I was recently asked what I take with me on location when I sketch so I thought I'd dedicate this entry to the kit I have been using with my Summer 2007 Journal.
My fountain pen is from the Lamy Safari range with an extra fine (EF) nib and a Z24 converter which allows me to fill it with Noodler's Ink, I'm using 'Lexington Gray' at the moment.
I have 2 water brushes in my handbag tin that are filled with diluted inks, one has 'black ink' and one has 'nut brown', both are W&N. These two inks accompanied by the Lamy Safari are the perfect handbag kit, allowing me to add quick values to a mostly monochrome sketch and I keep them in a slim line tin which fits easily in any of my handbags.
My third water brush is filled with plain water for use with my watercolours.
My watercolour kit is a Cotman case that was filled with Cotman half pans which I have removed and replaced with small squirts of W&N Artists tube watercolours. Some of my latest additions to this palette are 'Smalt' and 'Terre Verte' both of which I love and Cerulean blue, which I have never owned until now....amazing huh? Some of the 'hubs' have more than one hue in them. e.g. I have 'Smalt' and 'Indanthrene Blue' sharing a well. This allows me more colours, this small box currently holds approx. 20 hues. The reason for this is that I am using my journal as a way of finding my palette, already some hues need topping up and those that do not require topping up will be fazed out...the theory being that if I haven't used them...I don't need them!
Lastly, an HB pencil and a sheet of 'Bounty' kitchen towel are tossed in for the ride, I love 'Bounty', it is extremely thirsty and does not fall apart when wet which means I only need take one sheet along with me.
All of this then fits into a small pencil case/cosmetic bag.
Towards the end of the Summer Journal I found myself taking just the plain water brush, watercolours and my Lamy fountain pen; a tiny kit that works perfectly well on location.
The sketchbook I used for my summer holiday journal was a 6x9 inch Venezia, a beautiful book with an attractive cover, filled with 48 sheets of 200gsm smooth Fabriano Accademia paper.
