Article adapted from "Capturing Memories" in the Artist's Magazine March 2005 and The Drawing Board Magazine May 2006, written by Roland Lee.)

Nothing is more exhilarating for an artist than sketching on location in Europe. But sometimes what starts out as a dream painting trip can end up being just another vacation, with nothing more to show for it artistically than a few half-completed paintings and a stack of mediocre photographs. You can avoid that experience and turn even the shortest trip into a productive art experience by using a travel sketchbook.

The watercolor painting "Village of Grundlsee Austria" (above) was painted after returning from Austria. A small on-site pencil study in my sketchbook of the Grundlsee church tower (above right) helped me later as I completed the finished painting in my studio.I stayed in that village for a week, and could have done the painting while there. But instead I chose to explore the area, hiking each day to surrounding villages, visiting with the townspeople, making notes on dress and architecture, and filling both my sketchbook and my memory with images that I could draw from for many years (see sketches below).

The 4 keys to success
My first trip to Europe was with a group of art college students. I went armed with my watercolors, stretched paper, and all the anticipation that plein aire painting generates. But I soon discovered that because of the number of places we visited and the pace we maintained, there was very little time to actually sit down and paint. As I became more frustrated, I turned increasingly to a small hardbound sketchbook and a pencil to satisfy my artistic needs, and I made a startling discovery which has helped me ever since. The sketchbook allowed me to (1) work faster on location (2) totally recall everything I saw (3) complete more finished paintings (4) Permanently record my trip

1. Get more work done on location
The experience of actually setting up and painting on a lush hillside spotted with wildflowers at the foot of an ancient stone church, dwarfed by cloud-covered Alpine mountains, sets my artistic soul on fire. But the luxury of sitting down and spending several hours each day, for several days working on that one painting means I am going to go home with only a few paintings and not much else. By doing a 15-minute sketch in my travel sketchbook I can move quickly from place to place, recording many painting ideas in a day.

2. Total Recall using all your senses
I discovered the second benefit to using a sketchbook quite by accident on my first European trip as well. After sketching near Lucerne Switzerland I seemed to have instant recall of the total emotional experience, including the distant clanging of the cow-bells, the damp smell of the night air, the touch of the cold grass--even the taste of the air. By investing the time in studying and sketching a scene, I soon realized that my memory of the event was sharpened dramatically because all my senses became involved in the process. I have since learned that this is always the case and works equally well for all artists regardless of skill level. Yes, photos can be helpful too. I still carry a pocket camera, and use it to record details which might be helpful later. But most of the time my photos will just end up in a box, and later I will struggle to remember why I shot them in the first place.

Learn to carry a sketchbook in your hand, and you won't feel the need to reach for the camera as much. No photo can replace the quality memory-image gained by sketching on the spot.

(Below Left) While waiting for my wife to do some shopping in St. Mortiz, Switzerland, I wandered down to the edge of the hillside town and sat on the grass. I sketched this view of the lake below me. (Below right) Then, from the same spot, I turned around and sketched the view above me including these steps that I had just come down. My written notes remind me that the slate roof tiles were unique there.