What to pack for travel sketching | over 20 tips for choosing a vacation sketch kit

You've got your sunscreen and swim wear - or thermals and waterproofs - packed and you are ready for your holiday, but you want to sketch while you are travelling. What should you take so you can capture the adventure, without going over your baggage allowance?
I'm just packing to go away, so take a look at what I am taking. I'll share a few of my ideas, give you a glimpse of my past sketch books and share over 20 tips and things to think about. But with the best will in the world, you will never have everything you want with you. So learn to relax, learn to improvise and remember that even the most basic unfinished sketch will capture more memories and engage your senses so much more than all the photos you take on your phone.
Every like and comment tells KZbin to show this to more people, so please jump in and share with your creative friends. If you really, really like this content and want to support me you can donate at Kofi. I have just set it up at: ko-fi.com/lizc...
In this film I mention a few things. Here are the links:
How to make a concertina sketchbook 1: • How to make a watercol...
How to make a concertina sketchbook 2: • How to make a watercol...
Review of Viviva coloursheets: • The most fun watercolo...
Review of Viviva watercolour pans: • How good are these wat... (3 March 2024)
How to use the Stabilo 88 pen: • Best pen for sketching...
You might want to see some of the travel sketchbooks in more detail from past holidays and vacations:
Flip through Australia: • Travel sketchbook flip...
Flip through Devon: • Holiday sketchbook tip...
Flip through The Ridgeway: • Tips for hiking sketch...
And here are a couple of films
Travel sketching tips: • Travel sketching hints...
Hiking sketching tips: • Tips for hiking sketch...
If you are looking for a concertina book and don't want to make your own follow these (affiliate) links:
UK: amzn.to/3uR2NE5
USA: amzn.to/3wmZh4S
Also Viviva has kindly given me a discount code to share with you, so if you like what you see go to vivivacolors.c... (this is an affiliate link) and use the code LIZ10 to get 10% off. They do local shipping in USA, UK and Canada and express shipping worldwide.
And for Stabilo point 88:
UK: amzn.to/4bMj6ms
USA: amzn.to/42P70F0
Every week I share a tip, trick or technique I wish I had known when I started painting, so if you enjoyed this please like, comment and subscribe. Or if you have a watercolour problem, let me know and maybe I can help?
If you want to have more in depth courses please head over to www.lizchaderto.... I also run a friendly Facebook group: / watercolourstudiowithl... .
#lizchaderton #travelsketch #holidaysketch
#lizchaderton #holidaysketching #vacationsketching

[@lamp0192]

I love how easy And affordable you made this. Nothing crazy expensive and not a $100. Special bag! Thank you so much for making it so much easier to enjoy painting!

[@LizChadertonArt]

exactly! I want to show its accessible for all 😊

[@tinakoyama8258]

Looks like a great travel sketch kit! One tip I'll share: If you're traveling with others who are not sketching, or you know time may be short, make a series of small, quick sketches in a location instead of taking more time for just one. To that end, I always carry a few water-soluble colored pencils to add a few marks to remind me of the colors (if colors are important to the scene). I find that small, quick sketches evoke memories just as well as fully colored, larger ones. On the occasions when you can grab more time, you can indulge in a larger composition with more color. Have a great time!

[@LizChadertonArt]

that's a great tip! thank you for sharing

[@smitachengappa]

I'm really taken with the idea of not always having the right supplies. I can fall prey to wanting to take everything "just in case," which I've found makes me less likely to draw or paint because there's too much choice. I also think it makes my art too tight because I'm trying to make it perfect. Next time I travel or go plein air painting, i think I'll try to be really minimalist, i think it'll be much more interesting! Thanks Liz, seeing this video has really made me think!

[@LizChadertonArt]

that’s good to hear. I aim for ‘perfectly imperfect’

[@madebylora]

It’s always nice to see a slimmed down kit and not trying to prepare for every single possibility. I’ve got a homemade palette in an altoids tin with 15 half pans (plus a tiny tin with white gouache). I use the same colours at home or when travelling (but my holidays are always in the uk anyway). I’ve got a small jar for water (it was a sample coffee jar from decades ago) and a few travel brushes. But I also currently have some inktense pencils and a waterbrush for when it’s not practical to get the paints out. I have a few fineliners and a white gel pen. Plus I also have a pencil and eraser (because I’m a coward sometimes haha). In my car I keep a little folding stool, but I only carry that with me if I know I’m going to need it. I make my own sketchbooks, currently just with mixed media paper, but maybe next time I’ll use proper watercolour paper. I’ve not tried a concertina style. Oh and for holidays, I also take a separate pencil case with ruler, scissors, glue, etc just in case, but that stays in the accommodation, I don’t carry that around with me.

[@LizChadertonArt]

sounds like you have a really well thought through set up!

[@JanieFries-z9e]

I have given up on finding a good water brush and instead take along a small set of travel brushes, and small water bowls intended for travel. I love taking the time to sketch and paint plen aire, and have made a point of keeping a travel set at the cabin at the lake. We spend a fair bit of time out there and I don't have to haul them back and forth. The best perk is that I don't forget important items. I have been meaning to stop by my local sporting goods store to pick up some tennis wristbands to use instead of paper towel.

