'A journey full of colours' – the title of Joel Guevara’s self-published book certainly describes this collection of travel sketches well.
From March 2016 to May 2017, the Paris-based architect from Peru embarked on a journey around the world, taking him from the Americas to Asia, with a couple of stops in Europe, thus fulfilling a long-held desire to travel and sketch.
The result is a collection of 450 drawings in ink and watercolour showing the places he has visited and glimpses of the nomadic life of a travel sketcher.
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| From the top of a building in the district of Castilla, Callao, Lima, Peru |
Leafing through Joel’s book is like leafing through his sketchbooks. The drawings appear in the succession they seem to have been made, unadorned, and accompanied with his hand-written thoughts. His personal style and the comments clearly jotted down in the moment and in the language that suited him best at the time (most are in Spanish or French, with the occasional English), give us a sense of immediacy, of wanting to capture the moment before it disappears.
Starting in Lima with a visit at his grandmother’s and finishing in a cosy interior, Joel is very generous in sharing his world with the reader. The result is a very personal glimpse not only into his journey, but also into his mind and private life.
We have reached out to Joel to tell us more about his journey and process.
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| Waiting for the street show, Valparaiso, Chile |
Editors: Can you give us an overview of what preparation you did leading up to embarking? Did you have a known itinerary before setting out?
Joel Guevara: I only had my one-way ticket. I first visited my family in Lima, Peru. I was thinking about visiting friends I met in Paris who are living in South America now. However, I did not know when I would be going, I wanted to live in the moment, day after day, and be inspired by what I felt like doing at the time.
E: Did you know what you for sure wanted to draw at the different places ahead of time? Or did you choose your subjects once there, when immersed in the moment?
JG: The only thing I wanted to draw was the special moments I was experiencing.
To me, the sketches I like the most come from the moment, from a need that I cannot explain. It’s like love at first sight, I can’t help sketching. It happened to me that I asked someone to pose for me because I absolutely wanted to sketch them, or drawing frozen at an altitude of 4300 metres in Chile or in a heat wave in a small town in a Colombian forest.
My sketchbooks contain above all stories, moments from my daily life while traveling, and countless encounters.
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| Two weeks sleeping in the Chilean desert, San Pedro de Atacama, Chile |
E: Tell us about your sketching gear for such a trip. Did you take your usual tools or did you adapt your habits for the journey?
JG: I started bookbinding before the trip, so I made a few sketchbooks for the journey. I took my usual tools, which don’t take up much space, they are quite small: a number 4 brush, a small watercolour palette with 8 colours and a pencil case with coloured pencils and markers.
Mid-way through my journey, I decided to exhibit my drawings, so I took sheets of paper for six months in a portfolio I made.
E: Did you travel alone or with companions? Did you know ahead of time people in the places you went to? Did you connect with other Urban Sketchers along the way?
JG: I started my trip alone and after a few months, I was lucky enough to have my girlfriend join me and we finished the trip together.
I visited a few friends in America, where I also met new people, for example some urban sketchers in New York.
When we arrived in Asia, we wanted to visit small villages. We often slept in guesthouses (with the inhabitants), a well-oiled system there, very accessible and a beautiful way to get closer to the village’s identity and meet people.
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| In the streets, Brooklyn, New York, USA |
E: Was there any place you fell in love with and did not want to leave?
JG: There were many. When you feel good, you start dreaming and wishes start to form. Nature creates a special connection with human beings that you cannot understand.
In any case, we were moved by different locations in Colombia, India and Nepal.
E: Were some places/cultures more receptive than others to your sketching?
JG: Sketching was the best way to meet people. I think everyone wants to watch someone drawing, especially live. Some cultures are less shy than others for sure. For example, Indians were the most welcoming and receptive. We were welcomed very well in India, a country dear to our hearts.
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| Waiting for the ritual of rain in Patan, Nepal |
E: This is your first book. Did you know when you started your journey that you wanted to publish a book in the end? Tell us about the challenges of self-publishing a book.
JG: The idea to publish came during the trip. I started out with the idea of travelling and as usual, I wanted to sketch to have souvenirs.
I chose self-publishing because I wanted to manage everything my own way. This trip brought up many things in me; I wanted to personalize the publication.
I spent a lot of time scanning, archiving, choosing sketches, working on the layout, choosing a printer, etc. I enjoyed every moment, it was very exciting. I learned many things and I am still learning. It is a similar process as when you start a drawing in a blank page; the process is as moving as the result.
E: Can you inform us about the influences of your style and process? Your drawings are so confident and loose.
JG: Thank you, yes, I noticed some changes at the end of my trip, in my way of approaching sketching. I imagine it happened subconsciously while travelling. Many artists, illustrators, painters influence my everyday work. I love it when you can express a lot through a little and the impact of contrasts and colours.
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| Street of Rishikesh, India |
JG: I scanned a few. The drawings I shared on social media were quick photos taken with my phone. They are only a small fraction of my drawings. I accumulated about 450 sketches during the whole journey. The rest I scanned after I returned home.
E: Do you have any hard-earned advice to others who would like to undertake such a grand world tour?
JG: My best advice is to start out with a big smile, travel light, both physically and mentally, enjoy the present moments, good and bad. They will all bring you something.
Each journey is different and unique, that is the magic of travelling.
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| In the local bar, Bago, Myanmar |
E: Do you have immediate plans or distant dreams about traveling with your sketchpad?
JG: I will be in Italy, Belgium and Peru with my sketchbook in the next months.
Other than that, this year I am taking part in a few travel sketchbook festivals in France, to present my journey and my book. But the travel continues, life itself is a long journey and a big adventure that leaves traces in me and in my sketchbook.
Joel is an architect based in Paris and a member of Urban Sketchers Paris. You can see more of his work on Facebook, Instagram and Flickr, and order his book on his website.
