Where Do You Start With Supplies for Urban Sketching?
If you Google “Urban Sketching Supplies” or “Travel Art Supplies”, you’ll find at least as many travel kits and recommendations as there are Urban Sketchers. You can get ideas from them. Don’t buy everything you see!
Before you buy supplies — Ask yourself questions
Think about the type of sketching you want to do before you buy a lot of supplies that you may not use. Look around online and in your local area and find several people whose sketching styles you like. Find out the materials they use, and start with some of those.
Do you want to carry a sketchbook and supplies with you everywhere you go? You may want an easy-to-carry, simple kit that has a sketchbook, pencil, pen and eraser.
If you want to do more extensive trips and spend several hours sketching, add more supplies to your kit. Some people have a simple kit to take all the time, and a second kit that they also take for longer trips. For example, the second kit may have markers, watercolors, fountain pen and ink or pens.
That’s what I do – I have my “Go Everywhere” pencil case and sketchbook, and also a second kit with additional supplies like watercolors.
How much time will you devote to sketching? Will you go to a destination and spend the afternoon? Or all day? You may want a kit that has watercolors, water and brushes, markers and fountain pens in addition to your simple pencil-and-sketchbook kit.
Choose your supplies and travel kits to fit the type of sketching you want to do. Experiment and do sketching in several locations, some longer, some shorter. See what you like best, and do more of that.
What supplies do you use?
I carry a sketchbook and pencil case with pencils, a grey watercolor pencil, pens and eraser with me all the time. I often add a small soft-sided case filled with watercolor pencils and a waterbrush.
If I know I’ll spend the afternoon or day sketching, AND that I can sit at a table, I’ll also bring my watercolors water and travel watercolor brushes. This is a personal preference. A number of sketchers on the group sketches and workshops I’ve taken use watercolors all the time.
To me, balancing everything on my knee and lap, and wondering if I’ll spill the water detracts from the fun I have sketching. I often do an initial sketch, and add watercolor pencil (dry, like colored pencils) to indicate the colors because it sets it in my mind. Then I often add watercolor and ink when I’m back in my studio.
I prefer spiral sketchbooks because they fold flat. I use sketchbooks with several types of paper – for pencil and ink sketching, heavier watercolor paper for watercolor, and mixed media (approximately where I’ll use light watercolor, watercolor pencils and waterbrush and ink.
Here are the supplies I use. I’m always experimenting with new ones I hear about, so I’ll keep adding to this page. Before I try a new sketchbook or supplies, I Google the brand name, read the description and reviews, and watch YouTube videos of urban sketchers demonstrating them. That way I can see exactly what they’re like and if they’ll give me the effects I’m looking for in my sketches.
Over time, and after buying many supplies, I’ve come to realize that doing urban sketching and buying supplies are TWO things altogether.
And a new sketchbook / pen / watercolor palette etc. etc. etc. – Does NOT make one a better sketcher.
Some of my Sketchbooks –
My Barnes & Noble Pencil Case
- 2B Pencil
- Univision Fine and Micro
- White pencil-style eraser
- Kneaded eraser
- Small pencil sharpener
- Warm Grey Watercolor pencil
- Waterbrush
My Softcover Case for Watercolor Pencils
Derwent Inktense Watercolor Pencils
Albrecht Durer Watercolor Pencils Set
Some of my Sketchbooks –
- Orange spiral – 24 lb 90 g/m2 – 5.8”x8.3” — Pencil, markers, pen, ink, light watercolor
- Art Bee – 120 lb 200 g/m2 – 9”x6” — Medium rough surface. Wet and dry media.
- Fabriano – 60 lb 85 g – 5.8”x8.25” – Pencil, markers, pen, ink, light watercolor
- Clairefontaine Goldline – 180 gsm – 5.8”x4.13” – Light and regular grain. Mixed media, Pencil, markers, pen, ink, light watercolor, gouache
Travel Watercolor Brush Set
