Through a Love of Note-Taking, José Naranja Documents His Travels One Tiny Detail at a Time — Colossal


From postage stamps to jetliner specifications to items he packed for the journey, José Naranja’s sketchbooks (previously) capture minute details of numerous international trips. “I’m lost in the intricate details, as always,” he tells Colossal. Everything from currency to noodle varieties to film references make their way into small books brimming with travel ephemera and observations.

Naranja is currently working on a thicker book than he has in the past, which is taking more time to fill, along with an illustrated card project called 2050, which merges science, tech events, and his signature “beauty of note-taking” aesthetic. The artist has also reproduced some of his sketches in The Nautilus Manuscript, a small batch-printed, hand-bound edition available for sale in his shop. Follow updates on the artist’s Instagram.

a small sketchbook with elaborately designed travel notes and drawings, on a table with artmaking tools like pens and ink
a small sketchbook with elaborately designed travel notes and drawings, on a table with artmaking tools like pens and ink
a small sketchbook with elaborately designed travel notes and drawings
a small sketchbook with elaborately designed travel notes and drawings, on a table with artmaking tools like a stencil and stamps
a small sketchbook with elaborately designed travel notes and drawings, on a table with artmaking tools like pens and ink
a series of small sketchbooks with elaborately designed travel notes and drawings
a small sketchbook with elaborately designed travel notes and drawings
a small sketchbook with elaborately designed travel notes and drawings, on a table with artmaking tools like pens and ink
a small sketchbook with elaborately designed travel notes and drawings, on a table with artmaking tools like pens and ink
the tops of a series of closed, small sketchbooks showing how full they have become, with color and details on the edges



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