Real world review of the Etchr Slate Mini (plein air and urban sketcher)

For years I've been trying different setups that allow me to paint outside but remain mobile. I always imagined a system that allowed me to stand and sketch, something that attached to my body so I could have a hands-free surface. After a month of using the Etchr Slate Mini it has become a normal part of my travel sketching and plein air painting workflow. It's more than a shoulder bag, in my opinion it's more like a soft pochade box that you wear around your shoulders. Some might call it a field easel art bag or similar. I'll show you how I use it and talk about some of the pros and cons. Painting outside is always a challenge no matter what materials you use, but it can be a little easier if you find the right setup. This is not just an unboxing video - it's a real world review of the Etchr Slate Mini.
Here's a newer video about how I use the satchel: • How I setup my Etchr S...
What's in your urban sketching kit? Let me know!
I'm not sponsored, but if you want to buy one, using my affiliate links supports my channel :)
Buy an Etchr Slate Mini ➤ Jacksons Art bit.ly/etchrsm
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[@CufflinksAndChuckles]

Your advice near the end was honestly very humbling. I considered buying this because I wanted to be the type of artist that goes around doing plein air sketches. So, I did what you suggested by first going out several times a week since November. I quickly realized that plein air art isn't for me. I've learned that I'd much rather take pictures while going out on long walks or hikes and painting them in my home studio. Thanks to you, instead of thinking about buying the Etchr Slate Mini, I'm going to buy a really good camera bag!

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

That's the best way to approach it Kim!

[@beckyisj]

Loved the review (especially because there aren't a lot of it out there) and your ending note that this product won't make you a better artist. I feel like I fell into that trap before and now I'm focusing more on building habits before buying more supplies. Thanks for this video Sarah!

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Yup, I have too. So many times I thought "if only I had this thing, I'll be able to level up" but there is nothing that will replace discipline and practice.

[@nicola.p]

Same here. The phrase 'all the gear, no idea' sums up my art journey so far 😄

[@colleenmcchesney1482]

Thanks for sharing this wonderful informational review of the Etchr Slate Mini. I am glad you shared how you actually use it in the settings. This gives me inspiration for getting one soon.

[@chantelmcskimming6633]

Thank you 😊 really enjoyed the word of wisdom: get out and sketch ✏️

[@annebaiel]

Thank you for your review! I appreciated seeing it in use. I agree with having the other tool side be detachable.

[@moma-b]

Wolfy showing up at the end is priceless. 😊

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

LOL his creeper face staring at the camera

[@moma-b]

@@SarahBurnsStudio That show up is just so perfectly timed as he's there, supporting you behind the scenes. It's like giving him the credit. 😊💖

[@XStephandOliviaX]

I never even knew there was such a thing! haha! Love it... But looks like I'm gonna have to save my pennies! 💚

[@CelticBearWoman]

your advice at the end was priceless--thank you for the reminder to just get out there and paint. great life advice just do it!)

[@devnagraham1006]

I really enjoyed the humour and information in this review, thanks.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Glad to hear it!

[@sewpositivestitches2175]

Ooooo what a magical thing! 🙏

[@NatashaNewtonArt]

Loved this honest review (and of course the beautiful scenery!). Thanks Sarah.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Its a neat little setup! I like being able to swing it around and be ready to sketch almost instantly

[@gillinacook1477]

I have this in my wish list. Been looking at it for a long time.

[@simonnemason2162]

thank you for this review. i have a slate mini and have only used it once because of not really setting it up right for the way i want to use it. so watching you use it and adapt it has made me get it out of the cupboard and i will give it a second chance. thank you. and by the way i love your videos, very inspirational and motivating.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Its too expensive not to use 🤣

[@philipdown3147]

Thanks greatly Sarah for sharing your inspiration and experience on your new purchase, personally I would prefer to have a three legged shooting stick which is comfortable and light to carry. Greatly appreciating your inspirational videos Sarah stay safe and healthy

[@ArtandFictionByAdele]

My urban sketching kit is minimal - one pocket-sized pad, two ink pens, (so if one runs out, I've not wasted time and effort), and two pencils. That's it. I often add watercolour washes later, back in my studio.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Sounds great!

