Here are the things I have in my urban sketching kit: <\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n- Stillman & Birn Beta 8 x 10 sketchbook<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- White Nights Watercolour Tin (14 colours)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Mechanical pencil<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Lamy Safari fountain pen<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Sailor fude nib fountain pen<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Platinum carbon black waterproof ink (to refill the fountain pens)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Pentel waterbrush<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Escoda Travel Watercolour round brush size #10<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Rosemary & Co Dagger Travel brush<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- A mixture of fineliner pens (brands and sizes)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Pentel Pocket brush pen<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- White gel pen<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Eraser<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Wow, it wasn’t until I listed everything out that I realised I have way too much stuff, ha ha. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nWhich sketching supplies did I upgrade and invest more money in?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n- Invested more money in my sketchbook. I am a very big fan of Stillman & Birn sketchbooks, particularly the Beta series and the Zeta series. The 8 x 10 inch book<\/a> may be a little large to carry around depending on your trip and what else you’re carrying but they’re available in all different sizes. The paper is excellent though and a big step up from a cheaper book such as a Moleskine watercolour album.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Upgraded from using student-quality watercolour paints to artist-grade paints. I went from using Winsor & Newton Cotman to artist-grade Winsor & Newton paints and now I actually use White Nights but this may change again as I explore different brands. This feeds into my next point…<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Tried out making my own pans of paints from tube watercolours. I bought this Daniel Smith set of essential colours<\/strong><\/a>, 3 warm shades and 3 cold shades of the primary colours. I watched some Youtube videos on how to best turn the tube paints into solid pans so I could create my own custom paint set.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Invested money into watercolour brushes. After a lot of research, I selected Escoda watercolour travel brushes<\/a> in three different sizes: #2, #6 and #10 – after a few years I can tell you I only use the #10!!<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- I bought a Rosemary & Co dagger brush<\/a>, mainly because Liz Steel sings their praises so much…and they do a travel brush version! Yay! This is one of my most essential brushes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- White gel pen & white gouache. Lapin uses a white gel pen to great effect, he uses it to outline buildings or faces sometimes and it looks great. They are useful to add a few delicate highlights. I find white gouache so much fun to use, especially when trying to paint water. See my sketch below of the Twelve Apostles – I used a white gel pen and white gouache to give this effect.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
![\"Twelve](\"https:\/\/urbansketchingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/twelve-apostles-1024x731.jpg\")
Twelve Apostles, Victoria, Australia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nCheck out my ebooks with hundreds of ink & watercolour travel sketches from all over the world. Get some inspiration for your next trip…
<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/urbansketchingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/ebook-bundle-thumb-1280x720-web.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nFIND OUT MORE<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nMy Top 3 Recommendations to Upgrade Your Urban Sketching Kit<\/h2>\n\n\n\nSketchbook<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
This would definitely be the first thing I would recommend upgrading. Get a sketchbook with the best paper you can afford. 100% cotton paper is arguably the best quality you can get for watercolour sketching but it’s hard to find sketchbooks with this type of paper and if you do, they are very expensive. Most widely-available watercolour sketchbooks are a blend. The higher the percentage of cotton the better (and more expensive the book).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I would very much recommend trying out Stillman & Birn sketchbooks<\/strong><\/a>. Strathmore<\/strong><\/a> or Hahnemuhle<\/strong><\/a> sketchbooks are also good options. I have not tried them personally but they both have an excellent reputation and I have seen many other urban sketchers use them.<\/p>\n\n\n\nCheck out my post about the best sketchbook for urban sketching<\/strong><\/a> for more detailed information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Whats](\"https:\/\/urbansketchingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/best-sketchbooks-2.jpg\")
Upgrade your sketchbook and paints to take your urban sketching to the next level<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nWatercolour paints<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
