a Travel "Log"...

One picture may be worth a thousand words, but a travel log in the old school/old world sense contained much more than a thousand words: Written words and sketches describing history, design, impressions, feelings, inspirations, enlightenment... Above: Photo of the town square in Montepulciano, Italy.

Above: from a daily journal of a ten-day London trip.

Above: Thumbnail sketches in the margin.

Above: Sketches of furnishings along with description of a contemporary restaurant located in the ancient crypt of St. Martin's in the Fields Church in London.

Above: Written description and a sketch of a screen found in a London high-end design housewares shop.

Above: Sketches made in Rome and environs.

Above: Photo of Santorini---a gorgeous town built on a volcano caldera rising up from the sea.

Upon arrival here, I inquired where I could find an art supply store, so I could purchase watercolors---and paint!

I focused in on a similar perspective of this dramatic hillside view, and painted this and one other watercolor in my favorite way---on location...

There's usually so little time to write about our travels or to sketch and paint the things we see. Thank goodness for cameras in recording the images, at least. However, to draw is to truly see. And 90% of drawing is seeing. To write about something is an exploration into understanding.

Above: Watercolor painting view of a church from my perch at the bus stop in Taormina, Sicily---the only painting I completed while on our eight-day group trip to Sicily. We had a couple of hours free from the group tour one afternoon. I took my time to wander the town to find a scene, to sit and paint.

All photography and art work by Toni Youngblood.