Travelling with Ink — Iconic Buildings
The Identity: Reclaiming the PenTraveller
For years, I’ve gone by the PenTraveller. The name actually started with an early urban sketching project right here in Melbourne—just a dream of documenting the rhythm of city life. Circumstance kind of cut that short, and while the project didn't survive, the identity always stayed with me.
But during the 2020 lockdowns... the "traveller" in me just went completely silent.
Found myself pivoting to hyper-realism, getting totally obsessed with the "how." Poured hundreds of hours into massive 1.5-metre drawings and the microscopic details of watches. Worked to master that tiny 0.05mm nib, but in that whole pursuit of technical perfection, realised I’d drifted way off from my original roots.
The Philosophy: Travelling with Ink
"Travelling with Ink" started as a way to find my way back. After a solid break and a pretty heavy period of burnout, came back to this desk with a new question: does a traveller actually have to be physically moving to see the world?
Realised the most profound journeys just happen right there between the pen and the paper. This series became my bridge. A bit of a conceptual departure, using these massive architectural landmarks as anchors for my own lived experience.
The Series: A Journey through Memory
What started out as just a simple interest in architecture quickly evolved into a really personal dialogue. As the ink flowed, realised I wasn't just picking famous buildings—was actually choosing milestones of my own life.
This series just turned into a reflection of the whole journey. From that little girl in Korea with nothing but a pen and some paper, to the mum I am now, finally settled down in the country I call home.
(If you want to sit in on the studio process and hear the full backstory, I've tucked the videos away over on my YouTube channel: youtube.com/@pentraveller)
Project Status
Current State: Wrapping up the final piece of the journey (Paris).
Medium: Uni Pin Fineliners on 300gsm–640gsm Arches Paper.