Making Water Portable for Sketching

Recently, I posted the first sketches of my equipment for small, portable water containers, etc.

My Portable Water System

Here's the page after I finished it today. These are the solutions I've come up with for minimal but effective ways of transporting the water you need for on location watercolor sketching.

Brushes: As you can see, some brushes come with water in a handle/reservoir, which can be squeezed out as needed to wet the paints or onto your palette or paper. Other brushes are made to fit down inside their own handle to protect the Kolinsky sable tuft. I like that the travel brushes extend to make a normal sized handle when taken out and screwed back onto the end. (Short handles make me clumsy!)

Sponges: I find that I need a synthetic sponge to regulate the water on my brush, as well as for cleanup after using my smallest travel paintboxes. The natural sponge is nonabrasive for pre-wetting the sky area, making it more receptive to soft, blended washes. (Sponges are better than tissues or paper towels because they can be rinsed clean, squeezed nearly dry, and there's no disposal problem. It's no fun trying to figure out what to do with a handful of soaking wet paper towels or tissues!)

Water Containers/Sprayers/Misters: The tiny Mister Atomizer is quite powerful and will wet down my whole palette in just one or two spritzes. With that and the water brush, I usually don't need to carry any more water for ink and wash sketches. (I use the sponge to clean off my brush between colors.)
The larger spray bottle and cap can hold enough extra water for an 8x10 or 11x15 sketch. (I pour half the water from the sprayer into the larger cap to rinse my brush.) Most times, you can refill as needed from your bottle of drinking water or a restroom faucet.

This page will be for my 2015 Sketchbook Project.

Three page spread finished-Jennings Park

For the past three days, I have been sketching at the WSU Extension Master Garden at Jennings Park. It's been so hot in the afternoons, I'm going this morning when it's cooler to see if the light works for me. I'll let you know when I get back.

This 7x15" spread is part of my 2015 Sketchbook Project

Okay, I'm back! It was so much cooler being in the garden around 10:30 am rather than after 2 pm in the afternoon. Once I finished my sketches of summer squash, I found a lovely picnic table in a shady arbor on the north side of Jennings barn. That's where I finished the journal writing and painted my sketch of the little Altoids mini palette. See how you can make one of your very own here.  All the watercolors on these pages were done with only 6 colors, pen and pencil. (When I got back to my car, the gauge said it was 92^°F out in the parking lot. Thankfully, it cooled down to 84^°F on the way home.


Jennings Memorial Park is a treasure and has come such a long way since we took our children there in the 1970/80's. Tonight, there will be a free outdoor concert in the Lions Centennial Pavilion. They now have free Saturday movies outdoors in the summer, too!

Day two of a three day project-the cottage

Jennings Park, Marysville, the Master Gardeners' Project

Well, I thought it would be a two day project, but since I started the whole thing late in the afternoon, I guess I have to work on this one more day. Too much sun and too late to do it today. Everything I planned to include is in this part of the sketch, but then I saw some squash blossoms on my way out today. So I'll give this place one more afternoon to furnish me with the rest of the inspiration.

The start of a two day Project-The Sunflowers

Master Garden at Jennings Park, Marysville

This is the left side of a tri-fold accordion section for my 2015 sketchbook project. I'm busy with other things today, but the weather looks good for tomorrow. I'll come back then and work some more on the rest of the composition. 

Alternate equipment

In a recent sketch outing with ASk, I decided to try out a few of my pared down urban sketching tools. (I still brought my larger shoulder bag with me this time, though)

Here's my tiny DYI Altoid's set with six colors, water brush, and one #8 round watercolor brush. I used my official sketchbook (rebound with Fabriano 140#CP) which will be for the 2015 Sketchbook Project. In addition I used a Micron pen, sponge, a small #4 round travel brush and a pencil.

Both sketches on this spread were done with just those tools.

Two reasons for leaving this spot:

1. I lost my shade cover on this very hot sunny day. See? There it goes, off the right side of the photo.

2. I started thinking about how close I was to a fire hydrant in an area where people walk their dogs. (Hmm. It's cute, though. Maybe I'll sketch it.)