Urban sketching art supplies
What art supplies do you need when first getting into urban sketching?
Are you new to urban sketching and most interested in ink and watercolor? This post introduces you to the materials and links out to supplies I recommend.
When it comes to art supply vendors, I suggest supporting your local art store if you can. After that, online art suppliers like Blick are best and often have lower prices than Amazon. I've provided links to both Blick and Amazon for your convenience.
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This blog is reader-supported. If you buy an art supply or book from one of the links in this article, I'll earn some coffee money. You don't pay a higher price.
Summary/T.L.D.R.
For my class, you only need a pencil and paper for the first session. I'll demonstrate different pens, brushes, and palettes and let you try a few so you can make a final decision before the rest of the sessions.
Class supply list
- pencil and eraser
- pen(s)
- watercolor paints - see minimal mixing set colors below or Blick list
- watercolor brushes
- container for water
- paper towel, sponge, or rag
- sketching paper
- watercolor paper or watercolor sketchbook
You can, optionally, pay me a supply fee to provide you with any of these items at cost:
- watercolor paint to fill your empty palette ($13 for 6 half pans)
- 1 full sheet watercolor paper, 22x30 (we tear into 4-8 smaller pieces) ($8-10)
- small metal travel palette ($2)
Additional optional items
- white paint pen/marker
- water brush
- small spray bottle for water
- palette knife or piece of credit card
- bull clips or masking tape
- magnetic refrigerator clip if you have a metal palette
Drawing supplies
Generally speaking, you'll want a pencil, eraser, ink pen, and paper. To save money:
- Use any pencil you have lying around.
- Use any ballpoint pen. Upgrade to the uniball Vision if you can.
- Buy/thrift/find a kneaded eraser to not damage your paper.
We won't use pencils much, so you can get away with a basic #2 pencil. To dive deeper into drawing, I like matte pitt graphite. I don't usually bring drawing pencils on location for urban sketching/plein air. Instead, I like this mechanical pencil that retracts both the lead and the sharper tip - less mess and less damage to neighboring art supplies. The MONO Zero eraser is a nice add-on for fine erasing in tight spaces.
Pens are a completely subjective beast. Everyone has their preferences, and those preferences can change over time. You can even use basic ball point pens. Here are some of my favorites. I will bring them all to the first class so you can test them out and only buy the one(s) you like.
- uniball Vision: Cheap, reliable, waterproof roller ball, also a great writing pen. I always keep one on hand even if it's not my primary USK pen.
- Sailor Fude De Mannen: Cheap fountain pen popular with urban sketchers for the ability to vary the line weight (thickness) using its unique 55 degree bent nib. If you get this pen, you will also need ink (waterproof and safe for fountain pens, not india ink) and a converter.
- Tombow brush pen: Felt tip, thicker line weight, waterproof, and can vary the weight by using it sideways. I just realized they have a soft tip version that I will have to try out - the Blick link points to a 2-pack with both.
- Kuretake Cambio brush pen: Super large tip brush pen for very expressive drawing
- Zero G flex tip fountain pen: Similar to the Sailor Fude De Mannen, but a step up. Has finer weight ability but also can splatter even when you don't want to (no link, I'm still figuring it out)
- Sakura Pigma Micron: These are not my favorites for sketching, but I'm mentioning them because a lot of people like them. I don't like having to reach for a different pen to vary the weight. Don't get the off-brand ones or they might not be waterproof.
- Posca paint marker: For adding back whites. I've used the popular Gelly Roll pens too, but they seem to clog easily. Posca paint pens work better for me.
Watercolor
If you thought we were bikeshedding with pens, well, let me introduce you to watercolor. To save money:
- Cheap paint isn't great but it will still work.
- Using a minimal mixing color palette (6-8 colors) is cheaper and you learn more.
- 15ml paint tubes are cheaper long-term than pans, half-pans, pre-filled palettes etc.
- Cheap brushes will work, but you have to find the right ones. Luckily, you only really need 1 (medium to large round) though 1-2 more will make some things easier.
- Cheap paper will not work. You will get frustrated and think you're bad at painting when really you're fighting with bad paper.
Paint
We are going to use a 6-color minimal mixing palette. You have the option of paying me to fill your empty palette with professional grade paints at cost ($13 for 6 half-pan amounts) without committing to purchasing full tubes.
If you already have watercolors, use your existing paints. If you aren't familiar with mixing them, I can help you identify the minimal colors in your set.
