The Art of the Travel Journal
Chronicle Your Life with Drawing, Painting, Lettering, and Mixed Media
Filled with illustrated examples, charming anecdotes, and eye-catching colors, Abbey Sy’s newest book is a comprehensive guide to creating an artful travel journal.
Sy’s book includes a mix of general journaling ideas, travel tips, and specific art lessons, as on how to create a mini watercolor palette for on-the-go. These lessons are laid out with clear instructions and pictures for each step.
The book is divided into eight accessible sections: an introduction, five chapters about starting and creating a travel journal, and a gallery of “guest artists” who also journal. Social media handles are included, making further exploration of the artists’ work easy. A glossary at the front of the book gives definitions of the journaling terms used throughout. Brief paragraphs about the history of travel and journaling are a fun snapshot into how both have evolved.
The importance of creativity and exploration within art is a major focus of the text, but some of its ideas, as on the importance of choosing a good medium, are repeated without necessity. Most pages achieve a good balance of text, photographs, and illustrations, making the book pleasant for both in-depth reading and casual perusal. The wide array of pictures represents a plethora of styles, colors, and thematic examples for a journal—something Sy covers in-depth in the “Journal Spread Ideas” section.
Even as the book offers instruction, Sy’s personality shines through. She shares how journaling helped her battle perfectionism, relates her style preferences, and recalls some of her favorite travel memories, all while reminding her audience that there is no one right way to journal.
The Art of the Travel Journal is an instructional art book whose cheerful aesthetic and accessible instructions are sure to kindle a creative spark.
Reviewed by
Vivian Turnbull
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