I think you can get along for a while with student quality paints if you are using good paper. I have seen a professional artist using student quality paints but on high-quality paper to great effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, I did see a very satisfying difference by switching to artist-grade paints, predominantly the vibrancy. Pair this with a decent sketchbook and it really does lift your sketching to the next level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It makes sense that artist-grade paints are more vibrant. The key difference between student and artist grade paints is the amount of pigment used in the paints. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I saw a particular difference when I purchased my first Daniel Smith paints (the essentials kit<\/strong><\/a>). They are so incredibly vibrant and punchy, up to that point in my sketching journey I didn’t know watercolour paint could be so bright and bold!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nWith this set of paints (3 warm primary colour and 3 cool primary colours) you can produce so many different colours, arguably everything you need really.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you get a set like this, the first thing you should do is make a colour mixing chart like below so you can get first hand experience on how the colours work together and what colours and shades you can get by mixing them together in different quantities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
Wow, it wasn’t until I listed everything out that I realised I have way too much stuff, ha ha. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Which sketching supplies did I upgrade and invest more money in?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n- Invested more money in my sketchbook. I am a very big fan of Stillman & Birn sketchbooks, particularly the Beta series and the Zeta series. The 8 x 10 inch book<\/a> may be a little large to carry around depending on your trip and what else you’re carrying but they’re available in all different sizes. The paper is excellent though and a big step up from a cheaper book such as a Moleskine watercolour album.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Upgraded from using student-quality watercolour paints to artist-grade paints. I went from using Winsor & Newton Cotman to artist-grade Winsor & Newton paints and now I actually use White Nights but this may change again as I explore different brands. This feeds into my next point…<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Tried out making my own pans of paints from tube watercolours. I bought this Daniel Smith set of essential colours<\/strong><\/a>, 3 warm shades and 3 cold shades of the primary colours. I watched some Youtube videos on how to best turn the tube paints into solid pans so I could create my own custom paint set.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Invested money into watercolour brushes. After a lot of research, I selected Escoda watercolour travel brushes<\/a> in three different sizes: #2, #6 and #10 – after a few years I can tell you I only use the #10!!<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- I bought a Rosemary & Co dagger brush<\/a>, mainly because Liz Steel sings their praises so much…and they do a travel brush version! Yay! This is one of my most essential brushes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- White gel pen & white gouache. Lapin uses a white gel pen to great effect, he uses it to outline buildings or faces sometimes and it looks great. They are useful to add a few delicate highlights. I find white gouache so much fun to use, especially when trying to paint water. See my sketch below of the Twelve Apostles – I used a white gel pen and white gouache to give this effect.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Twelve Apostles, Victoria, Australia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nCheck out my ebooks with hundreds of ink & watercolour travel sketches from all over the world. Get some inspiration for your next trip…
<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nFIND OUT MORE<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nMy Top 3 Recommendations to Upgrade Your Urban Sketching Kit<\/h2>\n\n\n\nSketchbook<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
This would definitely be the first thing I would recommend upgrading. Get a sketchbook with the best paper you can afford. 100% cotton paper is arguably the best quality you can get for watercolour sketching but it’s hard to find sketchbooks with this type of paper and if you do, they are very expensive. Most widely-available watercolour sketchbooks are a blend. The higher the percentage of cotton the better (and more expensive the book).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I would very much recommend trying out Stillman & Birn sketchbooks<\/strong><\/a>. Strathmore<\/strong><\/a> or Hahnemuhle<\/strong><\/a> sketchbooks are also good options. I have not tried them personally but they both have an excellent reputation and I have seen many other urban sketchers use them.<\/p>\n\n\n\nCheck out my post about the best sketchbook for urban sketching<\/strong><\/a> for more detailed information.<\/p>\n\n\n\nUpgrade your sketchbook and paints to take your urban sketching to the next level<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nWatercolour paints<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
I think you can get along for a while with student quality paints if you are using good paper. I have seen a professional artist using student quality paints but on high-quality paper to great effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, I did see a very satisfying difference by switching to artist-grade paints, predominantly the vibrancy. Pair this with a decent sketchbook and it really does lift your sketching to the next level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It makes sense that artist-grade paints are more vibrant. The key difference between student and artist grade paints is the amount of pigment used in the paints. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I saw a particular difference when I purchased my first Daniel Smith paints (the essentials kit<\/strong><\/a>). They are so incredibly vibrant and punchy, up to that point in my sketching journey I didn’t know watercolour paint could be so bright and bold!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nWith this set of paints (3 warm primary colour and 3 cool primary colours) you can produce so many different colours, arguably everything you need really.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you get a set like this, the first thing you should do is make a colour mixing chart like below so you can get first hand experience on how the colours work together and what colours and shades you can get by mixing them together in different quantities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n\n\n\n
