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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.
He documents different destinations by adding watercolor sketches and ephemera to the pages.
These entries are sometimes accompanied by notes of his journeys.
Naranja enjoys visiting Asia, in particular.
He has been to Vietnam, Thailand, and other countries.
Regardless of his destination, each page of his bountiful sketchbooks is a feast for the eyes.
José Naranja: Blog | Facebook | Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by José Naranja.
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