My backpack contains both sets of paints, a brush holder with an assortment of brushes, several waterbrushes (which are a wonderful invention), a water container, micron 05 and 005 pens, pencils, a pencil sharpener, a kneaded eraser, paper towels, and thin birthday candles that I use as a resist to preserve small white areas. The field kit I keep in a ziploc bag with an assortment of pens, pencils, etc. I sometimes bring a set of watercolor pencils too, but find I rarely use them. They are good to have if I go to a museum where I cannot use water or ink pens. Then I shade with the watercolor pencils and add water later.

At times I paint with just watercolors, but often I use the watercolors and add ink lines with the micron pens. People have asked me if I do the ink lines first or the watercolor first, and my answer is that it changes each time. Which way I work is mostly determined by the subject, the amount of time I have, or my mood.

I try to keep the weight of my supplies to a minimum since I need to be able to carry and lift my suitcase on the plane, up stairs, and in the hotels. Watercolor blocks tend to add a lot of weight to a suitcase.

We spent a month in Italy in May of 2006. For paper I brought along 4 x 6 watercolor pads & postcards, and 7 x 10 blocks. I used the 7 x 10 block in Venice, but it was taking too uch time to complete the paintings. I didn’t want my husband to be waiting too long for me, although he is very patient and never complains. I do go off a lot by myself to paint. By the time we got to Tuscany I cut up much of the larger paper into 4 x 6 pieces. That seemed to be the perfect size for me to use. When we went to Spain and Germany I only brought along the 4 x 6 size. This fall we spent a month in France. While we were in Paris I used the 4 x 6 paper, and in Provence I used a 5 x 7 spiral watercolor journal.

I am not always luck enough to find a place to sit. I often end up standing and painting, or leaning against a building that has a window sill where I can rest my materials. The waterbrush and field it come in very handy when I paint this way. I have become very adept at balancing my small paper block and my paint set in my left hand, and the waterbrush in my right hand. Here I am painting in Monet’s Garden.

When I travel by car, I do bring along 7 x 10 or other sized blocks, or spiral watercolor journals. I keep my painter’s chair (which has a back support for comfort) and a stool for my supplies in my car. At times I use the car as a painting studio too. That is usually if the weather is not good for painting outdoors, or if the area is not safe to sit outside because of traffic.

For those of you who have never used a waterbrush, I cannot say enough about them! I love the ease and convenienceof them. I have several different brands but prefer the Niji waterbrushes. (http://www.yasumoto.com) I purchase them at Pearl Paints or AC Moore. I know they are advertised in most art supply catalogs. You just fill the barrel with water, and you have a ready supply. To rinse the tip you just squeeze the barrel and let some water flow out of the tip until it is clean. If I know I will be out painting for the entire day I make sure I have more than one waterbrush with me, or access to water in case I use up what is in the barrel.

I really love painting the places I visit. I do take lots of photographs when I travel, but my small paintings have more meaning to me when I get back from a trip. The 4 x 6 postcards fit into small photo albums, which is how I keep them. I also use the small paintings as studies for larger paintings that I do when I get back.

I hope that some of this information helps you to paint when you travel. There is such inspiration out there! Go out and paint!!