For more than thirty years, I’ve carried journals with me wherever I travel. Because journals never exhibit well in real art galleries, I created Galeryst to exhibit my journals after scanning in over 1,000 pages during the pandemic. I try to bring a journal wherever I go – it is a part of me.
Some are filled with quick sketches made while waiting for trains. Others contain watercolor paintings, photographs, ticket stubs, maps, notes, and observations collected along the way. Together they form a visual record of places I’ve visited, people I’ve met, and moments I might otherwise have forgotten.
Unlike photographs stored on a phone, an illustrated travel journal requires us to slow down.
When we sketch a building, paint a landscape, or write about an experience, we engage with the world differently. We notice details. We pay attention to light, texture, color, and atmosphere. We become participants rather than spectators.
Over the years, my journals have become some of my most treasured possessions. They are not simply records of trips; they are creative artifacts that capture what it felt like to be there.
One of my favorite approaches is combining multiple forms of storytelling on a single page. A sketch can sit beside a map fragment. A watercolor painting can share space with a photograph, a train ticket, or handwritten notes. The result is a layered visual narrative that tells a richer story than any single medium could tell on its own.
Many artists already keep sketchbooks. An illustrated travel journal takes that practice a step further by incorporating memory, place, and personal experience into the creative process.
That is the focus of my upcoming workshop, The Illustrated Travel Journal, which I will be teaching at La Romita School of Art in Umbria, Italy from April 2–12, 2027.
Over ten days, participants will explore historic towns, landscapes, and cultural sites throughout Umbria while learning techniques for:
- Urban sketching on location
- Watercolor and line-and-wash painting
- Visual storytelling
- Mixed media and collage
- Incorporating maps, photographs, and ephemera
- Designing compelling journal spreads
- Developing a sustainable travel journaling practice
The workshop combines field excursions with studio instruction and is designed for artists who want to expand their creative toolbox while creating a meaningful record of their travels.
Whether your goal is to improve your sketching skills, become more confident with watercolor, or simply discover a new way of experiencing the world, illustrated journaling offers a powerful creative practice that continues long after the trip is over.
If you’ve ever looked through an old journal and been transported back to a moment you thought you’d forgotten, you already understand its value.
The pages become more than paper.
They become a place you can return to.
The Illustrated Travel Journal
April 2–12, 2027
La Romita School of Art, Umbria, Italy
Early registration is now open:
https://laromita.org/program/michael-scherotter-the-illustrated-travel-journal/