If you don't yet have paint, then only buy the colors I recommend. Note that color names vary based on brand name. I use mostly Daniel Smith (DS), but I'm including the analogous Windsor & Newton Professional (WN) color names too:
- Hansa yellow medium (DS)/Windsor yellow (WN)
- Quinacridone gold (DS)/Transparent Gold Deep (WN)
- Permanent alizarin crimson (both) or Carmine (DS only)
- Transparent red oxide (DS)/Burnt sienna (WN)
- Phthalo green blue shade (DS)/Winsor Green (Blue Shade) (WN)
- Ultramarine blue (DS)/Ultramarine (Green Shade) (WN)
After you've worked with these, we'll talk about convenience colors like greens, and I'll share my full landscape palette. I'm going to add one honorable mention color here because I've found it so useful for plein air/USK... Jaune Brilliant #1 from Holbein. It's perfect for softly warm peachy cream light.
Instead of individual links to each color, here's a list of all 6 plus jaune brilliant. You can add all to cart or only the ones you need.
Palettes
It can be hard to find the right palette for on-the-go painting. I will bring my favorites for you to see plus a few I don't use in case you want a cheaper used one.
- Favorite for plein air/USK: Mijello Airtight - you don't need this many wells in the beginning, but the air-tight seal and large mixing areas will be your friend. And it's cheap.
- Tiny metal for light travel - pair with magnetic refrigerator clip - will demo in 1st class. Like this Mini Watercolor Tin Box which I'll have available at cost.
- Haven't tried but seem promising:
- Metal but a little larger so not sure how well the magnetic clip would work: MEEDEN Empty Watercolor Paint Palette
- Metal and ceramic, not sure about the weight due to ceramic part: Bower Bird Travel Ceramic Watercolor Palette (8-well)
Brushes and water containers
Travel brushes
If I can easily set up a cup of water, then I definitely go for a true brush instead of water brushes. It's a better painting experience and less limiting. The Escoda Versatil Travel Brushes are my favorite hands down. The handle becomes the container to protect the brush.
- The #10 round is your primary workhorse. If you like to paint big, consider a larger one, like the #12.
- For details, you'll want a smaller one like the #2 or #4 round. I think I have the #4 but the label wore off.
- Longer term, you might want a mop or wash brush. Hake brushes are cheap and work well for this.
Water brushes
I kind of hate water brushes, but they are good for when you're not allowed to have a cup of water. Right now, I'm using the Kuretake Fude Water Brush Pen, Large (KG205-60). It has lasted longer than ones I've bought in the past.
I want to try the Mimik Kolinsky water brush. It's only available through Jerry's and is currently out of stock. As soon as I can try it, I'll report back. The Amazon version is sold by Jerry's but much more expensive for some reason.
Water cup
You can use any container that will hold water. I like these Faber Castell collapsible water cups because their scalloped edge lets you lay your brush across the top without it rolling away. Don't leave brushes standing in water or they will get damaged.
Other tools
- Small spray bottle to fill with water - for pre-wetting paints, wetting larger areas and some paint effects
- Palette knife or piece of credit card or your fingernails - for carefully scraping into the paint/paper
Paper
For the first session and for any basic sketching with pencil, you can use any paper you have on hand.
Once we move into ink, you will want paper that is less likely to bleed through, or just stack multiple sheets. A cheaper mixed media paper should work well. If you're wanting an ink sketchbook, I like the Leuchtturm1917. It's great for ink and markers but not watercolor.
When we add watercolor, we need watercolor paper. You might be able to get by with a high quality mixed media paper, but I haven't had great luck. The key is to get 100% cotton, minimum 140lb weight. I usually buy Archers, but these brands are also good: Fabriano Artistico, Saunders, Baohong The Master's Choice.
As for texture, I usually work in cold press:
- Hot press: smooth, better for very realistic/detailed and accurate painting
- Cold press: some roughness, good for looser work
- Rough: roughest texture, good for loose work
Watercolor paper is expensive, but we can manage this cost by buying full sheets in bulk and using both sides. Sadly my favorite watercolor sketchbook was made by Cheap Joe's which went out of business. I'm still looking for a replacement. Watercolor paper options for class:
- Arches full sheet, 22x30 - you'll only need 1 for class which I can sell at the item's bulk cost ($8-10).
- Arches block, 9x12 - gummed around the edges so no need to tape down but most expensive format
- For sketchbooks, I haven't yet tried these but they are promising
- Arches wirebound sketchbook - a little smaller than I'd like for class but ok
- DIY with 1-2 full sheets and coptic stitch binding (local councils often have classes for it!) or stack and clip them to a hard board
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