What is in my Plein Air Watercolor Kit for Travel (and why)
- Em Campbell
- May 24
- 7 min read
You’re hiking in beautiful Switzerland, the weather is perfect, the view is majestic - especially that friendly goat. You want to remember this moment, so you pull out your painting kit, and settle into the soft grass for a lovely hour of savoring and saving the landscape through art. This moment sounds absolutely ideal, and yet there is one element in it that could move this dream to a nightmare quickly, and it’s not the goat. Or the grass… unless you have allergies.
When you paint in your studio, it’s a (mostly) controlled environment - no wind, no rain, (hopefully) no bugs, no changing light, lots of space, lots of supplies. You have what you need and the right conditions to use it. Painting outdoors is a whole other thing. I've spent years attempting to paint “in the wild” - on vacations, at the park, or even just in my backyard - and I’ve learned a lot about what I really want and need in my plein air painting setup.
On my trek through Europe I learned how heavy a fat watercolor notebook feels after a 20,000 step day. In Corolla I learned that if things aren’t properly held down, they will join the seagulls flying over the rip tide. In California I learned that sand can get anywhere and in anything. In Tobermory I discovered that not bringing extra water means that painting time can end before you planned. As I’ve progressed (and aged) I’ve learned that I don’t need more than two brushes and four colors in my watercolor supplies for travel, but I DO need a cushion. And that cushion should be waterproof.
Over time my painting kit has evolved and slimmed down to what I really need or personally want, allowing for a freedom and flow in the wild that is better than ever. If you're new to watercolor or outdoor painting, I'm sharing what I've learned so you can skip some of the hard lessons. Below I'll cover what's in my traveling kit and why it's there - every item has earned its spot.
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The Clipboard
A standard metal clipboard with an interior storage compartment is the backbone of this whole setup. Papers and some supplies can be stored inside, nothing blows away, and I can hold things down easily by putting magnets inside to grab my palette and cup.
Magnets do a lot of work here. My metal palette is steel and the water cup has magnets on the bottom, so they clip right to the clipboard face and stay put. I can paint standing up or sitting with the board in my lap. It also protects drying work inside if I need to move on before the paint dries or if rain begins.
One or two large silicone rubber bands are also on the clipboard to help hold loose paper edges or unused brushes down while I work. So many great uses for these big bands.
The Palette
I paint from a small metal palette with just four strategic colors in it. That's it. Three primary colors and one neutral color handle everything I paint. I can mix nearly any color with just these. Keeping the palette small and simple is a practice that makes me a better painter on location. See more in the next section. Less pans in my palette box also means I can use that space for storage of other items in my kit, like brushes and my dropper.
I activate the pans with a water dropper (pipette) before I start. It's more precise than a spray bottle and easier to control, especially in wind. It also doesn't leak lying flat in my palette box. I actually use these all the time in my home studio too. Very handy.
The Paint
This one might be hard to understand, but trust me when I say that less is more when it comes to the number of pigment colors you carry on the go. Limiting yourself to a few strategic colors will also have the effect of unifying your work, teaching you how to mix colors, and enable you to move quickly since you’re not slowed by having so many options. You will be amazed at the range of colors that a few well-chosen pigments can create. My palette has my own preferred primaries and neutral, but any red, blue, and yellow, can give you the full color wheel range of colors. I add Payne’s grey because it’s my favorite dark neutral, but you could use burnt umber, sepia, or neutral tint instead. Try different limited palettes at home and find your favorite combo. What’s in my palette, you ask? Prussian blue, Hansa Yellow Deep, Bordeaux, and Paynes grey. My favorite brands are Shin Han and Holbien.
The Brushes
I use two watercolor brushes — one flat, one round — and I've cut the handles short so they fit inside the palette box. Full-length handles are unnecessary when you're working small, and the shorter handles actually improve control on compact paper. I use my water cup with these. Another brush I carry is a waterpen. This little guy can really simplify your setup because it removes the need for a water cup. The pen holds enough water for a couple small paintings, and it works well enough for quick work in the wild.
