Creating a Travel Sketchbook Kit

Creating a travel sketchbook kit means you’ll be ready for anything. See something inspiring? Sketch it out! Even if you’re just sketching little thumbnails while you’re waiting for the bus or killing time before meeting friends for a movie, you’ll be able to capture those moments of inspiration for later.

Sketchbook:
Grab a small or pocket size sketchbook. You can grab a small cheap one from your nearby art store or you can go a little fancier and grab a journal like the Moleskine. They have a lot of sketchbooks with fun covers now but the blank, acid-free pages are great for your sketching needs. I like the ones that have the hard cover on the outside so the pages have more support and don’t bend when I’m drawing or writing on them.

Pencils and pens:
Mechanical pencils are perfect for on the go sketching. You don’t have to worry about sharpening them and you can always load in more lead if needed. The Pentel mechanical pencil is great for sketching. Staedtler pigment liners and Pentel pens are great for inking. You can also use a fountain pen like the Lamy fountain pen which uses disposable ink cartridges. This can be convenient for travel and the fountain pen tip gives a good precise line as you sketch.

Watercolor or other paint:
Depending on how fancy you want to get with your sketchbook kit, you can grab some great travel paints. You can get a small watercolor palette like this small 2.5×3.5″ paintbox, with 8 half pans, (12 if modified) and 2 tiny mixing areas and even grab a good travel watercolor brush where the water can be in the handle or the brush can be kept good with a cap to put on. Marc Taro Holmes recommends using the the Da Vinci Maestro Series 1503 (sable).

Don’t forget to grab some other little things like paper towels and erasers! Kneaded erasers are great because they don’t leave the eraser crumbs all over. You should also make sure if you’re out and about for a while that you grab a water bottle. Stay hydrated so you can get those creative ideas flowing.

With just a small pencil bag you can fit your sketchbook, pens, pencils and all you need. Small little boxes and containers are handy for keeping the materials separate. Put together your travel sketchbook kit and you’ll be prepared to create art any time you’re out. Maybe even make more than one kit so you always have one in the car and one in your bag. You never know when inspiration will strike.

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