[@nordiin88]

Cool setup 👍

[@judymboyle]

I purchased the larger Etchr Slate when if first became available several years ago and have gotten much use out of it. I found the easel mode great for urban sketching with my 12.9” iPad Pro and also carry several pens, sketchbook, and watercolors along with my wallet and slim water bottle. I had also used it in life drawing sessions in tripod mode with a sketchbook or the iPad. Thanks for the review of the Slate Mini and I love your Plein Air videos!

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Thanks for sharing! I think this would be a great kit for a life drawing class - good idea! I'm planning on going to one as soon as the lockdown eases.

[@melissabridge5687]

I recieved the Etcher sachel mini for Mothers day. ❤❤❤Love it. It does get me out more. I have Arthritis and it is a huge help holding what I need. I also got a tripod for it. Highly recommend using a tripod. And a small chair. I keep them in the car.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

For car camping sketch trips I'll definitely be using the tripod and a camping chair 😄

[@juliadixon-smith5416]

I also had been looking at the reviews on these. In the end I went for an Art traveller from Jacksons as a lighter cheaper alternative which I can use in a similar way. It has pockets on either side to hold pens etc in that hang down when Velcro opened up and a board suspended from a strap to hold sketchbook with W/C box clipped onto it. Of course nothing in the league of the Etchr and it’s price, but I find it useful.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

That's great!

[@mendyhand3895]

Great review. Thx! 👍👩🏻‍🎨🖌

[@laurahale5774]

Sarah! You ARE a freaking super hero! (@ 3:41, where's your cape BTW?) Cool set up. Thank you again for your transparent honesty.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Haha *wraps in a cloak and listens to hero music*

[@BilbosOreo]

So thankful you posted this one! I just received my Slate Mini a couple of days ago, so I found it very valuable! I'm still trying to figure out the logistics of it...how to set it up to work best for me, so haven't taken it out for a test drive yet (plus, it doesn't help that we've been having heavy rains here in the PacNW), but soon. There are so few reviews of the mini online. I mostly see the standard size slate or the art satchel, so yours is very helpful, especially for those considering a smaller "soft pochade" (love that description!). I'd love to see more videos in the future on how you configure yours as you become more familiar with it, and other tips and tricks for using it to its fullest potential. Thank you again Sarah! ~Pam

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

I'll definitely do an update video after a couple months. I'm constantly tweaking it and since I use such a variety of mediums I have different ways to use it

[@BilbosOreo]

@@SarahBurnsStudio Thank you!

[@peacekeeperz81]

Nice video, I had to watch it again. I just don’t know what I want to do. I like the slate mini but I also like the Darsie Beck field easel. The bad thing is there are not hardly any video reviews of that field easel. I kind of wish I could combine both of them. I will have to go see some of your other videos again. I know I have seen some other just not sure it was the mini. It could have been the satchel.

[@colinjoyceart]

Nice to watch your review. I've been wondering about the Etchr so this was useful thanks. I'm torn between this and using the James Gurney set up on a tripod, of which I have too many (eight I think!) 🤣 I am a photographer too.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Homemade is good if you have the tools and time (and skills)! I bet you'd make an amazing setup.

[@gillinacook1477]

Yay, I bought my etchr Slate bag which arrived today but I bought the bigger one not the mini. It costs me £115 from Jackson’s. Can’t wait to play with it.

[@Cerydwyn87]

I love the look of this. I hope to try and get into the habit of plein air painting next year and might treat myself to one of these if I succeed in forming a habit. I find my biggest struggle is not having a car though, especially as Northern Ireland doesn’t have the greatest transport links. Great review 😊

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

I definitely understand that. If you get into the habit of walking in your local area with your sketchbook you might be surprised how many beautiful things there are! You could even make a mini series for yourself to remember the "details of home"

[@Cerydwyn87]

@@SarahBurnsStudio that’s a great idea, thank you Sarah 😊 I will give it a go once it starts warming up a bit more (I don’t do so well in the cold)

[@ValerieHayes1]

I have a Slate and love it. These are pricey bags. I recently scored a low cost alternative when I found on sale, a Haiku handbag that can convert to a backpack by how you arrange the strap. Well, you can also arrange the strap in the sketching configuration. With a lightweight stiff board in the back pocket, you have a sketching surface!

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

That sounds great!

[@ShanCrawley]

Wow! What a great idea! Do you recall which Haiku bag it was?

[@amberdreams_0]

Oh you're so right about the habit of going out and just doing it - I should have done that before buying stuff 😂

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Well at least you have supplies…now you just need to use them 😆

[@amberdreams_0]

@@SarahBurnsStudio Yup yup - no excuses!

