Bare Necessities
Within three months of urban sketching I've figured out the most lightweight configuration that would keep me happy. With these, I could sketch anywhere without feeling like I'm sacrificing something:
- a pen with flexible nib that could double as a good writing pen, in blue/sepia/black
- two brushpens filled with fountain pen inks
- a white gel/paint pen
- a pocket sketchbook
And that's it! Everything else is secondary. This kit could fit a vest or a jacket, and the only consideration for me to bring a bag is to have a way to carry a water bottle. Maybe one of these days I'll find a bottle bag that fits mine and sling it over the shoulder.
The way I choose my inks: they should have enough character to stand on their own, but also mix well for my secret third color. Generally one cool and one warm would do the trick. I try not to overthink this. It's mostly about feelings anyway.
I've also leaned into a more relaxed approach: if people keep moving and I couldn't have them hold the pose long enough for me to draw them correctly, I'd just exaggerate the wonky look and enjoy the illustrative quality. I'll use color blocks and embellishments to isolate small vignettes instead of doing the whole scene if I don't feel like it. I call it an exercise in everyday fantasy, if that could not be called urban sketching.
It's really nice to find a place where you could sit down and sketch on an ample table, but even then I wasn't reaching for my watercolors. Or rulers. Or pencils. I think I would have to accept that direct ink on paper is my comfort zone. I bought a watercolor pad for my next travel sketchbook, but maybe I should just leave it at home and get another one like this: thinner paper, smaller footprint.