My Travel Sketch Kit for Lisbon & Marrakech (2026 Edition)

Well, it’s happening — I’m packing for Lisbon and Marrakech, and I am ready. Well, almost.

In just a few days, I’ll be spending 10 days painting in two cities I’ve never been to. A few solo days in Lisbon to ease into the time change, followed by a painting trip in Marrakech with a group of artists and the wonderful Renee Walden. If Renee’s name sounds familiar, it’s because she led the art retreat in France that inspired me in so many ways last year. I can’t wait to paint with her again!

But before I can paint — I have to pack. And if you know me at all, you know that packing my travel sketch kit is its own event!

How My Packing Philosophy Has Changed

I wrote about my travel sketch kit back in 2024 when I was heading on a glamping trip in Michigan. That kit worked well for what it was, but this time around, my whole approach is different.

In the almost 2 years since that post (!!!), I’ve gone on 3 more long, painting-focused trips, and have started to do more plein air painting. I have a strong sense now of what supplies I need, and how I’ll use them. I’ve learned a lot about myself through these trips — that I do my best work when I keep things simple — all of that has reshaped how I think about what to bring.

The goal this time: bring the tools I trust, don’t try to over-optimize, and leave room for the unexpected.

Well, I’ll only over-think things a little :).

The old kit · 2024

Travel Sketch Kit (2024 Edition)

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The Sketchbook Decision (a.k.a. The Panic)

OK, I have a confession to make. I had a full-on panic moment this morning about which sketchbook to bring. Couldn’t decide. Spiraling. So I did what any reasonable person does: I panic-messaged my group chat. Bless them, they were quick to just hand me a decision.

Here’s where my struggle was: I’ve been painting on Fabriano Artistico paper for over a year now. I love how it handles water, how it takes color, how forgiving it is. I didn’t want to switch that up for a trip where I’ll be painting in unfamiliar environments with new subjects. The paper should be the thing I don’t have to think about.

But I didn’t have any more portrait sketchbooks on hand with Fabriano Artistico paper — I only had a B5 landscape Koval sketchbook. And I haven’t used a landscape sketchbook in about five years.

So the choice was: keep the paper I trust, or keep the format I’m comfortable with?

I chose the paper. The B5 landscape Koval it is.

Am I a little nervous about the format switch? Absolutely. But I’d rather adapt to a new orientation than wrestle with unfamiliar paper while trying to capture light in a Marrakech market. Priorities.

The Palette(s)

My Main Palette

A few days ago, I came dangerously close to completely overhauling my palette before this trip (as one does). New trip, new colors, fresh start — the urge was STRONG.

But I pulled myself back (or rather, my husband told me I was being ridiculous). This is a 10-day painting trip in two countries I’ve never visited. This is not the moment for experiments with my core palette. I need colors I can mix in my sleep, colors I’ve been reaching for over the better part of six years.

So the main palette stays as-is. Here’s what’s in it:

My Extras Palette

Now, the compromise. Instead of overhauling everything, I put together a tiny Art Toolkit “extras” palette — a little bench of colors I use occasionally or that I’m still getting to know. This way, I have options without the pressure of committing them to a main palette spot.

Yes, that’s 16 “extras.” I contain multitudes.

Brushes

My brushes are my standard go-tos, just in travel form. All Escoda travel brushes except for one:

• Escoda Optimo, Size 16 round — my biggest brush, for washes and skies
• Escoda Versatil, Size 12 round — a workhorse; I use this one constantly
• Escoda Perla, Size 10 round — the other daily driver
• Escoda Versatil, Size 2 round — for details
• Escoda Versatil, Size 4 rigger — for fine lines, branches, rigging
• Rosemary & Co scrub brush — for lifting and texture
  

If I’m honest, the Versatil 12 and the Perla 10 do about 98% of the work. The rest are nice to have for specific moments — but I’ve learned not to leave them behind and regret it.

Pens & Pencils

• Mechanical pencil (fully loaded with lead — I learned that lesson the hard way)
• Lamy AL-Star with De Atramentis Document Black ink — my main sketching pen
• Kaweco Sport with Rohrer & Klingner Lille ink — a lovely ink that sits a bit more easily with my paints, doesn’t stand out as much
  

All the Little Things

I also have lots of little bits and bobs to fill out my kit. Here’s what else is in the kit:

• Kneaded eraser, rubber eraser, and a Tombow stick eraser — yes, three erasers. The Tombow is for tiny details, and I’m not sorry about the redundancy.
• Spritzer — essential for rewetting paints
• Bulldog clips — for keeping pages down in wind
• Swedish dish cloth — instead of paper towels! Reusable, compact, dries fast. Game changer.
• Tissues — for me, not the art (though let’s be real, they’ll probably do double duty)
• Ruler
• Viewfinder — helpful for composing scenes, especially in busy environments
• Two collapsible water cups — one for clean water, one for dirty (but most of the time, I just use one)
  

The Bag That Holds It All

Everything I just described — except for the tissues, dish cloths, water cups, and easel — fits inside my Art Toolkit carrying case. That case, along with the sketchbook, my Stablo sketch easel (which I LOVE), and a waterproof pouch for the wet supplies and palettes, all goes into my Tom Bihn Medium Café Bag.

I cannot say enough good things about this bag. It’s been all over the world with me — multiple big trips a year plus heavy daily use at home — and it still looks and feels almost new. Barely any wear. Everything fits perfectly. If you’re looking for a bag that can hold a complete sketching kit and survive real travel, I can highly recommend this one.

I also carry a water bottle, and sometimes my Helinox Chair Zero for longer painting sessions. Plus a tiny fan and a tiny umbrella, because weather. I rest these on top of my other supplies in the bag — there’s plenty of room!

What I’m Most Excited About

Honestly? The light.

I’ve become fascinated with how different every country’s light is. The quality, the color, the warmth or coolness of it — it changes everything about how a scene reads. And the color palette of each place shifts with it. France had this soft, blue cast to everything. I can only imagine what Lisbon’s coastal light will look like, or how Marrakech’s desert sun will change the way I see color.

After a long, cold, snowy winter here, I’m ready to soak it all in. New light, new subjects, new country, new colors to chase. That’s the dream.

What Comes Next

I shared sketches from the trip on Instagram as I went — and the full trip recap is now up on the blog: what I packed, what I painted, and what I learned.

Are you a travel sketcher? What does your travel kit look like — do you pare it down or bring the kitchen sink? And if you’ve been to Lisbon or Marrakech, I’d love to hear what you loved sketching there. Drop a comment below!