The tale of the Sketchbook

Depressed at the realisation that I could not actually afford to buy postcards on my budget, I became inspired by this blog: http://drawntheroadagain.com/ where this incredibly talented traveler Chandler takes a sketch book with him wherever he goes and then publishes his pictures on his blog. I decided to lay a challenge for myself - if I could find both a sketch pad and sketching pencils for under CH5 (approx US$5 - a big challenge in Switzerland!) then I would begin to sketch each place I go rather than buying postcards. Bringing a sketchpad would add weight to my bag, but it would be well worth it in the end!

I went to my favourite budget supermarket Migros and after some hunting, I managed to find a very basic plain pad and a set of four pencils ranging 2H to 2B, all for CH4.10! I was amazed. And thus, I began my new 'tradition' of sketching each place I go. 

I did a few sketches and noticed that already my precious Migros sketchpad was falling apart. I was unperturbed and determined - somehow or another my sketchpad would survive the entire trip!

A couple of days later my host family put on a goodbye breakfast for me, it was so lovely, and they surprised me with a present - a beautiful moleskin sketchbook! A proper one that won't fall apart! And they bought me an eraser, pencil sharpener, pencil case and high quality watercolour colouring pencils! Was I spoiled or what?! So the following pictures were taken from my Migros sketch pad, but all drawings from now on will be in my beautiful new sketchpad! 

View from the foot of my bed at the Chalet

View out my window

View from the river near the Chalet 

View out my window in Lausanne

The table on Swiss National Day, August 1st.

I think sketching will be great for me as I travel because it will make me slow down and pause for a while, to enjoy my surroundings more and to be more observant of the little things. I hope that it will open my eyes to see more as I travel to these different and majestic places.