My urban sketching kit has gotten smaller the longer I’ve been drawing on location. I used to pack for every possible situation. Now I carry a compact setup built around the tools I actually reach for: a sketchbook, pen, watercolor palette, brushes, a little water, pencil, and a small bag to hold everything.
The goal isn’t to build the most complete art kit. I want a setup I can carry all day, open quickly, and use on a park bench, sidewalk, train, or cramped cafe table without turning sketching into a production.
Below is the urban sketching setup I use, why each item has earned a place in it, and what I’d leave out if I were putting together a beginner kit from scratch.
My Urban Sketching Kit at a Glance
| Item | What I use | Why I carry it |
|---|---|---|
| Sketchbook | A5 Stillman & Birn | Portable but large enough for a satisfying spread |
| Pen | Waterproof fineliner or Lamy Safari | Works alone or underneath watercolor |
| Watercolor | Small refillable palette | Adds color without carrying tubes |
| Brushes | Water brush + travel round | Lets me choose between speed and control |
| Water | Small collapsible container | Useful when I settle into one location |
| Pencil | 0.5 mm mechanical pencil | For complicated perspective or composition |
| Bag | Small crossbody or sling | Keeps everything accessible while walking |
1. An A5 Sketchbook
The sketchbook is the center of my kit, and A5 is the size I keep coming back to.
It’s small enough that I can hold it on my lap or carry it around without feeling like I’m hauling a drawing board, but a two-page spread still gives me enough room for a street scene or several smaller studies.
I prefer a sewn binding because I like drawing across the gutter rather than treating each page as a completely separate rectangle.
I’ve used Stillman & Birn Alpha and Zeta books. The choice depends partly on how much watercolor I’m planning to use, but I want paper that can handle my normal combination of ink and relatively light washes without making me think about the paper every time I draw.
I wouldn’t tell a beginner that 200gsm paper is mandatory, though. If you’re sketching primarily in pen or pencil, simpler paper can work perfectly well. Choose the sketchbook for the materials you’re actually going to use.
2. One Waterproof Pen
If I had to reduce the entire kit to a sketchbook and one tool, I’d take a pen.
I use waterproof fineliners such as Sakura Pigma Microns or a Lamy Safari fountain pen filled with waterproof ink. The important part for me is being able to draw confidently and add watercolor later without watching the line dissolve into the wash.
Fineliners are simpler. I can throw one in the bag, pull it out, and start drawing.
A fountain pen takes a little more maintenance, but I like the feel of it and the way it encourages a less mechanical line.
If you’re comparing pen options, my urban sketching pen guide goes deeper into what works well on location.
3. A Compact Watercolor Palette
I don’t need watercolor for every sketch, but when I want color I prefer having a small palette already filled and ready to use.
My setup uses half pans filled from artist-grade tube paint. Over time I’ve become much more interested in carrying colors I actually use than filling every available well simply because the palette has space.
A useful palette gives me:
- Warm and cool yellows
- Warm and cool reds
- Warm and cool blues
- An earth color such as burnt sienna
- A few convenience colors I know I’ll actually reach for
I don’t want so many colors that choosing paint becomes another interruption.
I’ve broken down the palette itself in my urban sketching watercolor palette guide.
4. A Water Brush and a Travel Brush
I carry two brush options because they solve different problems without taking up much space.
Water Brush
A water brush is convenient when I want to add several quick washes without unpacking a separate water container.
It’s particularly useful when I’m standing, moving frequently, or working somewhere that doesn’t give me much surface area.
Travel Brush
If I’m going to sit in one place and spend more time on the watercolor, I prefer a traditional round brush with a good point.
A collapsible travel brush protects the hairs and disappears into the same small pouch as the rest of the kit.
I usually prefer something around a size 6 or 8. It’s large enough for washes but still gives me enough control for smaller marks.
5. A Small Water Container
If I’m settled on a bench, at a table, or in a square for a while, I prefer a real brush and clean water over relying entirely on a water brush.
For that I carry a small collapsible container. I don’t need much water, and I usually only fill it partway so I’m less likely to spill it.
This is one of the first items I’d leave behind if I knew I was only making quick pen sketches. The kit changes depending on the day.
6. A Mechanical Pencil and Small Eraser
I draw directly in ink most of the time, so the pencil is more of a problem-solving tool than the foundation of every sketch.
I use it when a composition feels complicated, when the perspective is easy to misjudge, or when I simply want to place several large shapes before committing to ink.
A 0.5 mm mechanical pencil with HB or B lead is enough for what I need. I also keep a small eraser rather than carrying a full collection of drawing tools.
