We are getting so excited!

And what art materials should I pack? We are only taking carry-ons so don’t have much room.

After deliberating, this is what I’m taking.

I got two small, pocket-sized journals I’m hoping to fill up on the trip– one for drawing and painting, and one for writing.

I’m bringing:

• my travel set of Stoneground Gouache.
• two tiny Greenleaf watercolor sets (one a grey scale, the other warms and cools)
• a small bag of pencils and acrylic pens: Posca, Molotow, graphite, and water soluble Inktense
• a small collection of fountain pens,: broad, medium, and extra fine nibs
• extra cartridge ink: black, green, and grey (looks like pencil but doesn’t smear)
• white out corrector, pencil sharpener, eraser
• view finders to do thumbnails and grid journaling with
• tiny empty bottle for water
• yogurt lid for mixing or brush water when I don’t want the weight or volume of the glass bottle

I put it all in one of my zippered bags with my artwork on it from my merchandise store. There are literally hundreds of choices if you want one. It works and looks great and brings me much joy. I chose the Ocean Motion T-bottom large pouch. There are not only different designs, but different sizes and bottom styles. This one is 12.5 x 8.5, but you can get them smaller.

The journals I’m taking are these:

• Leuchtturm Pocket A6 Plain Hardcover Notebook
• Stillman & Birn Beta Series Softcover Sketchbook, 5.5″ x 3.5″, 270 gsm (Extra Heavyweight), White Paper, Cold Press Surface; this will brilliantly support any combination of art materials.

This art kit is most of the weight I’m allowed for my “personal item” on the plane. It will accompany my water bottle, slim paperback book, charger cords, sunglasses, passport and wallet. But it is compact, easy to pop out and use just part of, and easy to slip all or part of it into my back pack while we hike or ramble. Sometimes I’ll spend the day out with just both journals, a pencil, pen, brush, and that tiny tin of gray scale paint, in a tiny ziplock in my fanny pack.

We are so looking forward to our travels! Get ready to see lots of photos of the alps!