What clothes should I take on my trip?

May 15, 2017 | 9 Comments

LizSteel-trip-prep-2017-clothes
It’s that time again… time to start sketching trip prep pages. I really don’t have the time this year to do much, but I can’t resist doing a sketch to work out what clothes to take. It’s quick and rough this time but still effective. It’s really the best way IMHO to sort out what to take.

Just for the record, when I scanned this sketch I hadn’t made my final decision… and if you are wondering, sadly, no new sewn items and no dresses this trip. I do hope that somehow I can squeeze some sewing time in when I get back from Europe so I have a new dress for Chicago (Urban Sketchers Symposium in July).

A ‘Trip Prep’ series used to be such an important part of any trip, but now that I travel more, and travel to teach, the workshop prep takes away most of my sketching time. Not complaining, as I love all the workshop prep and I really have gotten a few systems in place now so the packing etc is a lot easier.


If you are interested, full collection of trip prep articles is here but here are a few highlights:

Trip Prep: Sketchbook Strategies

Trip Prep – Sketchbook thinking

Trip Prep – Carry on stuff

Trip Prep- Holiday Clothes


So, how do you decide what clothes to take? Just make decisions the night before or are you more strategic?

9 Comments

  • Sue Pownall says:

    Have a fantastic summer Lis. I’m glad the teaching is going so well.

  • PJ Magalhaes says:

    I have gone down the minimalist route so I am trying more and more to take less with me. 🙂 so some thinking is required but I think it gets easier with practice.

  • marjimarks says:

    I make a packing list weeks in advance, playing through each day and activity in my head. Then I check off each item as I pack it. Takes less time to pack and I’m sure I have everything.

  • Fiona Hayes says:

    I admit I have started a list of what clothes to take. I have a problem with packing “light”, but am determined to try my hardest this time! But, my excitement for today is, I have organised my palette and the little pans are refilled with gleaming paints, and ready for action. Yay! Tomorrow I will paint the palette layout onto loose sheets, so I can pop those into the back pockets of my sketch books. I’ll be very happy to have all my art materials decided upon this week (I tend to agonise over which style/size sketchbooks I want to use). Then next week I can focus on the clothes issue.

  • Tina says:

    I always spend weeks thinking about my sketch materials before traveling, and I spend several days prepping those materials (picking out colors, filling pens with ink, etc). But when it comes to my clothes and personal supplies, I don’t give them hardly any thought at all, and I am usully done throwing that stuff in my bag in less than an hour! 😉

    Tina

  • I just makes lists of what I’m planning on taking, both for clothing and art supplies. It might be fun to sketch what I’m bringing to the Symposium since that is my next big trip.

  • Joanne Garfoot says:

    Hi Liz……I was wondering if you ever have any difficulty with getting your watercolour sketching kit through customs in these hyper-security days? Do you carry your precious sketching kit in your carry on? My little travel palette is metal and my travel brushes look like metallic cigars…..would be heartbroken if customs don’t approve it for carry on!

  • I have gone down the minimalist route so I am trying more and more to take less with me. 🙂 so some thinking is required but I think it gets easier with practice.

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