What to Pack for Travel Sketching
With summer almost here, you might be thinking about traveling for vacation and what to pack.
Packing for a trip is always a bit of a puzzle, but when you're a sketcher, it gets even trickier. You want to keep your sketch kit lightweight and compact, but you also want to bring all your favorite art supplies. So, how do you find the right balance?
The Must-Have Travel Sketching Supplies
1. A Sketchbook That Suits Your Needs
Your sketchbook is the most important thing to pack! I prefer an A5 sketchbook because it’s big enough for bold sketches but small enough to carry comfortably. A hardcover is ideal when sketching on location since it provides a sturdy surface, when holding the skechbook in your lap.
Paper quality: 80 - 135 lbs / 120 - 200 gsm A few brand suggestions: Stillman & Birn, Strathmore, Hahnemühle Nostalgie, Hahnemühle watercolor book, Moleskine,
2. The Right Pens and Inks
Waterproof pens so you can add watercolor without smudging.
A brush pen and cartridges for expressive lines.
A watersoluble pen that, when combined with a water brush, creates instant shading.
A watersoluble pencil that does the same as the above, but which you can also use dry, without adding water
Suggestions:
Fountain Pen like a Lamy Safari with a medium or broad nib. I love using the Sailor pen with calligraphy nib for its very bold and unpredictable line. You will need to use a converter and a water resistant fountain pen ink for these pens. Suggested brands: Platinum Carbon ink, Deatramentis Document ink, Rohrer&Klingner SketchInk.
Always in my kit: Pentel Pocket Brushpen. It comes with waterproof ink in cartridges, which is great for combining with watercolors.
Fineliner, uni pin 08 (not any finer than 08)
Packing tip: I always fill up my converters completely before flying so there’s no air in them and thus to prevent leaks. I store my ink bottle in double ziplock bags..Just in case!
3. A Watercolor Set That Works for You
I bring a compact watercolor palette filled with my favorite colors (all from Daniel Smith tubes). Suggested Brands for ready-made sets: Winsor & Newton, Van Gogh.
To keep things simple, I use a water brush instead of carrying a separate brush and water container. I bring two water brushes since they empty quickly, especially when cleaning between colors.
4. A Few Extra Tools for Versatility
A glue stick for adding tickets or small collage pieces.
Scissors for cutting found materials (don't pack them in your cabin luggage when flying).
Clips to keep sketchbook pages from flapping in the wind.
Colored pencils and crayons for texture. I bring only my most-used colors in a pencil roll to save space. My favorite colored pencils are Caran d'Ache Luminance and for crayons Caran d'Ache Neocolor)
5. Comfortable Sketching on Location
I skip the folding stool and bring a lightweight sitting mat instead. It makes it easy to sit anywhere. On the ground, a ledge, or a park bench. Without adding bulk to my bag.
Packing Tip: Keep It Simple!
Avoid packing "just in case" supplies. If you don’t use them at home, you won’t use them on the road! Stick to familiar materials so you can focus on sketching, not fussing with new tools. And if you realize you're missing something… well, that’s a great excuse to visit a local art supply shop (we all love those, right?).
