In the last few weeks, I’ve been having lots of fun thinking about what materials I will take on my big upcoming trip to Europe. I’ll be travelling for approximately 2 months, and in between several teaching events, I hope to be sketching non-stop.

I have a busy schedule and expect that at times I won’t have much time to focus on my own sketching. So, although watercolour will be my mainstay, I want to have other options for quick sketching! I also want to spend some time exploring ways of incorporating other media with watercolour. 

I’ve been thinking about the colours I expect to use at each destination and have been filling many pages in a dedicated Trip Prep book as I make decisions and try (somehow!) to reduce my materials down to a few small pencil cases. 

I’ve been documenting the whole process in weekly videos within my Sketching Adventure Community on Patreon and I’m absolutely loving this interactive way of ‘thinking aloud’.

So far, my Trip Prep has included:

• working out what sketchbook to take and planning how many I will need 
• deciding on the type of graphite I want to take with me
• adding three new colours to my watercolour palette (which, by the way, have breathed new life into the colour palettes I’m using!)
• changing my selection of watercolour pencils to reflect the colours of the cities I intend to visit
• exploring new media to add ‘quick texture’ to anticipated Scottish landscape sketches.

Here’s a sneak peek at some of the pages from my Trip Prep book.

If you are interested in being part of this fun process, I’d love for you to join our Sketching Adventure Community on Patreon. I plan to share lots of behind-the-scenes content and exclusive updates during my travels.

Join me in the Sketching Adventure Community