Traveling Artist Creatively Documents His Adventures in Visually Exciting Sketchbooks

Creative Travel Sketchbooks by Jose Naranja

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By drawing in sketchbooks, artists can collect their ideas and record their creative process. For José Naranja, his archive of Moleskine notebooks also serve another purpose. Since 2005, the Spanish artist has been documenting his travels with eclectic entries of hand-written notes, watercolor drawings, and additional ephemera that he picks up at each destination.

These small journals offer an intimate view of Naranja's journeys around the world. He includes sketches of many different subjects, ranging from architecture to maps to prints. Additionally, Naranja will find small souvenirs from different locals, such as stamps and postcards, that he can pair with his own notes.

Naranja's travels understandably slowed down during the COVID-19 pandemic, but recently he has been able to visit Asia again. While his sketches are wonderful to look at, what's most interesting is seeing the parts of travel that intrigue him most. Naranja describes his work as “a vault of dreams, ideas, and experiences.”

Follow Naranja on Instagram for daily updates from his sketchbooks.

Artist José Naranja captures his travels in creative journals.

Travel Sketchbooks by José Naranja

Travel Sketchbooks by José Naranja

He documents different destinations by adding watercolor sketches and ephemera to the pages.

Creative Travel Sketchbooks by Jose Naranja

Creative Travel Sketchbooks by Jose Naranja

These entries are sometimes accompanied by notes of his journeys.

Travel Sketchbooks by José Naranja

Naranja enjoys visiting Asia, in particular.

Creative Travel Sketchbooks by Jose Naranja

Travel Sketchbooks by José Naranja

He has been to Vietnam, Thailand, and other countries.

Creative Travel Sketchbooks by Jose Naranja

Travel Sketchbooks by José Naranja

Regardless of his destination, each page of his bountiful sketchbooks is a feast for the eyes.

Travel Sketchbooks by José Naranja

José Naranja: Blog | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by José Naranja.

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Margherita Cole

Margherita Cole is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met and illustrator based in Southern California. She holds a BA in Art History with a minor in Studio Art from Wofford College, and an MA in Illustration: Authorial Practice from Falmouth University in the UK. She wrote and illustrated an instructional art book about how to draw cartoons titled 'Cartooning Made Easy: Circle, Triangle, Square' that was published by Walter Foster in 2022.
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