'll find that the skills you learned drawing the mug transfer to drawing a column or a vase of flowers. The box can easily become a building and so on.

Work in pen rather than pencil to learn faster (if we know we can erase and correct, we tend to not look as carefully or closely). Sketch what interests you to keep going and make it fun. Tempt yourself with images of Paris. If you start on a sketch that you really like, keep going past the 15 minutes and see where it takes you!

I've never sketched everyday for a week before. Don't you get overwhelmed or tired?

It is entirely possible to get overwhelmed when sketching on location but it's not likely to happen on this trip! The wonderful folks at the Blue Walk have set up a variety of activities for us that will include learning about the various neighborhoods in Paris, some fabulous sightseeing along with liberal indulging in coffees, pastries and shopping.

There will also be plenty of chances to look over each other's kits and sketchbooks, learn about one another's favorite tools and to sit together and work on our pages. With this said, if you still feel overwhelmed, there's flexibility built into our trip to allow you some downtime to do with whatever you'd like so you can come back to the page fresh and ready!

How physical is this trip?

There will be walking. A lot of walking, actually, as that's really the best way to see and learn about a new place. When we're driving a vehicle, we must watch the traffic. When we're a passenger, we have limited views and limited time in which to see. When we're riding a bike, we still have to pay attention to our surroundings and where we are going so as not to drive into anyone or anything.

By walking, you're view is mostly unlimited. By walking, you can pause to really see. By walking, you engage all of your senses rather than just your eyes. You can hear the voices and languages spoken by other passersby, you can feel the breeze or sun upon your skin, and you can smell the delectable aromas coming from the restaurant up ahead.

While there will be a lot of walking, the trip is at a leisurely pace with the intent that you enjoy yourself! Our days will be liberally sprinkled with plenty of visits to cafés and stops along the way to sketch the views. Again, due to the flexibility built into our days, there will be opportunities to catch your breath before we venture forth again.

I'm a little nervous to go on a trip with a group of people I don't know. What can I do to overcome this?

It never fails to fascinate me how fast folks bond over mutual interests like art, sketching and a fantastic place like Paris! It doesn't take any time at all before the group becomes a whole with plenty of laughter and cutting up. There will be moments of sheer hilarity that no one else will get (because they weren't there) as well as bonding over similar experiences from our pasts and our visit to Paris. Chances are outstanding for you'll come home with brand new friends that you'll have long past our visit.

In more practical terms, you will also have the opportunity to become acquainted with the other travelers in our group before we meet up in the hotel for the first time. Remember the secret I mentioned above? That's how will start to get to know each other before we go.

What questions do you have?

Do you have questions about going to Paris for a week? You can learn all about the trip here. If so, please feel free to ask in the comments below or drop me an email. You can also contact me via the contact form here. If not, it won't be long until it's time to...