Painting Iceland: Painting After the Trip Made Easier

'Make a Wish'            11x14          pastel          ©Karen Margulis
sold

It has been quite a summer so far. June began with a bang with a Caribbean cruise and then a trip of a lifetime to Iceland. I have spent the last three weeks since my return buried in my studio. I have been painting everyday from my Iceland reference photos.   I have posted 13 chapters to my Iceland travelog and posted many more photos on my Facebook page. The dust has been flying and my pastels have never been messier! And I have been in heaven. 

What a crazy mess!

I am so glad I was able to spend so many uninterrupted days in my studio. It has allowed me to truly reflect on my experience in Iceland. I don't always have this luxury after a trip. I have learned something very important though that will help me after future adventure. 

Writing a Journal is the Key!

I am not usually a journal writer. My friend Jayne and I joked that we usually get as far as two days into a trip and abandon the journal. We always start with good intentions but then it fizzles. In Iceland I did about the same....two days worth of journaling. What I did differently this time is I wrote in my journal on the long journey home. I had about 20 hours of travel time and I made good use of the downtime by writing. I filled my journal with my memories and observations from the trip....while everything was  fresh and clear. These journal entries served as the basis for my last 13 blog posts. I hope to turn this travelog into a book complete with photos, paintings and even more that I haven't shared on the blog.

The journal has helped me paint!  Reading and transcribing a chapter each day brought the trip back to life. I would look through my photos to find one that might illustrate the chapter. Having the memory written down helped me get back to that place while I painted. It made it all fresh which I know helped my paintings. Words and pictures together are the best way to help make my paintings more authentic. I will always make sure to bring a journal along on a trip and actually use it!

Enjoy the gallery of my Iceland paintings below. They are a mix of plein air and studio paintings. Some are sold. All of them and more can be viewed in my Etsy shop or Pinterest board. They are also available for purchase. I would love to share my trip with you through my paintings and I am offering blog readers free shipping on any Iceland painting.(coupon code ICELAND)

Question for you: I will be putting my travelog together in a book form and will include additional chapters with tips on traveling with pastels, Iceland travel tips and more. Is there anything I missed that you might like to know more about? Feel free to comment below or send me an email.