Common travel sketching setups and what this guide focuses on
Jump to full list of supplies
For a professional artist, there are in general 3 types of outdoor or travel painting setups:
- The “sketch anywhere” setup involving nothing more than a few pens and the sketch book
- The “lap painting” setup that can be used for plein air studies or small paintings
- The “full easel” setup for larger artworks created on location that can be submitted to exhibitions, competition or galleries.
I will dive into these 3 setups more in-depth in a future blog post. But here in this article, we will be talking about the most nimble—aka the “sketch anywhere”—setup that takes almost no time to bust out or break down, allows for quick, adaptable captures of subjects. Being able to do so is crucially important for beginners, because it means you get to build momentum, feel confident and start enjoying travel sketching as soon as possible.
What does the “sketch anywhere” setup look like?
In a nutshell, the “sketch anywhere” setup simply utilizes the rigidity of your hardcover journal as the entire surface for drawing and painting—thus not requiring any table, stool, or other furniture to rest your supplies on.
This setup is popular with many Urban Sketchers, who keep the kit in their bag at all times so they can do a quick sketch if something catches their imagination. With this setup, from unpacking to a finished painting, it can take as little as 15 minutes. That’s how fast and effective this method is!
Now, let’s talk through the types of supplies to bring, the pros and cons of them, and where to get the supplies.
Disclaimer: Some of the product links below are sponsored by brands I use, through which I may earn a small commission for each order placed, at no extra cost to you.
Choosing sketchbooks:
For most of us who are leisure painters—not professional artists—a small sketchbook with high-quality paper is most ideal. Small watercolor sketchbooks typically come in 5x7” or 6x8” (A5 or A6 size). A few trusted brands include Etchr and Hahnemühle.
Drawing pens and pencils:
When it comes to line drawings, there are two common methods:
- Use pencil and graded shading
- Use ink pen and/or markers to create a black & white image
Below are the two methods in comparison
Going with pencil lines
Because speed is of the essence when working on-site, you want the most robust tools that don't require frequent reloading or replacement. This is why mechanical pencils beat ink pens for their longevity and drama-free nature. My personal favorite is Stabilo’s Easy Ergo mechanical pencil series, which was meant for teaching kids how to write but turned out to be an excellent choice for sketching. The pencil rod is thick and robust, so it won’t break and doesn’t need to be pushed out frequently. This means you can simply concentrate on getting everything you see down on paper, without your train of thought being disrupted.
If you do choose to use pencil for your line drawing, then a frustration-free eraser is also needed. For that, nothing beats the Tombow Mono eraser—it’s strong at erasing dark marks without roughing up the paper. It also forms large debris that are easy to dust off, so they won’t interfere with the paint layer if you want to apply a coat of color later on.
Here is an example of a quick sketch completed with pencil and very simple colors using watercolor paint. You can see that you can use pencil to fill in the shadow parts (dark tones) of the subject so that all you need is a thin, single layer of paint to bring out the characteristics.
Going with ink lines
Pencils are more forgiving for beginners and offer unparalleled longevity. However, many people (myself included) like the high contrast and sense of confidence offered by ink pens. Pencil marks tend to fade a bit after you apply transparent color, and even at their darkest, they won’t be completely black. For high clarity of lines and a wider tonal range, ink pens are the way to go.
Water resistance is also a really important aspect when choosing pens. The Sakura Pigma pens such as the Microns are robust products that are waterproof. This means the lines will stay intact when you apply water-soluble colors and paint afterward. And even if you don’t intend to add water-soluble colors, you may still want to stick with waterproof ink to minimize damage caused by rain or snow.
Personally, I’ve really enjoyed the Pigma calligraphy pens, which range from fine tip to thick felt tip. The fine tip sizes are great for line drawing with subtle pressure variation, while the larger sizes can be used to effectively color in shadows, bringing out dimension instantaneously. This is much easier than applying thick paint, which never really goes dark enough for the desired contrast in this super nimble plein air setup—and I’ll explain why.
Paint and Palette: Less is more
For agility and efficiency, opt for a paint set with a limited color palette—focus on the primary colors. Prioritize generous mixing space over a vast array of colors. When working quickly on-site amidst distractions, reducing your cognitive load by limiting color choices allows you to concentrate on form and shading, rather than choosing from 24 hues.
If you’re just starting out and search for “portable watercolor kit” or “watercolor beginner kit,” you’ll often find dry watercolor paint sets. However, moistening dry watercolors takes time and, in fact, more skill than using semi-solidified colors that you put together yourself. This is why I recommend getting an empty pocket-size palette—like this one from Art Toolkit—and squeezing in fresh paint yourself, using a very narrow set of colors.
