How Travel Influences My Art (and Can Influence Yours!)
One thing that has been a big part of my life, since childhood, is travel. My mother, grandparents, and I would go on at least one family road trip every summer to a new destination within the United States. Being from Kansas, we were smack dab in the middle of the country, which had its pros and cons. We could basically drive anywhere in the country, but we had to drive through a lot of states to get there. My family is the type that likes to stop and sight-see along the way which always makes for a fun and interesting adventure. I still try to travel this way today, trying to discover the hidden enclaves across America along my journey.
My travels have been an inspiration toward my creativity so much because of the uniqueness of the American landscapes I have visited. Our country is so vast and the terrain changes on a dime as you are driving through it. It’s the childlike wonder that comes upon me when I drive from grasslands and prairies into the mountains or desert. I guess any kind of terrain with a little elevation can get you excited when you are from the flattest state in the country. I find the changing colors and the immense detail of every inch of landscape inspires me and I see it as a challenge to recreate.
Travel Journal
Over my past few vacations, I have started a new art practice as well as a way to document my journey. On my vacations, I bring with me a small sketchbook that I can put in any kind of bag, and my favorite tool to draw with, a black micron pen. I take about 5 minutes out of my day to just sit somewhere beautiful and do a quick sketch of what I see. This type of practice I have found allows me to take in my surroundings and really analyze and appreciate them during my busy travel itinerary. Not only this, but it serves as a creative way for me to look back at my vacation and remember the places I have been.
What I Look for When I am Taking Photos
A lot of my landscape paintings are inspired by photos I have taken on my travels. Drawing in my travel journal is a good way to quickly analyze and record beautiful scenes, but I put a little bit more thought into the composition of something I may want to turn into a painting.
When I am looking at a vast landscape of, say the red rocks in Sedona, I try and find a focal point. In that example, that focal point might be a specific peek or mesa. I want to have a point of interest in the photo I am taking so all of the elements don’t get lost. Personally, when I don’t have a focal point in my reference photo to grab onto, I can get lost in all of the little details when it is time to paint. I also think it just makes for a more interesting composition overall.
The Process - From Photo to Painting
So imagine this, I just went on a vacation to an amazing destination and took TONS of photos. Now where to start when it comes to translating one of those into a painting? One of the elements of the photos I will focus on, is composition like I mentioned before. The next thing that helps me choose what I want to paint, is color. I am prone to being drawn to specific color palettes but that just comes with my style! I love working with reds (if you couldn’t tell from the photo and painting you see above). I also am very drawn to complementary colors, or you could call them opposite colors. Using colors that really contrast with each other allows a painting to really pop out and demand to be noticed!
If you are interested in having me transform one of your beloved travel photos into a beautiful original piece of artwork, head to my commissions page and we will get the ball rolling!
You can also checkout art prints and wall art decor I have made from my travel inspirations here.