[@sandjune2753]

Hi Sarah, I am with you in the fact that one side hangs and to balance you need to clip it together. Thanks for the review, because of that I am not sure I would purchase, as I would want to unzip that bit and have that on a strap or clip on my trousers.

[@moma-b]

I've chocked on my coffee when that red knife/fountainpen (?) fell and almost hit your foot. 😳

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Haha I didn't even notice that until wolfy pointed it out! And I had to slow it down

[@moma-b]

@@SarahBurnsStudio I'd never thought fountainpens could fall like that. I totally thought that's a knife. If someone wears sneakers I'd say a fountainpen can pierce one's foot. 😳

[@morgenmachen2400]

What a helpful, critical review. Can you review.. everything lol? Specifically I'm looking for a gouache palette. Wondering if I should spring for the sta-wet. Just seems a hassle to buy the little palette paper and sponges. Dunno.. Anyway, great video! Awesome content as usual :)

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

I do have quite a few reviews coming up over the next couple months, one of which is a "stay wet" type palette that was originally made for miniature painters (like those figurines). It comes with a sponge paper as well, but it's lighter and smaller and I'm curious how it will compare. In addition, I have other gouache videos planned and I want to talk a bit more about my usual palette.

[@maggiemerc7607]

I bought the original one named Nomad back when Darren Yeow, the designer, came out with the idea and presented it on a crowdfunding website. I was sold on the concept and believed the marketing video for the prototype. About a year or so later, I received my, just as pricey, bag and it turned out to be a wonderful concept deeply flawed executed. I will say that the company did an outstanding job keeping those who pledged towards the project informed throughout the process. The material and craftsmanship are also of high quality but the problem turned out to be the depth of the bag! I even made my own sketchbook, a very slim one, yet it was so tight that it became laborious to zip/unzip it. I still have it 7 or 8 years later… is pretty but quite useless. Darren stopped making them, went back to the drawing board and addressed the issues of the original one and started Etchr Lab was born with the modified bag and other art products. Darren is no longer fully involved with the company, but listed as an art product consultant and co-founder. I’m still not sold on this one, aesthetically, I still prefer the original useless one, Maybe one day…. Thanks for the review though!

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Oh interesting backstory! I didn't know that. Well, I can only speak from my own experience - this one suits my needs almost perfectly.

[@lovinpickles08]

Thank you for this video!!! Been thinking about getting it. Really appreciate the honest reviews! Will you be reviewing the porcelain palettes by etchr?

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

No, I don't want those

[@zenlife1200]

It looks like a clumsy person's nightmare to me and I'm that clumsy person lol. I think you're right about wanting the other half removable it makes the whole thing seem unwieldy to me, in the way it folds back. I think that's what puts me off the most. It would be more useful for me to have a few pens in a round the neck or over the shoulder holder or a hip holster, than have them stuck on the back of my flat surface where I can't see or reach them.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

I love it on a tripod!

[@veritasca24]

How is the Etchr Slate Mini holding up after a couple of years. Thank you for the review. By the way, what is the cute watercolor palette you are using?

[@sarajamal799]

Love this video 💚 Have you ever forgotten a camera out in the forest hehehe ?

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Not yet!

[@erikaweihmayer4793]

These are on sale at Jackson’s right now!!!

[@IamGadgetcom]

I. Enjoyed your videos...I subscribed. Can you tell me what travel brushes are you using. I noticed you inserting the brush end into the handle part when packing up. I think i would enjoy thar style. Thank you

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Those are travel brushes, many brands make them of all shapes and sizes. Mine are Escoda

[@IamGadgetcom]

@@SarahBurnsStudio thank you Can you tell me which Escada travel brushes you have and are would you buy them again? Thank you

[@DannySabraArt]

How was it with the watercolor palette? do you feel like you could ever set the palette and water on the platform portion of the satchel or is it too shaky and you'd need to hold it the whole time?

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Yes, I set my water cup and portable painter on the platform. If I'm moving a lot/walking, of course it's shakey, but even then I can still move. One thing I'm trying now are magnet clips. I put a magnet clip on the edge of the platform, and set my tiny plastic water cup on top, then drop a magnet into the water cup. It stays in place very well.

