Inspired by trips, here are some of my favorite illustrated books on art, architecture, or design.
In this, the last of a series on my favorite illustrated books, I focus on books, all related to some creative activity, that connect to a trip I’ve taken or am about to take. It’s a good reminder of a fun way to extend your journeys. Find a book related to your trip (bonus points if you pick it up on the trip), and then return to it over and over for years afterward.
Besides the personal connections to my trips, these are all just lovely books, some small, some big, and many in between. Let’s start with the smallest of the bunch.
Islamic Design: A Genius For Geometry (Wooden Books North America Editions) by Daud Sutton, Wooden Books, 2023
I kept my hands in the photo (only later did I realize I still had glue stains from a chair I’m making all over my fingernails, so please disregard those which you would have had I not just mentioned it) to give you a sense of scale. While small it is packed with insights on Islamic design and the various patterns used in art and architecture. I picked this up at the epitome of such design, The Alhambra, in Granada, Spain. It makes you realize how much more there is to these patterns than just pleasing geometry.
Patterns of Portugal: A Journey Through Colors, History, Tiles, and Architecture by Christine Chitnis, by Clarkson Potter, 2024
I’ve made it a point to hunt down photo books of places I plan to visit. Later this year, I’ll be going to Portugal and I found this and the following book to help provide visual context. Both have become some of my favorite photo books because of the simple yet powerful style of the respective photographers. There’s not much text in this book, but just enough to give you a sense of Chitnis and her own experience in Portugal. I am already obsessed with Portuguese azulejos (decorative tiles such as those shown on the side of the church on the book’s cover) and this book shows many examples of these and other artisanal items from throughout the country.
My Lisbon: A Cookbook from Portugal’s City of Light by Nuno Mendes,, Ten Speed Press, 2018
In preparation for our trip to Portugal, my wife and I just hosted a dinner party using recipes from this book and every dish was a hit. So the food presented here is great, but it is the images by Andrew Montgomery and even the writing by Nuno Mendes that make this book so compelling. You get background on Lisbon, a map of recommended restaurants and cafes, and all those stunning images and inventive recipes.
Rice’s Architectural Primer by Matthew Rice, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2010
I found this book in a small bookstore in Corsham, England. I wish I’d discovered it and a similar book, Rice’s Church Primer, before our trip through the Cotwold’s region because this book helps you to “read” the building you see. In his often whimsical style, Rice explains various architectural styles and makes you either want to go explore and see more of the building he notes, or take out your sketchbook and start documenting the ones you’re seeing. Or both.
Wild Light: A printmaker’s day, a printmaker’s night by Angela Harding, Sphere, 2023
OK, this one’s a stretch in terms of the connection to travel, but to me it doesn’t matter because this is such a beautiful book. On a trip years ago to Alaska, I saw some woodcuts that I loved. Then, two years ago, I came across this book. Harding’s work evoked all the feelings I associated with the earlier woodcuts. This not only is a great overview of Harding’s work, but gives you a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the life of a working artist. It’s a very inspiring book.
Brodsky & Utkin: Revised Edition by Brodsky, Alexander; Utkin, Ilya, Princeton Architectural Press, 2015
On a trip to Oregon, I came across this book in a shop selling used books. I immediately loved the quirky drawings of fantastical places and the corresponding explanations. It’s a good thing the book is quite large so that you can see all the fascinating details here. Now, when I re-read the book (actually, just look at the illustrations), I don’t think so much about Oregon as the imaginary places represented in these pages.
The Egyptian Jukebox by Nick Bantock Viking Adult, 1993
The first time I ever visited the Art Institute of Chicago, I beheld the boxes of Joseph Cornell and was entranced. Later, I came across the popular Griffen & Sabine books by Nick Bantaock and loved his textured illustrations. Then, when working on the “creativity boxes” I made for The Creative Wild, I came across Bantock’s own “art boxes” that are clues in an intriguing story. You can see how each written page provides a legend to the objects in the box, along with the story that is more a riddle you, the reader, are meant to solve.
Desins: Cathedrale de Strasbourg, Strasbourg City Museums, 2019
I showed my hands in the photo to give you a sense of how big this book is. I bought it along with the following book at the museum for the cathedral in Strasbourg, France. These are drawings (desins in French) used by the original architects and builders of the cathedral and the oversized pages make it even more interesting. If you visit the museum, they have a room of all the drawings. This, along with all the interactive AR exhibits and the original sculptures (taken off the cathedral to protect them from air pollution), make this one of my all-time favorite museums anywhere.
The final photo here comes from the back cover. It shows many of these drawings being laid out, clipped together and measured. Pretty cool.
Le Musée de l’Oeuvre Notre-Dame: Arts du Moyen-Age et de la Renaissance, Strasbourg, Strasbourg City Museums, 2013
I’m not sure how to buy this here in the US, but we got a copy when visiting the museum of all the works of the cathedral in Strasbourg, France. I loved this museum and this book is more than a catalog of the works. It’s a beautiful work of art in itself.
Travels with My Sketchbook by Chris Riddell, Macmillan Children’s Books, 2018
I came across this book after a trip to the UK and I love Riddell’s work, both the formal illustrations and his casual sketches. For some reason, every time I look at this book, it brings up memories of that trip even if the subject may be a political cartoon about issues I don’t even understand.
Out of the Box by Tom Buchanan, Thames Hudson, 2022
I found out about this book on a trip to California and later got it as a Christmas present when down there celebrating the holiday with my family. Thematically, it’s about art that involves some kind of box or container, but even from the few examples you can see here, it’s clear how varied and creative the interpretations on those guidelines can be.
This concludes my series on favorite illustrated books. I hope you’ve enjoyed these and have been inspired to check some out.
Here are the two other posts in this series:
My favorite illustrated travel books
Like many of you, I’m fond of books. And travel. And therefore, books related to travel. Especially if they have cool images.
My favorite illustrated books for adults·
One of the best ways to explore your worlds—connecting the world around you with the one within you—is to tap into experiences that take you back to your childhood (assuming that was a positive time in your life). And one way to do that is through looking at the books that you loved as a child.
This post first appeared on my Substack at https://stevebrock.substack.com/p/my-favorite-illustrated-trip-related