Check out my ebooks with hundreds of ink & watercolour travel sketches from all over the world. Get some inspiration for your next trip…
<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nFIND OUT MORE<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nMy Top 3 Recommendations to Upgrade Your Urban Sketching Kit<\/h2>\n\n\n\nSketchbook<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
This would definitely be the first thing I would recommend upgrading. Get a sketchbook with the best paper you can afford. 100% cotton paper is arguably the best quality you can get for watercolour sketching but it’s hard to find sketchbooks with this type of paper and if you do, they are very expensive. Most widely-available watercolour sketchbooks are a blend. The higher the percentage of cotton the better (and more expensive the book).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I would very much recommend trying out Stillman & Birn sketchbooks<\/strong><\/a>. Strathmore<\/strong><\/a> or Hahnemuhle<\/strong><\/a> sketchbooks are also good options. I have not tried them personally but they both have an excellent reputation and I have seen many other urban sketchers use them.<\/p>\n\n\n\nCheck out my post about the best sketchbook for urban sketching<\/strong><\/a> for more detailed information.<\/p>\n\n\n\nUpgrade your sketchbook and paints to take your urban sketching to the next level<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nWatercolour paints<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
I think you can get along for a while with student quality paints if you are using good paper. I have seen a professional artist using student quality paints but on high-quality paper to great effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, I did see a very satisfying difference by switching to artist-grade paints, predominantly the vibrancy. Pair this with a decent sketchbook and it really does lift your sketching to the next level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It makes sense that artist-grade paints are more vibrant. The key difference between student and artist grade paints is the amount of pigment used in the paints. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I saw a particular difference when I purchased my first Daniel Smith paints (the essentials kit<\/strong><\/a>). They are so incredibly vibrant and punchy, up to that point in my sketching journey I didn’t know watercolour paint could be so bright and bold!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nWith this set of paints (3 warm primary colour and 3 cool primary colours) you can produce so many different colours, arguably everything you need really.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you get a set like this, the first thing you should do is make a colour mixing chart like below so you can get first hand experience on how the colours work together and what colours and shades you can get by mixing them together in different quantities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
My Top 3 Recommendations to Upgrade Your Urban Sketching Kit<\/h2>\n\n\n\nSketchbook<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
This would definitely be the first thing I would recommend upgrading. Get a sketchbook with the best paper you can afford. 100% cotton paper is arguably the best quality you can get for watercolour sketching but it’s hard to find sketchbooks with this type of paper and if you do, they are very expensive. Most widely-available watercolour sketchbooks are a blend. The higher the percentage of cotton the better (and more expensive the book).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I would very much recommend trying out Stillman & Birn sketchbooks<\/strong><\/a>. Strathmore<\/strong><\/a> or Hahnemuhle<\/strong><\/a> sketchbooks are also good options. I have not tried them personally but they both have an excellent reputation and I have seen many other urban sketchers use them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Check out my post about the best sketchbook for urban sketching<\/strong><\/a> for more detailed information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I think you can get along for a while with student quality paints if you are using good paper. I have seen a professional artist using student quality paints but on high-quality paper to great effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, I did see a very satisfying difference by switching to artist-grade paints, predominantly the vibrancy. Pair this with a decent sketchbook and it really does lift your sketching to the next level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It makes sense that artist-grade paints are more vibrant. The key difference between student and artist grade paints is the amount of pigment used in the paints. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I saw a particular difference when I purchased my first Daniel Smith paints (the essentials kit<\/strong><\/a>). They are so incredibly vibrant and punchy, up to that point in my sketching journey I didn’t know watercolour paint could be so bright and bold!<\/p>\n\n\n\n With this set of paints (3 warm primary colour and 3 cool primary colours) you can produce so many different colours, arguably everything you need really.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you get a set like this, the first thing you should do is make a colour mixing chart like below so you can get first hand experience on how the colours work together and what colours and shades you can get by mixing them together in different quantities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nWatercolour paints<\/h4>\n\n\n\n