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🎨 What I Actually Carry for Urban Sketching (And Why Simpler Is Better)

  • May 8
  • 6 min read

When I first started urban and travel sketching, I genuinely believed I needed the perfect supplies before I could begin.


I spent hours researching sketchbooks, comparing watercolour brands, watching YouTube reviews, and saving endless “must-have” supply lists. I thought better tools would somehow make me a better artist.


But honestly?


Most of that time should have been spent sketching.


The biggest improvement in my art didn’t come from buying more supplies — it came from carrying fewer things and sketching more consistently.


Over time, I realised that a simple, minimal sketching kit helped me focus on observation, storytelling, and practice instead of constantly worrying about materials.


So in this post, I want to share what I actually carry for urban and travel sketching, what I’ve learned about supplies, and why you really don’t need a huge collection of expensive tools to begin.



The Biggest Mistake I Made as a Beginner


Travel Sketchbook spread of New York High Line and surrounding

I thought:


  • I needed a bigger palette

  • I needed professional paints

  • The perfect sketchbook

  • Expensive brushes

  • Fancy accessories

  • The “right” setup


And because of that mindset, I delayed creating art.


I researched more than I practised. If I could go back and give myself one piece of advice, it would be this:


Start sketching with whatever you already have. Your skills grow through mileage, not shopping.


Of course, good materials can make the process more enjoyable later on — but they are not what makes someone an artist.


Choosing the Right Sketchbook


Sketchbooks are very personal, and honestly, there is no perfect one.


Sketchbook spread of a cafe

For urban sketching, I usually look for:






For travel sketching, depending on how long is the trip, I might:


  • Take a larger sketchbook to accomodate more sketches in one spread

  • But be mindfull of how much weight and bulk you want to carry while travelling.


But for both situation, I prefer sketchbooks that feel approachable rather than precious. If a sketchbook feels too expensive or “too beautiful,” I sometimes become afraid of ruining it. That perfectionism can stop creativity very quickly.


My Advice for Beginners


Start with:



You do not need 100% cotton paper immediately.


In fact, my currently sketchbooks don't have 100% cotton paper. I bind my own sketchbooks using Bockingford NOT 300gsm watercolour paper. But on my early years I've made my sketchbooks using cheap hot-press watercolour paper from a dollar store in Canada and they served the purpose at the time quite well, which was to learn, practice, and make mistakes without worrying about it. I still buy simple sketchbooks with 150gsm paper that I use on a daily basis for messy sketches to practice and improve.


The important thing is filling pages — not owning luxury paper.


✏️ Pens, Pencils & Fineliners


I like keeping my drawing tools extremely simple.


Usually, I carry:



That’s it. You do not need an entire pencil case full of options.


Pencils


A regular or mechanical pencil with HB or 2B lead is enough for planning sketches and lightly mapping shapes. I try not to overcomplicate the drawing stage.


Waterproof Fineliners


Fineliners are wonderful for urban sketching because they:


  • Don't bleed through paper

  • They are lightlast

  • Waterproof and fadeproof

  • Create precise lines

  • Archival quality and ph neutral


You do not need multiple nib sizes in the beginning. But I have with me on my urban and travel sketching sizes 0.1, 0.3, 0.8 and a brush nib. But for beginners one pen is enough to create hundreds of sketches.


Brands that I usually buy are SAKURA Pigma Micron and UniPin but any brand would be fine as long as you buy them waterproof.


That is very important when using watercolour on top, so your sketch doesn't smudge.



🎨 Watercolour Sets: Student Grade vs Artist Grade


This is one of the most common questions beginners ask.


And the truth is:Both can work.


1. Student-Grade Paints


Student paints are:


  • More affordable

  • Great for learning

  • Easier to experiment without feeling guilt of wasting materials


This is exactly how I started.


On my first online watercolour class that I took, I used a kids watercolour set (which I don't recommend), then soon after, I was gifted with a Winsor & Newton Cotman Sketchers Pocket set (student-grade) and for years, I used this small travel set, and it was absolutely enough to learn:


  • Colour mixing

  • Brush control

  • Confidence

  • Observation


You don't need artist-grade watercolour to start.




2. Artist-Grade Paints


Artist-grade paints usually have:


  • Stronger pigmentation

  • Better transparency

  • Richer colour

  • More vibrant mixes


They are lovely to use.


But they are not necessary when starting.


I think upgrading slowly makes much more sense than feeling pressured to buy everything immediately.


A small set with a limited palette can teach you far more than a giant collection of colours.


Brushes: Keep It Simple


Brushes were another area where I thought I needed sable natural brushes for better results, which is not necessarily true.


When I started I bought a very affordable set of watercolour brushes from Winsor & Newton. They were not the best quality, but still good enough to start. I spent a lot of time online searching for brushes to buy, but I only upgraded to professional brushes many years later.


I was lucky to get hands on a bundle of second-hand art supplies on Facebook Marketplace, where I acquired a huge lot of professional brushes and mostly sable brushes.


But now? I mostly use just a couple of brushes.


For travel and urban sketching, I recommend travel brushes because they are compact, easy to carry and the lid protects the shape of the brush.



That’s genuinely enough.


A good round brush can:

  • Paint washes

  • Create details

  • Hold water well

  • Adapt to many styles


You do not need 20 brushes. In fact, too many options can become distracting.


⸻

The Small Essentials I Always Carry


These tiny items make sketching easier without adding much weight.


Essentials


The spray bottle is especially useful for reactivating dried paints while sketching outdoors.


Optional Extras


These are not necessary, but they can be fun additions later.


Wonderful for highlights and corrections, but I also use to mix with my watercolours to change the opactity of the paints.


Great for tiny details and light accents.


Helpful for windy days when sketchbook pages won’t stay open.


Protecting parts of the page or to create a border while painting.


But remember:

These are extras — not requirements.


Do not let optional supplies stop you from sketching.


My Compact Sketching Bag


One of the best things I ever did was reduce the amount I carried.


Now everything fits into one compact bag that is:

  • Lightweight

  • Easy to access

  • Comfortable to travel with


This changed my sketching habits completely.


Because my kit is simple:

  • I sketch more often

  • I feel less overwhelmed

  • Setup is faster

  • Packing is easier

  • I focus on the experience instead of the equipment


And honestly, that’s what urban sketching is really about.


Not perfect supplies.

Not perfect pages.


Just observing the world and telling visual stories.



💭 Final Thoughts


If you are waiting until you can afford the “perfect” art supplies before starting urban sketching, I want to encourage you to stop waiting.


Use what you have.


A cheap sketchbook and a simple pen can still capture beautiful moments.


Your style, confidence, and artistic voice develop through practice — not through owning more things.


Some of my favourite sketches were made with the simplest materials.


And I truly believe simplicity creates freedom.


So pack light, lower the pressure, and go sketch something today.


Even imperfect pages are helping you grow.



🎁 Want a Little Help Getting Started?



If you’re not sure what to draw, I’ve created a free The Ultimate eBook, The Complete Beginners Guide to Urban & Travel Sketching with simple prompts and ideas to help you fill your first pages.


And if you’d like more guidance, inside my course Sketch Your Travels, that will be launching soon, I walk you step by step through building a sketchbook practice with ink, watercolour, and storytelling—without pressure or perfection.


Join the waitlist for my upcoming course and learn how to sketch your travels with confidence, simplicity, and joy.


When you join the waitlist, you’ll receive the eBook.



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