41: Packing Supplies for Ten Days in Spain
An art supply travel packing list
This week I leave for a ten-day trip to Spain, where I will be teaching for a week alongside my friend and very talented artist, Ohn Mar Win. We have co-taught many times, but this is our first week-long retreat together. There will be a total of nineteen of us exploring, drawing, and painting in southern Spain.
I am always a little overwhelmed when packing for a trip, thinking about the weather, how many pairs of shoes to bring, layers, clothes that are comfortable but also versatile, etc. All the lists and things to do make my head spin leading up to that moment when I am off to the airport, at which point I know that anything I have missed or forgotten will work itself out one way or another. Then there are the art supplies, which are a whole separate part of my packing that I intentionally keep minimal. Somehow, I have this part down, and the main reason is that I am always working on the go, so my supplies are in a perpetual travel-ready state. But what art supplies to bring on this retreat, and on trips in general, seems to be the cause of other people’s stress, so I hope that I can help simplify it a little bit.
My philosophy is to bring what you love and what you know you will use, and anything else you will either just miss a little bit, in a fleeting moment, or not even think about in the midst of creating. We overthink and often overpack. The basics are all you need when moving about on your journeys. Why have more weigh you down? The joy and freedom of creating with the first thing you grab from your bag can become a part of your process. Also, how fun is it to seek out an art supply shop in a small town or big new city and buy a few things if you really find you are in a bind?
Here is what I am bringing for this trip:
My handmade sketchbook (I often make one specifically for a trip)
Two drawing pencils with pencil point protectors so they don’t get my bag messy
A plastic eraser
A few disposable fine-line permanent pens like Pigma Micron
My assortment of Lamy Safari fountain pen with an ink converter that I fill with Platinum carbon ink. (I have a fine tip with black ink, a broad tip with black ink, and another fine tip with sepia ink). If I make sure that they are all fully loaded with ink, they will last the whole trip, but I do have tiny jars with extra ink just in case.
Two extra small sets of watercolor paints - I am bringing the Draw Your World palette that I created with ArtToolKit and Greenleaf & Blueberry (we are working on a re-release, so stay tuned!) and this small set with bright florescent colors.
My Derwent Inktense Paints, set of 24.
Derwent Push-Button Waterbrushes, set of 4. I use these with all of my paints.
A small ziplock bag with an assortment of Caran d’Ache Neocolor II pastels and Museum Aquarelle colored pencils. I like these because they are all water-soluble so I can add water if I choose to or work with them on top of my paintings for added texture and free-play.
A few rags for blotting and cleaning the brushes
A pile of small watercolor paper for postcards
Travel folding scissors (TSA safe) and a glue stick
When I walk around, I pare this down even more. I take my sketchbook, a pencil to plan pages and jot down ideas, an eraser (yep, I’m a pencil and eraser person… you can read more about that here), and one or two pens.
Sharing my supply list and my way is just one approach to making art, and I love seeing the diverse ways my students interpret experiences in their unique styles, using the materials they love best. How does my packing list differ from yours? Did I miss something you can’t live without?
I know that algorythms have changed a lot on Instagram when my note here on Substack, with the same illustration, has so much more engagement. Click below to see the full frame.
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Most of my Skillshare classes feature my favorite Caran D’Ache art supplies. My relationship with the US distributor, Creative Art Materials, started back when I wrote Draw Your Day in 2018, and they saw how heavily I featured their art tools— many that I have been using since I was in grade school. Click here to find some my favorites on the Orange Art wesbite.
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"Bring what you love and what you know you will use" is such great advice. I bring 3 pigment liner markers, 3 alcohol markers (dark, medium, light values), and a sketchbook. Your week-long adventure sounds wonderful. Safe travels to and from, and I hope you and all the students discover amazing arting things.
what a dream to travel like that! have so much fun!🌞