Research Task 3.0: Building a Tool Kit

For this exercise, I was asked to go through my art supplies and figure out what my artist tool kit will be for when I am sketching in public. Of course, I will not be taking this kit outside with me, but I still think a limited tool kit is necessary to have even within a studio or home environment.

As I am in the process of moving house, all of my art supplies are currently packed away. When I was in the process of packing it all, I did exactly what this task is asking of me and created an essentials kit so that I could continue making art even in the throes of the move. I used a pencil case that already had my go-to pens and pencils in it, and I added to it as I worked my way through my cupboard of art supplies. What has been left behind is a combination of essentials, favourites, and the most easily transportable materials.

Inside my pencil case, I have:

• Four of my favourite fineliners sized 0.1
• A 2B pencil and a blue sketching pencil
• Three Tombow alcohol markers
• Five coloured pencils (colours that I use often)
• A white and a black chinagraph pencil
• A tri-toned coloured pencil
• Seven coloured brush fineliner pens
• An acrylic marker pen
• A white gel pen
• Two black and one grey drawing pens in assorted sizes
• Two paintbrushes, one that has water within it
• Two eraser/pencil sharpener combos
• A bulldog clip

As I have been using this selection of materials over time, I have come to realise that some of them aren’t as necessary to have as others. Even if I were to use this as a travel kit, I would likely leave it as it is, as the option is nice to have. I have found myself grateful for some of the tools when I felt bored of returning to the same pens over and over again. I likely would end up replacing them as I find new things I’d rather have with me.

I have two travel paint palettes too, a watercolour one and a gouache one. I have experience with taking the watercolour palette out with me as I did some sketchbook paintings during a trip to York last year. I would likely only bring one of these palettes out with me if I were going to take this kit out, though.

This kit is proving very useful despite not taking it out anywhere! I wonder if it’s too big, though. Maybe I can work on reducing the size of it even further, but I enjoy having the option to add colour in many different ways and to create different textures and areas of visual interest. It’s portable, though, and I guess that’s what matters the most.