“Through a journey into a different culture your own horizon will be broadened and you will be aware of your own culture. In February 2014 , I traveled with a friend across Morocco. For me as an illustrator, the Travel Booklets by Hahnemühle belonged to the luggage.
Although I speak fluent French, I realized quickly that the sketchbook built a barrier-free relationship between myself and the locals. While other tourists taking images with their cameras were eyed critically, I was being watched while sketching. I was even invited to look at things more closely.
Through my sketched impressions of a moment, I was no longer a stranger but an interested guest. In my sketchbooks I kept my interest in the North African culture firmly in my own visual language. My art was a key for cordial invitations to dinner and receiving small gifts.
To me it has always been important to work with small sketchbooks that fit well in your 
pocket. I see the small number of pages as a great asset, because you can finish individual books quickly and get wonderful travel diaries. Huge books won’t do. And for my illustrations or character designs even the paper grammage of 140 gsm is perfect for coloring easily with watercolors. It was the first time I ‘ve used the Hahnemühle Travel Booklets as a travel sketchbook, but certainly not the last! ”
Yves Haltner
www.behance.net/yves
Travel Diary Morocco
