Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 4 hours ago
Dear Sketchy traveler,
June has been a very busy month, meeting friends new and old, visiting new places, trying new foods, and learning new things. Like, did you know the drawing room came from the term to withdraw? ... one sometimes needs to withdraw to a quieter room. I told my husband we need a drawing room when things get heated, one that doesn’t have any electronics.
Thanks for reading Sketchy Travels! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
Another half of June is before us, and I am excited about our upcoming trip to Rocky Mountain National Park. I’m embarrassed to say I never heard of this national park despite it consistently being in the top 10 (sometimes top 5) most visited national parks.
You see, I had some low moments at the beginning of the year – it was an impulse bought art lesson in a national park – two things I love (a National Park and art lessons) rolled up in one, how could I not go! It was afterwards I started to research it, thinking it was one of the smaller national parks. Joke is on me. It is not. My husband expressed interest in going so what was a 3-day trip has turned into a week-long one.
Part of the week will be days of early morning hikes, picnic lunches, and afternoon soaks in the hot tub. Will we try Rocky Mountain Oysters? – probably not (you can look them up to see why) but I do hope to try some huckleberry jam and maybe an elk burger.
With all that said, I wish I had a lesson for you, but I do not. My plan was a lesson about patterns and how patterns help give texture and that you can build an image with just patterns.
Many people find patterns making meditative. I have a friend who loves making mandalas which is a type of symmetric meditative pattern making. I struggle with this type of pattern making, I find it a bit tedious and yet, it teaches me to have patience and calm. It reminds me that like nature, creativity and beauty takes its time. Slow, steady, and resilient, a peaceful life.
Thanks for reading Sketchy Travels! This post is public so feel free to share it.
This may be turning into a lesson afterall. I encourage you to work with patterns. Zentangle has lots of lovely patterns you can find online. If you lack ideas of what to make, take an index card and fill it with one pattern or draw a shape, divide it up into sections and fill each section with a different pattern.
I will try to dig up my old zentangle drawings and post here. Most of them I think I gave away. I have done many videos of zentangle in the past so perhaps I can post that instead.
youtu.be/2DglJktae34
In the meantime, my video today is in real-time, and I create an image using different patterns. Last summer, Gordon and I hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, despite excessive heat warnings. There were other issues (I’m writing and illustrating a book about it). Despite all that we made it to the bottom. While there we sat in Bright Angel Creek to cool off. It was surprisingly cold, such a contrast to the heat of the canyon. As we sat in the water these little fish nibbled at our feet. Some people said they hated it, but I found that they tickled (in other countries, some people pay $1000s to bathe in a tub with these nibbling fish). Anyways, this moment is my inspiration for the image in this video ....
youtu.be/a9HAH4glZHw
I hope you are enjoying your June. I would love to hear what adventures you are having. Sharing is the best way to learn, get ideas, and be entertained so please share, I want to hear your stories. Sharing stories is what makes being human fun. And don’t forget to attach any sketches you made during these adventures.
Till next time,
Love Sketchy travels
Thanks for reading Sketchy Travels! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sketchytravels.substack.com (https://sketchytravels.substack.com)
Dear Sketchy traveler,
June has been a very busy month, meeting friends new and old, visiting new places, trying new foods, and learning new things. Like, did you know the drawing room came from the term to withdraw? ... one sometimes needs to withdraw to a quieter room. I told my husband we need a drawing room when things get heated, one that doesn’t have any electronics.
Thanks for reading Sketchy Travels! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
Another half of June is before us, and I am excited about our upcoming trip to Rocky Mountain National Park. I’m embarrassed to say I never heard of this national park despite it consistently being in the top 10 (sometimes top 5) most visited national parks.
You see, I had some low moments at the beginning of the year – it was an impulse bought art lesson in a national park – two things I love (a National Park and art lessons) rolled up in one, how could I not go! It was afterwards I started to research it, thinking it was one of the smaller national parks. Joke is on me. It is not. My husband expressed interest in going so what was a 3-day trip has turned into a week-long one.
Part of the week will be days of early morning hikes, picnic lunches, and afternoon soaks in the hot tub. Will we try Rocky Mountain Oysters? – probably not (you can look them up to see why) but I do hope to try some huckleberry jam and maybe an elk burger.
With all that said, I wish I had a lesson for you, but I do not. My plan was a lesson about patterns and how patterns help give texture and that you can build an image with just patterns.
Many people find patterns making meditative. I have a friend who loves making mandalas which is a type of symmetric meditative pattern making. I struggle with this type of pattern making, I find it a bit tedious and yet, it teaches me to have patience and calm. It reminds me that like nature, creativity and beauty takes its time. Slow, steady, and resilient, a peaceful life.
Thanks for reading Sketchy Travels! This post is public so feel free to share it.
This may be turning into a lesson afterall. I encourage you to work with patterns. Zentangle has lots of lovely patterns you can find online. If you lack ideas of what to make, take an index card and fill it with one pattern or draw a shape, divide it up into sections and fill each section with a different pattern.
I will try to dig up my old zentangle drawings and post here. Most of them I think I gave away. I have done many videos of zentangle in the past so perhaps I can post that instead.
youtu.be/2DglJktae34
In the meantime, my video today is in real-time, and I create an image using different patterns. Last summer, Gordon and I hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, despite excessive heat warnings. There were other issues (I’m writing and illustrating a book about it). Despite all that we made it to the bottom. While there we sat in Bright Angel Creek to cool off. It was surprisingly cold, such a contrast to the heat of the canyon. As we sat in the water these little fish nibbled at our feet. Some people said they hated it, but I found that they tickled (in other countries, some people pay $1000s to bathe in a tub with these nibbling fish). Anyways, this moment is my inspiration for the image in this video ....
youtu.be/a9HAH4glZHw
I hope you are enjoying your June. I would love to hear what adventures you are having. Sharing is the best way to learn, get ideas, and be entertained so please share, I want to hear your stories. Sharing stories is what makes being human fun. And don’t forget to attach any sketches you made during these adventures.
Till next time,
Love Sketchy travels
Thanks for reading Sketchy Travels! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sketchytravels.substack.com (https://sketchytravels.substack.com)
