This is my “bare minimum” kit which I have used on the Routeburn Track, on airplanes and at many quite dull sporting events. It’s light enough to fit in my handbag for spur of the moment sketching but makes no compromises on pigment quality, which is where I draw the line.

Essential elements:

An A5 sketchbook with thick pages which won’t warp with a wet wash. This is a Winsor Newton one from the junk shop in Greymouth. The pages are a bit rough tbh, but you can order a nice Stillman and Bern softcover with smooth pages for $35. On sale at Hobbyland here for $26 btw. Think about whether you’d prefer landscape or portrait orientation, mine is landscape. Also you might prefer a spiral bound so you can flip the back around 360 degrees without cracking the spine like I have here. 

A light cheap mechanical HB pencil with a refillable 0.5 lead. This one is light and fine enough for me. Perfectionists might want to go to a .3, but I find them a bit snappy as I’m heavy-handed.

A small palette: this is a Schmincke Horadam palette mostly filled with my favourite Winsor Newton shades and a small splotch of Daniel Smith Moonglow because friends let friends share pigments (thanks Lesley Alexander!). If you’re starting out, a Schmincke Horadam or Winsor Newton basic half pan palette will see you right. As you learn what you like, you can buy empty palettes and half pans and fill them from tubes as I have. If you’d like a list of my essential pigments then email me back and I’m happy to send it to you. If you think you’ll do a bit of painting and can afford artist quality then that is much better value for money. They last forever, are bright, and aren’t adulterated with chalky fillers.  Alternatively you could take a bunch of watercolour pencils if that’s your jam.

My dot paint swatch: My best basic ‘hack’ is to make a little swatch of your colours to take with you so you can make more accurate colour choices. You could laminate it but I wrapped mine in Gladwrap™ because I’m classy like that.

A cheap as chips refillable aquabrush $9.99 for three from Warehouse stationery. There’s your brush and your water all-in-one and you’re good to go. The point is surprisingly good if you keep the lid on, and once you’ve got to grips with how hard to squeeze the brush for water control you’re golden. Also you won’t lose or damage your expensive brushes while travelling, or break and spill your water jar in your bag as I have

An old ‘white’ facecloth for dabbing your brush. I keep a couple of these grotty looking characters on the go and simply haven’t found anything better to use.

A sealable waterproof bag: The main aim is to protect your sketchbook from your drinkbottle leaking in your bag. They do wear out, so a small waterproof pouch is a good idea, I’m just too lazy to find one and it’s so light and everything is visible in there.