Backup Sketchbooks

The other day I wrote about my traveling sketch kit that goes almost everywhere with me. Sometimes I’m caught without my sketch kit when I want to get something down on paper or just fill up some time while I’m waiting. A while back someone mentioned buying a bunch of little notebooks and stashing them everywhere for jotting down ideas and notes. (I can’t remember who it was now. If you know, shout out in the comments.) It was such a good suggestion, I thought I would share it.

I ended up buying a pack of tiny spiral-bound notebooks (5 x 3 inches) at the dollar store. I put one in the car, one in my bag, and several more on desks and such. I use them all of the time now. I make tiny sketches. I draft out painting ideas and take notes of things I want to remember. If I need to write something down for someone else, it’s easy to rip out a page. I use them all of time when I’m talking to clients at work and need to make a quick note. The one in the car gets used all of the time for jotting down notes.

Here’s a couple of pages from two notebooks.

On the left is a sketch I did at the doctor’s office on an unusually busy day. On the right is a note of a color combination for a strong dark black (alizarin crimson, viridian green, phthalocyanine blue). I keep them in a ready available spot with a pencil or pen so there’s no searching around for a piece of paper and a pen. I don’t know how I managed without them.

Traveling Sketch Supplies

I decided to participate in ProBlogger’s 31 Day Challenge to Build a Better Blog. I had to travel to a trade show and then got swamped trying to catch up, so I’m a few days behind. The challenge for day 2 was to write a list post. Since I just got back from traveling, I thought I would show you my traveling sketch supplies. In addition to sketching, I’ll also use my sketchbook for jotting down notes and saving pictures of things I like. I’m pretty easy going with my sketching supplies though. I grab whatever is available.

1. Paper - I have an inexpensive Cachet sketchbook and usually my Moleskine watercolor journal too. The Cachet sketchbook is a little more all purpose than the watercolor journal.
2. Paint – I have a small refillable Holbein travel watercolor kit and a water brush. I’ve had the Holbein kit for many years. Their current version is much fancier. Sometimes I’ll also carry a few cheap brushes.
3. Pens – Currently I’m carrying a set of black Zig Millennium pens plus a cheap ballpoint pen.
4. Pencils – I usually have several pencils – a soft one, a hard one and one of my favorite Ebony jet black pencils. I also have a click eraser, a kneaded eraser stored in a pill carrier, a paper stump, a sand paper pad, and a pencil sharpener.
5. Miscellaneous Supplies – The small ruler is for those times when I want to make sure I draw a straight line or just to measure something. Often I’ll cut out interesting items and paste them into my sketchbook so I take along scissors and a glue stick. I also take along a teeny tiny stapler and roll of tape, mostly because they’re so darn cute. But they have come in handy for meetings when someone needs a piece of tape or a staple.
6. Not shown – Sometimes I’ll also take along a small set of colored pencils or a small set of watercolor pencils.

That’s it! If I want to travel really light, I’ll just take my Cachet sketchbook, a pen, a pencil and a click eraser.

SF: Travels

This week's topic for Friday January 12th suggested by Hanne: TRAVELS!

"Travelling is a wonderful possibility to open for new inspiration and ideas. I´ll say it´s actually one of the greatest advantages to travelling!

A lot of new impressions and probably also new materials to bring home for future artwork. Maybe new friends - who knows? Anyway, I thought it could be very interesting to know where other bloggers travel. And if you don´t travel right now because of limited econonomy or other restrictions - I think we always travell in our mind: dreaming of somewhere in the countryside - or maybe a big city loaded with museums, galleries and flea markeds for new "input" for our studios and art."
~ Hanne

The first place I thought about when I read this week's topic was our trip to the Grand Canyon in Arizona year before last. Pictures just can't express that feeling you get when you first see it in person. Miles of ordinary desert landscape suddenly drop away into an immense canyon. I've gotten more inspiration from the Grand Canyon and its history than any other place I've visited.

When a major trip isn't possible, though I like to visit a museum.

See more Studio Friday here.