Yaroslava Murashko's Travel Sketchbooks Reinterpret the Genre Through Personal Observation

Yaroslava Murashko, a Russian illustrator known for her work on the Russian edition of Mo Xiang Tong Xiu's Heaven Official's Blessing, has created the Travel Sketchbook series, which documents her travels to Hong Kong, China, Japan, and Seoul. The series began as a self-published zine about Hong Kong, released in a limited edition of eighty copies. Despite the small print run, it caught the attention of the comic publisher Komilfo, which subsequently published the entire collection. The sketchbooks primarily consist of pencil drawings in a restrained palette of graphite, green, and Chinese red, either combined or used monochromatically. They juxtapose portraits, everyday objects, local dishes, landmarks, and architectural views, often without hierarchy, reflecting the sketchbook form itself. Some pages feature more structured urban scenes, revealing Murashko's attention to framing and composition, influenced by her cinematography studies. The drawing medium allows for prolonged observation, encouraging slow engagement with details. The series has been successful in Russia, and two additional zines, focused on Portugal and Italy, are planned for 2027. Currently available only in Russian, the series merits wider readership, as it invites reconsideration of how we represent and view other places.