Travel Sketch Kit (2024 Edition)

Today, we are taking off for a week-long “glamping” trip. It’s like camping, except you have shelter, utilities, a cafeteria, childcare for the kids. My kind of vacation!

So hopefully, I’m going to have plenty of time to paint. I know, I always say that, and never do… but this time feels different. As I was packing up my supplies, I figured now would be a great time to share!

The Packing Philosophy

Even though my earlier description makes this trip destination sound resort-like, it’s still quite rustic. We need to bring our linens, food, cleaning supplies, and all the other necessities one might need for living in a non-temperature-controlled cabin out in the woods for a week. So, with that in mind, I’m packing LIGHT. The smallest kit possible!

Of course, my natural inclination is to obsess and want to take allllllll of the things. Like, at one point, I had nearly every brush I own in a pile (and I own quite a few).

Anyway, this is what I ended up with one sketchbook, and one very compact little kit!

The Complete Travel Sketch Kit

When I think of lightweight sketching supplies, the first thing that comes to mind is my Art Toolkit palette and pocket-size carry case. These things are SMALL. But don’t let the diminutive size fool you. This thing can hold a LOT.

These are all the things that can fit inside this tiny little travel sketch kit:

• 5 travel brushes
• 2 fountain pens
• a pencil
• an acrylic marker
• some masking tape
• a bit of putty eraser
• a spray bottle
• a collapsible water cup
• scrap papers
• paper towels
• a folio palette
• and a small easel to slip into my sketchbook
  

I have to say, this thing is most definitely stretched to the max. Zipping it wasn’t exactly smooth, although this thing is so well-constructed that I didn’t feel like I was over-doing it. In fact, before I added the 3 folded-over paper towels, it was much more comfortable of a fit — so I suppose as I use those up, the case may relax a touch.

The Palette

Would I be me if I didn’t obsess over my palette? Well, I most absolutely did. I have 2 Art Toolkit folio palettes, with different selections of paints in them. I went back-and-forth on which to bring, and even considered bringing both!

In the end, I landed on the one that I set up several months ago (left in the image above) — based on Renee Walden’s workshop palette. I haven’t used this one as much, while I know the other set of colors inside and out at this point. I figured that this week of relaxed downtime will be the perfect opportunity to get to know a relatively new-to-me set of paints.

Well, wish me luck! I’ll report back after our return week-after-next.

Do you have any favorite sketching supplies? Are you more of a bring-the-kitchen-sink-type, or do you pare down your travel sketch kit to the bare minimums? Leave a comment below — I’d love to hear what your must-have tools are!