[@LizChadertonArt]

sounds like you’ve got it well-sorted 😀

[@LJP2112]

Gosh! What a fabulous destination for your holiday, I would love to be able to travel to exotic destinations 😊. I’m very much a learner when it comes to urban sketching and watercolour so I’m keenly following your advice. I did take a couple of sachets of salt with me on my oh so wet week in Wales in October, to add texture (I knicked them from a cafe somewhere!) so I could switch while my husband dog walked. Have a fabulous holiday, I’m looking forward to seeing your artwork!

[@LizChadertonArt]

yes! we are lucky, but sketching on wet weeks is fun too. it doesn’t have to be anything more exotic than a cup of tea to make a sketch full of memories

[@annepercival7814]

Sounds like the same trip my brother is on at the moment…they’ve had a brilliant time. A couple of strong elastic bands are useful to hold the pages from spilling to the ground when you’re working in your concertina.. be careful with the white Posca pen..they are apt to dump a blob on your page. Thanks for the video

[@LizChadertonArt]

good tip! I just clip the pages, but that would work

[@LizChadertonArt]

hope he has a great time 😊

[@melaniechilvers5447]

Instead of kitchen roll I take a microfibre cloth. I use it to dry my brushes and wipe them on when changing colour. Its useful to wrap around my tiny paint tin too. Enjoy Costa Rica, you will definitely need vibrant colours and a good black, the toucans can be as prolific as blackbirds are here! Have a great holiday.

[@LizChadertonArt]

great idea about the cloth. we’ve seen a few toucans but not hundreds!

[@moonchaserstudio]

You are so talented! I love your drawings! Can’t wait for you to show us the finished book. I know it will be beautiful!

[@LizChadertonArt]

Very soon!

[@derekdobbs1975]

I take a collapsible stool. It weighs 285 grams ,measures 4 “ by 10” when folded flat. In a little travel bag. This means you can sit easily anywhere and also put your supplies on the ground if needed. Lots to choose from on the Internet. Also my Sailor fountain pen for loose sketching. Do have to be careful packing the ink filled pen. Jenny Dobbs.

[@LizChadertonArt]

lovely ideas. I am missing my fountain pen but I know I was right not to bring it

[@chriskeable730]

Love your sketch books. Thanks for sharing and have a lovely holiday. Chris

[@LizChadertonArt]

Thanks so much!

[@Pamela-ko8dz]

have a wonderful holiday.

[@LizChadertonArt]

thank you so much

[@tracylamarca575]

Well, I am GREATLY looking forward to seeing the finished product! Happy sketching and painting and I hope you see all the exotic and colorful wildlife you are anticipating! (Good decision, by the way, not to take the ink😁 - I DID notice your "mucky" hands - I wasn't going to say anything, but since you mentioned them...😅🥰) Safe travels!

[@LizChadertonArt]

I miss my fountain pen, but not worth the risk!

[@tracylamarca575]

🥰@@LizChadertonArt

[@inger_musicart5620]

Enjoy your holiday, it sounds lovely!

[@LizChadertonArt]

Thank you! saw four sloths today in a tree!

[@colleenmcchesney1482]

Oh wow a trip to Costa Rica 🇨🇷 is definitely going to be such wonderful fun! 🥰 I would have to say that I would still have to take a mechanical pencil & a Tombow eraser. I would also take a Pentel ink brush with me in addition to the same kinds of supplies like you have mentioned. I would end up taking 2-3 different sizes of sketchbooks instead of one. Enjoy your holiday & I’m really excited & looking forward to seeing your sketchbook about this upcoming holiday fun! 😘Safe travels ✈️🧳🦋🦎🐠🐟🦜🦦🌺🌸🌞🌎!!

[@LizChadertonArt]

I like finishing a book in a trip

[@mjrewerts]

Beautiful sketches! ❤

[@LizChadertonArt]

Thank you so much 😀

[@ArtCreations.bytheresiamcinnis]

Have a great time.

[@LizChadertonArt]

thank you

[@lindamiller1921]

Have you already gone on your trip to Costa Rica? I love the mountainous areas around Nuevo Arenal & La Fortuna.

[@LizChadertonArt]

yes! we loved it! this is a quick flick through my sketch book kzbin.infourhhSOPqt30

[@abk9314]

Sorry, I keep missing it - what fine liner do you use in .4? I’m having a difficult time finding a waterproof one that doesn’t fade with erasing.

[@LizChadertonArt]

I just use generic Fineliners with no issue. in particular Unipin. but you will find the same pen on different paper may move slightly, so it could be your sketchbook that’s the issue not your pen.

[@abk9314]

@@LizChadertonArt thank you!

[@eileengoldenberg270]

I always travel with my fountain pens. No bottles of ink as I use eye dropper pens that hold a lot of ink..

[@LizChadertonArt]

yes…I guess it depends how long you are going for…. I am missing my fountain pens