Sketching on the Go: My Essential Travel Art Supplies ✏️🎒 (Patreon)

Traveling has always inspired me. The various sights, unique experiences, and new encounters are full of creative possibilities just waiting to be captured. Today, I'd like to share some of my tips and the essential materials I bring with me. ✈️✨

Why I Sketch on the Go 🎨🌍

For me, sketching while traveling is more than just making art. It's about capturing special moments in a way that photos can’t quite do. When I sketch, I really feel like I’m taking in and connecting with my surroundings. Each drawing becomes a personal diary entry, holding the magic of that moment in time.

My Essential Travel Sketching Materials: 🖌️🗒️

Compact Sketchbook: I always carry a small sketchbook, usually no larger than A6 size. It’s lightweight and fits easily into my bag, making it perfect for quick sketches on the go. Last year, I shared a video on making a travel sketchbook. You can check it out here https://www.patreon.com/posts/my-travel-part-1-82854986?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link. 

This year, I've decided to switch to a larger sketchbook with kraft paper. I really wanted to leave my markers behind this time and focus on quick line sketches.

Mechanical Pencil: At home, I usually use a regular graphite pencil, but I love using a mechanical pencil during my trips because it doesn't need sharpening and provides consistent lines. I usually pack a 0.5mm pencil with HB lead for versatility.

Fine Liners: I brought a couple of fine liners of different brands and widths. My reliable Micron 0.4 is great for my comics and quick sketches. I also tried an Ohuhu 0.5 liner, but my experience with this brand hasn't been great so far. The liner was hard to use on kraft paper, as it gave inconsistent lines and a grayish faded tone instead of deep black, lacking the contrast I wanted on this dark paper.

Erasers: I cut a small piece out of a regular eraser to save space. Additionally, I have a Mono Zero by Tombow mechanical eraser, which works like a mechanical pencil but with a very thin eraser tip. It's perfect for cleaning up line work. I also carry a slim plastic case with some spare eraser nibs.

White Gel Pen: I always bring my Sakura white gel pen in case I need to fix mistakes on white paper or to draw on kraft paper. It creates a nice, interesting effect in my new sketchbook.

Sticky Notes or Washi Tape: These are perfect for attaching different materials you collect during the trip, such as tickets, business cards, receipts, and other cool stuff. They’re lightweight and easy to carry.

Alcohol-Based Markers: For shading and adding depth, I brought a couple of tones with me, brown and a mid-tone gray. When I plan to sketch with markers on my trips, I bring more color variations, but still not too many—maybe about 10 different tones just to capture the essence and mood or add some shadows. I prefer to do the main coloring at my desk in a relaxing and calming atmosphere.

Paper Clips: I always keep a few paper clips with me. They’re really handy for securing reference photos, small sketches, or loose papers, and they’re especially useful for keeping pages in my sketchbook from fluttering in the wind. They also help organize receipts, tickets, and notes I pick up during my travels.

And that is all I bring with me. This set is very lightweight and doesn't take up much space. I don't even store all these materials in a case to minimize size; I just put them in one of the pockets of my carry-on backpack, making sure they are easily reachable whenever I need them.

Let’s dive deeper into this topic if you find posts like this helpful and interesting! I’d love to know what else you’re curious about—whether it’s sketching ideas, organizing your process, or finding the best spot for sketching when there are lots of people around. I’ll also share some sketches I’ve made in this sketchbook in upcoming tips & tricks posts. Let me know what else you’d like to learn about sketching on the go!