As a digital nomad, I never hop on a plane without pencil and paper.
Heres why you shouldnt either.
Fortunately, there was an elderly lady nearby selling hot coffee and empanadas.
A traveler sketching an italian scene in Via del Laghetto, Italy.Credit:Gary Yeowell/Getty Images
Unfortunately, she told me thatbecause it was Sundaythere were no busses going back into town.
The walk over here had taken me three hours, trudging uphill on a gravel road.
Now, it was getting dark, and the cold Andean winds were starting to blow colder still.
Sketches of the Bucharest, Romania and Cuenca, Equador.Courtesy of Tim Brinkhof
Then, just as I had mentally prepared myself to camp between the bushes, a car appeared.
No money, he said.
But maybe it’s possible for you to draw my portrait?
Mini sketches of travels from around the world.Courtesy of Tim Brinkhof
Instead, I make drawings.
Well, you’re able to.
And heres why you should.
Sketches of faces from travels.Courtesy of Tim Brinkhof
Better still was the smile on her face that appeared after I left her some of my art supplies.
Speaking of memories, thats exactly what sketches are.
More than collections of artworks, sketchbooks are diaries without words.
They also encourage you to appreciate the little things.
Artists, the old saying goes, find beauty everywhere they go.
That said, you dont need to be a professional artist to start sketching.
I myself have never taken an art course and draw purely for the fun of it.
Instead, you want to depict the world as you see it.
Nothing in life goes exactly according to plannot your trips, not your drawings.
But thats what makes them enjoyable.