[@DannySabraArt]

@@SarahBurnsStudio oooh. Cool idea! Good to know as well. It seems like it could be a nice set up. I often go out with a tripod but sometimes that’s just a lot of stuff to carry. Hmmm

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

@@DannySabraArt I love that it has a tripod mount. I plan on using that more when I find a really great spot i'm going to sit at for more than an a half hour

[@DannySabraArt]

@@SarahBurnsStudio that is pretty cool actually. I like that you can stand with it. I don’t know how many times I’ve felt it would be easier and less conspicuous to just stand and sketch rather than setting up an easel. Especially in places where tripods aren’t allowed such as many gardens or museums

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

@@DannySabraArt yup exactly!

[@DavZell]

Sarah, you said you trust the brand. Did you by any chance have their larger bag, which I think they call the Satchel? If yes, how do you compare the two?

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

No I don't have their other bags. But I've been using their sketchbooks, papers, and brushes for a long time and really love them. Plus I've personally worked with their team, doing tutorials and such, and really like their attitude.

[@gerritjordaan]

I was thinking if buying one, but after looking at your review, it looks like a struggle to work with.

[@sandjune2753]

hmm the cross over straps on bags I have found when loaded up with even the basic of Watercolour materials makes my shoulders ache. Has this been the case for you Sarah? I notice you take a ruck sack out now, and have this as well ?

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

I actually bought back-pack straps for this bag because I found that I prefer to use a tripod with instead

[@reelynn77]

Do you still use this and like it? I've been sitting on the ground and my legs fall asleep so I need something I can stand up with, but don't know that I want to do a huge setup. But I do have water for gouache so I'm nervous about spilling it all over myself and my stuff if I use thisbag

[@sujanithtottempudi2991]

Long term ....neck pain is high possiblity

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Yes, that is definitely something to be careful of. Though it's probably not as bad as "phone neck" that people have from being on their phones 24/7 lol

[@SharonCullenArt]

Shoot! Lost mY entire comment. I reviewed one of these extra large bags which I received half off thankfully. Or I would’ve had to paY $300 for it at the time. It was before the mini was born. I did not like it. I felt bad giving a bad review but it was more than 7lb emptY before adding any supplies in. And when I needed something inevitably it was underneath in the outside pocket or flipped under and I couldn’t get to supplies easily enough. It had so much going on and so many of those Velcro pieces I couldn’t figure it all out. But later I received another bag for review called the Darby Art Easel sketch bag which is awesome. It is a very light weight bag and is primarily used for standing and it is awesome. I reviewed both on My channel years ago but the Etchr bag sits in the loft of my art studio. Maybe one day I will try it again but for that much weight it was ridiculous. I felt like I was carrying an old laptop around!

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

That's why I didn't want to the bigger one. I like lightweight and easy. Once you set this one up a few times it goes really fast. And I finally have all my attachments placed exactly as I like them so I don't have to move them around :D

[@SUSSDUE]

Yes, I can understand that- I have the Art satchel and it is too heavy for me to carry around for daily casual sketching. Great for a whole day out painting, and brilliant if you can prop it in laptop mode on a table, but still too cumbersome for bringing every day. I suppose it was made for big muscular guys, not for an unfit, tiny woman like myself ;-))! I like the quality of the material. Now the Slate Mini is on my serious wishist! Much easier just to grab and bring on a walk.

[@sujanithtottempudi2991]

Instead we could just use tripod and stand to paint

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Tripods are stationary, so I use this when I want to move faster. Sketch for a few minutes. Close bag. Move. Repeat. Sometimes I do several sketches during one hike.

[@maryhazlett]

I love "all the stuff". But, I can't stand long so I'll skip this one!

[@sujanithtottempudi2991]

Anyway...you take out things from bag set up and don't go back to your bag while painting...so no difference from tripod

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

The difference being tripod requires you to be stationary. I can't quickly raise and lower it, move it, etc.. Freedom of movement is what I'm after.

[@elizabethhunt5536]

Many thanks for the post! Great Item but somewhat overpriced, over-designed and slightly cumbersome-looking. A piece of stiff board with strap attached and a few spring clips might make a DIY money-saving alternative...........

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

I think its overpriced but not over designed. It's extremely durable and waterproof, and acts a bag to carry items too which makes it self contained. It's all about convenience and of course depends on the users needs! I do wish it had magnetics

[@elizabethhunt5536]

Is it a heavy item - do you know its weight?