As an artist, I also bring my art supplies whenever I go on a trip or vacation. I bring them because why not? I might find a perfect scene that can inspire me to paint. Sometimes, I enjoy my “me time” without anyone who can disturb me and enjoy painting. So in this blog, I share my travel art supplies, especially the watercolor art supplies that I bring. Take note that I’m a mother of three boys, so I want to pack lightly together with clothes, shoes, toiletries, and other things. Aside from that, my watercolor travel kit is something you can also do without breaking the bank.
I insert my waterproof leather pouch and my brush roll-up in a bag together with my clothes. The waterproof leather pouch I have is a free pouch from a leather bag I bought years ago. I’m also looking for a better pouch that has pockets inside.
Here’s the list of items in my travel kit:
- Baohong Academy watercolor block 5×7
- Travel size ceramic mixing palette
- Towel
- Flask
- 2 stainless collapsible cups
- Brush rest
- Masking fluid
- Masking tape
- Watercolors
Here’s the list of items in my brush roll up:
- Watercolor brushes in different shapes and sizes
- Pipette
- White gouache and sometimes I bring my white gel pen
- 4H pencil
- Kneaded eraser
I use a Baohong Academy watercolor block that is a student-grade watercolor paper. It’s 300 gsm and 100% cotton that is also small like 5×7 inches and it fits in my pouch. When I’m on a trip, I do not paint anything that I can sell or for display. I only paint to relax and mostly practice or just rough paintings, so a student-grade watercolor block is good enough. It’s block paper so I don’t need to bring a drawing board to tape my paper down.
The travel-sized ceramic palette is from a seller here in the Philippines. She customizes ceramic palettes like adding names at the back, but for sure you can get similar ceramic palettes in Etsy or Tedoo. I wrap the ceramic palette using the towel I use for painting.
I have a flask that is usually for whisky that can be put in a small pocket. I bring my own water, and it is easy to insert into the pouch.
I also bring 2 stainless collapsible cups for water to clean my brushes. It’s small, sturdy, foldable, and it has a lid. I prefer the stainless than the silicon collapsible cups because stainless are more sturdy.
I bring a brush rest to put the brushes I’m using while I paint to avoid having my brushes rollover. You may also use a chopsticks rest or a small ashtray.
I bring masking fluid with an applicator with me even if I do not use masking fluid often. I just put it in my pouch in case I paint something I need to preserve some white spaces.
I bring a masking tape too. It’s very helpful for me at all times when I want to secure the small items in my brush roll-up or to paint the horizon line easily.
I bring my two small boxes of my watercolor paints. In my Altoids tin, I have some Winsor & Newton Professional Neutral Tint, Cadmium Lemon, Alizarin Crimson, Mauve, Sap Green, Winsor Red, Winsor Blue, Daniel Smith English Red Ochre, Shinhan PWC Sepia, Shinhan Professional Viridian, Yellow, and Orange. In my other watercolor tin box I have Daniel Smith Essential set that includes French Ultramarine, Phthalo Blue (Green Shade), Pyrrol Scarlet, Quinacridone Rose, New Gamboge, and Hansa Yellow Light. I also have a full pan of White Nighte’s Payne’s Grey and five half-pans of handmade watercolors that has shimmers. These are the colors I use for painting nature subjects like flowers, and landscapes. The paints I use are all from watercolor paint tubes that I poured into half-pans and taped into a small tin box like the Altoids. You may do the same to bring your watercolor paints easily wherever you go. You may also find some watercolor palette boxes that are smaller.
Why I use a brush roll up?
Brush roll-up made from canvas, bamboo, or any fabric helps the brushes to keep them safe from any dust and avoid moving up and down. Some people use a toothbrush case or a pencil case, but then when the brush is moving inside, there’s a big chance that the tip of the brush will bend and deform. Brush roll-ups have pockets inside, you can put your brushes there and you are good to go. It’s the same brushes I have at home, and I bring them whenever I go on trips.
I have round brushes, a flat brush, a dagger brush, a quill brush, a petals brush, and a detailed brush. I use soft brushes like Silver Black Velvet round for most of my painting, and loose florals. I have Princeton floral watercolor brush set, a dagger brush, a 30 mm flat brush, and 2 brushes from Heavenly Paintings. I don’t have much because I only buy things I need.
In the brush roll-up, I also have my pipette that I use to pre-wet my paints instead of using a spray bottle. It helps to wet only the paints which I will use, and avoid wetting the tin box that can rust over time.
I bring a white gouache from Holbein for details, and sometimes I also bring a white gel pen to add details to my paintings.
Lastly, a pencil and an eraser. I use a 4H pencil that can be easily erased or covered with paint. I also bring a watercolor pencil in cool grey. I use a watercolor pencil in adding marks for loose florals. I use a kneaded eraser that can easily remove graphite and it doesn’t ruin the watercolor paper.
*Please note the links above are affiliate links, which means I will earn a little amount when you purchase the items.
Bianca Santiago 