Skernaling: an introduction

Documentation is an interesting phenomenon. Doing a fair amount of traveling throughout my life, I have developed a love/hate relationship with the techniques and tools behind this concept. Not to say cameras, guidebooks, tours or even blog sites are not useful in the personal process of understanding our complex world, but the experiential aspect can often times be lost by abusing these methods. The meaning of travel unconsciously shifts from the inexplicable desire to comprehend this planet to a meaningless vacation. Constantly searching for a balance between the essential research, means of recording and personal perception and observation has brought me to this adventure in Rome.

Experimenting with very different tools of understanding has opened up a method of intertwining historical research, documentation and individual expression. Making an attempt to skernal once a day is a challenge that teaches personal development and awareness of place as well as a unique artistic approach to learning. The first skernaling series attempts to give a broad overview of some important events throughout Roman history. These first three pages explain the legend of Romulus and Remus, the mythological founders of Rome.

Skernaling: The beloved act of sketching and journaling with the intention of personal growth.