Paper Sheets or Sketchbook?
I’ve used both, I like both, use what you like or what fits in your kit. If you use a clipboard like I do, you can store loose sheets inside. A sketchbook can be nice if you are using it on a trip as a way of capturing memories.
Water Cup
One note about my water cup: this is actually an old salve tin that I repurposed for this setup. Any small container with a metal lid would work though as long as the base of the cup fits into the lid. I put a magnet in the lid, and the cup rests on top without shifting around. There are a lot of other clever water cup ideas out there, or you can get a traditional one with a clip. And don’t forget a little water bottle to stay hydrated but also fill your cup.
The Sweatband
This is an odd one, but lemme explain. I wear a sweatband on my wrist to blot my brush. Though I still carry them sometimes, paper towels blow, get too wet, fall apart, and create waste. A sweatband stays where it is, dries fast, and it can even hold pens or brushes tucked inside while I work. I just wash it with my laundry when it gets too colorful. It sounds odd until you try it. Then you love it. A cotton bandana could also work.
Other Tools
I sketch with a light blue watercolor pencil before I put any paint down. It reads as a drawing guide while I work, then disappears into the washes — no graphite darkening under transparent color, no erasing. (These are worth trying for fun anyway) It's one of those small changes that I wish I had thought of years ago. Note: This doesn’t work well for sketches that you need to see under several washes since the washes will have melted the pencil marks.
A viewfinder and red glasses help me make better decisions about composition and value while I'm working. If you’ve never worked with these, they can be a real help for problems you can’t quite pin down. The red glasses help you ignore colors and find your highlights, midtones, and shadows better. The viewfinder removes distraction too, allowing you to simplify - very helpful for working quickly as you do painting plein air.
Artist tape isn’t essential, but I like how taping my edges makes even my sloppy quick sketches look polished in the end. (I like this skinny stuff) Just remember to tape before you start working! I usually tape a few pages before I go out so I’m ready to paint on site.
For final details, I keep a waterproof ink pen (I love these!) for linework and a white gel pen for highlights and small corrections. These go on last, after the paint is dry, and they give me options I can't get from the brush alone.
And don’t forget your cushion!
I’ve been a sad, damp, sister more than once when I overestimated the dryness of a spot where I chose to paint. (I’m telling you, that rock just looked dark, not wet!) Sitting on the ground, a stump, a rock, or even a wall or sidewalk is not only dirty, but also often uncomfy, so grab something to sit on. I used to just use my jacket, but the older I get, the more I appreciate my creature comforts, so I use a folding camp cushion. There are many other options here, including a stadium cushion, old chair cushion, gardening kneeling pad (the dollar store has these!), or you can bring a whole folding camp chair if you want. The point is to not be distracted from your painting because your booty is chilly, sore, or wet.
All the supplies listed above fit easily into a small backpack or tote bag. I recommend a waterproof bag with structure (like this - so cute!) so things don’t fall out when you set it down, but any vinyl grocery bag will do.
So to recap, here’s the packing list:
Clipboard with magnets
Silicone bands
Watercolor palette with water dropper/pipette
Watercolor paints
Watercolor paper or small sketchbook
2 small and short watercolor brushes
Waterpen
Small water cup or tin
Bottle of water
Wrist sweatband
Light blue watercolor pencil
Viewfinder
Red value glasses
Artist tape
Waterproof ink pen
White gel pen
Something to sit on
Waterproof bag to carry supplies
That’s it, those are my preferred supplies. If you’re brand new at this, I recommend putting together a simple kit from what you have and trying it out painting in your backyard. You’ll quickly discover what works for you and what really doesn't. But the point is to enjoy your painting hobby in new ways and places, so don’t overthink it. These aren’t masterpieces we are creating in the wild, these are experiences and moments to enjoy, and if your painting turns out pretty, that’s a happy cherry on top of a lovely afternoon in your backyard, or park, or the Alps …with a friendly goat.
Happy painting! - Em
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