For me, the important distinction is that penciling shouldn’t turn into a second finished drawing underneath the ink. I only want enough information to solve the problem that’s slowing me down.
7. A Small Crossbody or Sling Bag
The bag has more influence on how often I sketch than I originally expected.
If everything is buried inside a backpack, I have to stop, take the bag off, open it, find the tools, and then reverse the whole process when I want to move.
I prefer a small crossbody or sling that stays close to my body and lets me reach the sketchbook or pen quickly.
I look for:
- Enough room for the sketchbook
- A few internal dividers or pockets
- Secure zipper closures
- Some weather resistance
- Quick access without putting the bag on the ground
I keep the smaller tools together inside rather than letting pens, brushes, and paint float around individually.
My separate urban sketching bag guide goes into that part of the setup in more detail.
My Minimal Urban Sketching Kit
I don’t carry all seven items every time.
If I’m going out specifically to sketch but want the lightest possible setup, I can reduce the kit to:
- Small sketchbook
- One waterproof pen
That’s enough for an entire day of drawing.
If I know I want color, I add the small watercolor palette and water brush. That gives me a four-piece setup that still fits almost anywhere.
My Full Urban Sketching Setup
For a longer outing where I expect to sit and work in watercolor, I bring the fuller setup:
- A5 sketchbook
- Waterproof pen
- Watercolor palette
- Water brush
- Travel brush
- Small water container
- Mechanical pencil and eraser
- Small crossbody bag
The distinction matters because I don’t think of my urban sketching kit as one fixed list. It’s modular. I start with the smallest useful setup and add tools when the location or type of drawing gives me a reason to carry them.
A Beginner Urban Sketching Kit Can Be Much Smaller
If you’re just starting urban sketching, I would not copy my full setup.
Start with:
- A sketchbook
- A pen or pencil you already know how to use
Use those for several outings before adding anything else.
If you keep wishing you had color, add watercolor. If you never think about watercolor while you’re drawing, don’t carry it simply because other urban sketchers do.
The same applies to brushes, stools, clips, pencil cases, markers, and everything else. Let an actual need earn each item a place in the bag.
My urban sketching for beginners guide covers the drawing side of getting started without requiring a complicated kit.
Urban Sketching Kit vs. Urban Sketching Supplies
I make a distinction between supplies and a kit.
Urban sketching supplies are all the types of materials you might use: sketchbooks, pens, pencils, watercolor, brushes, clips, bags, and other accessories.
An urban sketching kit is the smaller combination of those supplies you actually choose to carry on a particular outing.
If you’re comparing materials before deciding what belongs in your setup, see my broader urban sketching supplies guide.
What I Stopped Carrying
My kit has improved as much from removing things as adding them.
I used to pack extra drawing tools and different media because I thought I might want them. Most of the time they stayed in the bag while I used the same pen and sketchbook.
Things I now question before packing include:
- Multiple pens that make nearly identical marks
- Large watercolor sets
- Several sketchbooks
- Extra brushes without a specific purpose
- Heavy cases and organizers
- Materials I’ve been carrying for months without using
If something repeatedly travels with me but never comes out of the bag, that’s usually a sign it doesn’t belong in the everyday kit.
How I Change My Kit for Different Sketching Days
| Type of outing | What I’d carry |
|---|---|
| Quick neighborhood sketch | Sketchbook + pen |
| Walking around a city | Sketchbook + pen + watercolor palette + water brush |
| Long stationary watercolor sketch | Full kit with travel brush and water container |
| Rainy or uncertain weather | Sketchbook + waterproof pen with watercolor optional |
| Perspective-heavy architecture | Add mechanical pencil and eraser |
| Travel day | Smallest kit that fits within the bag I’m already carrying |
I used this kind of stripped-down setup while urban sketching in New York and sketching Seattle, where carrying less made moving between locations much easier.
Why I Keep My Urban Sketching Kit Small
The biggest advantage isn’t weight. It’s reducing friction.
Every extra tool gives me another decision. Which pen? Which brush? Which color set? Which sketchbook?
When the setup is small, most of those questions disappear. I can sit down, take out the sketchbook, and start looking at what’s in front of me.
I’ve had plenty of outings where I packed multiple media and ended up using one pen for hours. Experiences like that gradually taught me to pack around the way I actually draw rather than the way I imagine I might draw.
Your own kit will probably change for the same reason. Start small, draw often, and let repeated use show you what’s missing.
If you want something to practice with once your setup is ready, try my urban sketching exercises or choose a subject from these urban sketching ideas.