Buying and trying new art supplies can be addicting! In this corner of our site, I experiment with and share products that are compact and great for taking your creative endeavors on the road. I test and review
I never enjoyed watercolors when I was younger because the only experience I’d had was with low-quality paints and materials. This is not the way to get a good understanding of or enjoyment out of watercolors. Invest in some quality paints and papers so you can truly appreciate the pleasure of rich, lasting pigments and how they interact with high-grade papers. Now that I’ve experimented with professional grade watercolor materials, I’ve grown to love this medium!
My current favorite paints are Daniel Smith professional watercolors. If you’re new to watercolors or new to the Daniel Smith brand, I suggest buying their watercolor dot charts to experiment with. They give a generous sample of all their colors to try, and afterwards, you’ll have a nice color chart to refer to when selecting colors and buying new paints in the future.
Daniel Smith’s Dot Color Chart offers 238 professional grade samples to play with including their luminescent, iridescent and duochrome colors. These cards will provide a full day of fun and experimentation, then keep them (I put them in plastic sleeves on a binder ring) as a handy reference.
Once we started RV camping, I developed a compact, portable art studio to-go. I like to work pretty small and detailed anyway, but my favorite travel-ready supplies keep the creative process simple when we’re on the road. All my travel supplies fit in a 12-inch ArtBin Carrying Case. I bought two: one for all my supplies and one to store finished pieces in. This works well for working inside the RV. When I head out for plein air painting or just working at the campsite picnic table, I will often load these materials into one of my husband’s old camera bags, or into my art vest! Here are some of the supplies I love and use most…
WHAT I KEEP IN MY TRAVEL ART KIT:
• ArtBin 12-inch Carrying Case
Lockable latches, stackable and sturdy. I’m a happy artsy camper!
Outer measurements: 12 x 9.75 x 3.58 inches
Inner storage area: 11.58 x 7.88 x 3.38 inches
I have two – one for supplies and one to store finished pieces in.
• Portable Painter Watercolor Palette
Designed for travel, this clever little palette collapses into a hand-sized case. It includes 12 empty half pans to fill with your favorite colors, fold-out mixing wells, a double-sided travel brush, and the outer container slides onto the palette sides to make two water receptacles (Full review coming soon!)
• Winsor & Newton Brush Pen Set
I’ll admit I bought this for the adorable and very practical little case. It comes with 12 Cotman half pans which I set aside to use when I teach my niece to paint and replaced with my favorite professional W&N half pans.
• The Daniel Smith Half Pan Watercolor Set
A recent addition to the Daniel Smith liquid watercolor paint line. 15 half pans in a travel case. (Full review coming soon!)
• Silicone Mat (protective painting surface)
This was actually designed as a pet feeding mat, but it perfectly suits my needs. I have one for home and one I take on the road. Just roll and go! I get pretty messy when I paint and I like a protective surface beneath it all. It also serves as a clean surface for my art supplies when I am painting on something like a picnic table. It has a small lip around the edge to catch any water or paint spills and will keep the high-staining pigments from leaving a permanent mark on your work surface.
• Pentalic Aqua 8″ x 5″ Journal
This is my favorite “go-to” art journal: 48 Pages of 140 lb. watercolor paper with an elastic closure band, elastic brush holder loop and a sturdy pocket on the back cover. It lays flat and comes in a landscape format I prefer. I love the weight and texture of the paper. The paper is also sewn into the binding, so the painting across the center won’t Perfect for mixed media. It just has a “special” feel to it and is nicer than the average sketchbook.
• Fluid Watercolor Paper Block
I like the (4 x 6 inch 140 lb. Hot press (for fine detail work)
• Ampersand Hardbord 6 x 8 inch Panels
The perfect size for creating little paintings on the go. I tape loose watercolor paper on these for a sturdy portable surface that keeps my paintings flat. They can also be covered in watercolor ground to create a durable painting board.
• Da Vinci Maestro Kolinsky – Travel Round Size 1 Brush
I love this well-made red sable brush! The tip screws into its own handle. At just a tad over 3
• Whiskey Painters Round Size 2 Retractable Travel Brush
• Water Brush Pen Set
Nylon brush tips ranging from 01 Point tip to size 10 flat. So practical for painting anywhere! (No water cup needed, just fill them and go!)
UPDATE: As of April 27, 2019 – the Mini Palette designed by watercolor artist, Stephanie Law (the round palette pictured with a bee on the lid) that I acquired through a Kickstarter Campaign has now been picked up as a product available through Etchr Labs! It still offers the 37 pigment wells, but they are now even deeper than the original design and are now available here!
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