The unseen benefit of this is that it forces you to mix your own colors instead of relying on a large premixed set. Another upside: if you ever want to graduate from the “nimble sketcher” to a “plein air painter” setup for small-format or studio work, tube paint is the ultimate way to go. And because tube paints are name-brand, the colors will always be consistent no matter where you paint. In contrast, many dry watercolor kits are unbranded, and once you run out, it may be hard to find an exact match—especially since the same color name doesn’t always mean the same pigment.
Below is an example of using the same setup to paint a small scale watercolor painting as if you would do in the studio. Note that you can achieve just as much color nuances with the minimal color set, and can go just as dark in those shadow areas with tube paints.
I use M. Graham & Co. watercolor paint. Here are the 6 essential colors you need to get started—and they’ll last a while. A unique feature of this brand is that the paint never fully solidifies, thanks to raw honey in the formula! Some people worry the paint will shift around once you close your palette. But that is not what I have noticed. The colors will still harden off, just not fully solidify, making it easier to pick up with a brush, and not requiring rewetting with a spray bottle.
- Ultramarine Blue (15ml)
- Burnt Sienna (15ml)
- Alizarin Crimson (15ml)
- Burnt Umber (15ml)
- Cadmium Yellow (15ml)
- Yellow Ochre (15ml)
Other essential supplies
Water brush: If you plan to use watercolor or other water-soluble paint to glaze your sketches, the lightest choice is a water brush pre-loaded with water. I find the Pentel Aquash water brush most versatile—and it’s the only brush I bring for outdoor sketching.
Cloth rag: If you bring a brush and color set, pack a cotton rag for cleaning. An old towel will suffice, but I prefer white terry cloth so I can clearly see whether the brush is clean before switching colors. The towel is also handy when moving between sketches and needing to wipe your palette clean.
Clips: A small but critical accessory is butterfly clips to attach your palette to your notebook. This frees up your non-painting hand to hold the book steadily. My favorite are Kikkerland mini quick clips, which have rubber-coated tips that won’t leave marks on your sketch.
Folio or bag: While you can carry everything separately, it’s convenient to get a folio or bag to keep your supplies organized. I’m a fan of the Art Toolkit folio—a simple and effective design that fits everything in this setup, so you can just grab it and go whenever you head outside.
Folding stool: should you bring one?
A folding stool not only gives you the freedom to take a break wherever you want, but also allows you to paint more comfortably, resting your sketchbook on your lap to create a more stable surface.
A good choice is a plastic folding step stool like this one, or a camping stool which sits slightly higher. Personally I prefer sitting low and my knees bending over 90 degrees, because then the sketchbook rests sturdily on my lap and is accessible within my arm's reach.
Mindsets for an enjoyable sketching experience
Time-boxing
Painting on location demands concentration and cognitive energy. Getting into a flow state often requires a warm-up. First off, be realistic about what you can achieve within your time constraints. Here are two time-boxing approaches to fit painting into your travel itinerary:
- Dedicated Painting Day: Visit 2–3 primary sites and create 2–4 quick sketches per site. Ideal for those with mixed itineraries. Schedule your painting day toward the end of your trip, when you’ve gathered inspiration and want to revisit favorite spots.
- Daily Painting Window: Dedicate 1 hour painting session per day while on location, aiming for 1-2 sketches per session. Best for spontaneous creatives with flexible schedules. This leaves time for one other main attraction per day, but not a packed agenda.
Prioritize fun over satisfying painting
After all, we’re on vacation or enjoying the outdoors! The beauty of plein air sketching is seizing the moment and letting your surroundings guide you. It’s much more fun to paint intuitively—as you see something—than to get stuck trying to “design” a perfect painting. That’s also important, but in this case, it takes away the joy. If you paint intuitively and go for quantity, quality will follow—inevitably.
And remember: You can always take the best parts from your plein air studies and refine them into a better, bigger version back home.
In my recent article of painting in Venice, I shared tips for finding good painting locations and what to look for. It uses the same "Sketch anywhere" setup. Read it here if you want to get inspired by the examples.
Complete supply list
If you want to skip all the researches and just get the gears I'm using (after many trial and error), here is the exact list of them.
Please note some of the links are sponsored through product brands I use, which means I may earn a small commission for each order placed, at no extra cost to you:
- Kikkerland Folding Step Stool
- Kikkerland Mini Quick Clips
- Etchr Mixed Media Hardbound Sketchbook - A5, 5.8" x 8.3"
- STABILO EASYergo Mechanical Pencil + Sharpener
- Tombow Mono Eraser
- Pentel Aquash Water Brush
- Sakura Pigma Professional Brush Pens - Pkg of 3
- Art Toolkit A5 Sketchbook Folio - red (Use INAXI10 at checkout for 10% off)
- Art Toolkit Pocket Palette - red (Use INAXI10 at checkout for 10% off)
- ACE Cotton Terry Cleaning Cloth 6pk
Essential colors
1 comment
What are the other colors on your travel palette. You have 10