Skip to content
My urban sketching kit is quite minimal in comparison to other artist. I am not a fan of carrying around a lot of stuff and I actually really like to have limited options. It forces you to get creative with color use and helps you immensely in improving your skills. That is one of the reasons I go out for sketching so it is a win-win for me :)
the SKETCHBOOK
One single thing I am not compromising on is my sketchbook. I am mainly a watercolorist when I am on the road and I prefer having a sketchbook that is suitable for heavy watercolor use.
I tried so far
- cheap sketchbooks (stay clear if you can)
- the Moleskin Watercolor Journal (not the best but a good first watercolor sketchbook)
- the Strathmore 400 Series Hardbound Watercolor Journal (really loved it through the constant change of cold & hot pressed pages were a bit annoying)
- the Hahnemühle Watercolor Book 100% cotton version (it is definitely very nice though super pricey here in Switzerland!).
However none were really that great. Especially they all dried very fast and you had no time to do wet-on-wet bases. That's why I decided to learn to do my own watercolor sketchbook :) And my current one I made with Arches cold pressed paper and it is definitely a game-changer!
the PENS
I use two distinct techniques when I sketch on location:
- ink drawing + light watercolor washes for buildings, animals, people
- watercolor only for landscapes
For the ink drawings I mainly use cheap Sakura Pigma Micron Pens in black or nowadays in sepia. I made an impulse buy (it was another urban sketcher's recommendation) and got myself a TWBSI ECO Fountain pen which is quite pricy. But you can fill it up with any permanent ink very easily. It gave me some blotchy drawings in Malta, but I hope it was just temporary. Otherwise it is a great fountain pen and I quite enjoy it!!
Otherwise you can also use Muji Gel Pens, they are also water resistant.
the COLORS
I almost exclusively color with watercolor or water soluble markers / watercolor markers occasionally. I find them easy, quick to use and they dry fast.
For watercolor markers I tried some of Royal Talens Ecoline Brush Pens and I really liked that they are quite transparent and you have options to build them up. They
Currently I have three sets of watercolor palettes I put together: a tiny one, a small one and a medium big one :)
I always carry at least 12 colors but no more than 24 colors (yellows, reds, greens, blues, browns & payne's grey). I am lazy to constantly mix greens and browns at location. You have limited mixing surface and usually you have to clean up to change color. Btw, Payne's grey is far better and more versatile than black!
My favorite palette is the slick cheap white plastic palette. You can get it for 2-3 USD on Aliexpress and it is fabulous! You got a lot of mixing surface and you can fill it up with a lot of paint!
The trendy tiny palettes are also cool if you don't plan to do elaborate paintings. I also have one and I love how easy it is to travel with. (I might have just ordered another one :D )
My paints are from White Nights (cheap and really nice colors! but as I could see now on Jacksons, sourcing them is not really easy anymore since they are made in Russia :( ) or from Paul Rubens which is a Chinese brand (cheap and really good! you can get it cheaper on Aliexpress. it is certainly better than Winsor & Newton Cotman or the Van Gogh von Royal Talens which is a cheaper option for Europe).
My absolut favorite nowadays is Roman Szmal but they are only available in pans and not in tubes :( as soon as there is an option to get tubes, I will certainly change to them immediately!
But in general, if you don't mind the price, the usual brands like Daniel Smith, Sennelier, Schminke, etc. are of course perfectly fine. I just like to travel with things that are not too expensive in case then get lost or broken.
Useful to have on you additionally:
- white acrylic marker or a white gel pen
- a mechanical pencil to sketch
- eraser
- water bottle (I use a sleek drinking bottle I bought on Aliexpress)
the BRUSHES
again, I opted for cheaper but actually perfectly fine travel brushes from Aliexpress. The brand is called Art Secret and they make pretty good travel brush sets. I have a synthetic set and I also bought two round sable travel brushes that can hold a lot of water.
Of course if you want the best, you can go for Escoda Watecolor Travel Brush Sets. I haven't tried them but everyone is raving about it.
I always have two-three waterbrush pens with me, in case I don't have a water source or I don't have the option to sit down conveniently and pack everything out. They are a cheap set from Aliexpress, but they work perfectly fine.
the TRAVEL CASE(s)
again, I am totally for cheap & easy solutions here :) I actually had a small pouch from H&M which I use for ages now. It is made out of plastic and is waterproof in case I have some wet paper towels I cannot throw out where I am at location or one of my waterbrush pens starts to leak. I only put in my paints, pens and brushes. My sketchbook is usually in my bag separately, as well as my water bottle.
I also have a large, all-fit-in type of travel case where everything can fit in. When I am traveling somewhere for a longer time, I usually take that one with me. Less likely to forget or lose something :)
That's it in a nutshell. If you want to enjoy the location and not fret about finding a spot where you have enough space for all your gear, keep it simple! And most importantly, ENJOY! :)
Disclaimer: some of the links in this article may be affiliate links which means I may receive a small commission if you purchase through these links at no additional cost for you. I only recommend products I have tired, own and use in my daily practice and I believe can be also useful for you. It helps developing and maintaining this blog and my social channels. thank you for your support!
