Blog: Art Supplies

Art-On-The-Go Kit

I am so excited, because I am going to Japan and I thought I would bring a little Art-On-The-Go Kit and I hope I will be doing a lot of sketching, and that I will also write a bit about my adventures. We will see how much I used it when I am back ;) But I thought I would share with you what I packed.

The bag was a gift from a friend many years ago and I use it a lot- some of you might have seen it in as part of my bags I bring supplies with me to workshops. The bag is waterproof and is made from one of those old maps the used to used in school – anyone remember those being carried in with a stand by the teacher? Here is what it is packed with

  1. 1. small 4×6.5 inch Sketchbook – it is the right format for me to do sketches and at some days just take it by itself with a pencil to fit in a small handbag but still big enough to also do some travel journaling in it.
  2. 2. a Travel watercolor box -this one is actually filled with colors I love to use but I just love the format of this old box I bought a long time ago in Germany. They are a wild variety of different company’s colors.
  3. 3. a Fude pen – I love to sketch with it but I also love writing with it. I am actually hoping to buy a lot more of those in Japan :)
  4. 4. a Micron fine pen for sketching
  5. 5. a technical pencil that also has a small eraster
  6. 6. my Bamboo Sketching Pen – I don’t usually bring it but I am so into it right now and somehow I feel there might be a lot of inspiration on sketching with it in Japan
  7. 7. a bigger Travel Watercolor Brush and
  8. 8. a small Watercolor Brush . I used to only bring a brush with a water tank but I love those little brushes and also bring a small 1oz cup with a lid which I can easily use with water or the ink if I need to.
  9. 9. a Stamp Pad – there is so much that can be turned into stamps, but I also heard that a lot of temples and train stations in Japan have their own stamps called Eki and that it is a good idea to have an ink pad with you as those at the location might be dried out. I hope to fill some beautiful stamp images to go along with my sketches and journaling.
  10. 10. a small container with ink. I like that this one is super small and it will go well with my Bamboo Sketching Pen.
  11. 11. not pictured a small piece of a rag and a glue stick

Here is a little glimpse at my colors in my watercolor set and the travel brushes being screwed together. Now cross your fingers I am a good girl and use all items while traveling ;) I will share of course share with you


Comments (4)

  • stephanie

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    Lucky you! Have a great time. Can’t wait to see your posts.

    Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    Have fun in Japan.
    I’ve never seen travel brushes…super compact.
    I love FUDE pens and order them in bulk on Amazon.

    Reply

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Nat’s Artsy Stuffing Holiday Wishlist

With the holidays coming up I thought I would gather some artsy stuffing ideas for you based on my own wishes, stuff I totally crushed on in 2017 and hey…some very biased recommendations as well ;)

Let’s start with

Neopastels

OH MY Gosh – I bought the set above and I want the full set- which is a bit too pricey (hint hint husband ….ahem) – but believe me the colors and the creaminess of those is just so wonderful. Start with this set if you want to try them. You can blend those with your fingers and get the most beautiful colorful spreads or paintings together. They are made from permanent pigments that are equally suited to intense coloring, delicate shading, and subtle transition of hue. I love to use them to paint over magazine images, or do shading around stamping and I cannot stop using them.

Moonlight Duo Ink Pads

Designed with the hue on one side and an opaque white on the other, allows you to create wonderful gradients and tints all with a few swipes of the pad! The ink is hybrid ink which is quick drying like a dye but with the permanence of a pigment.All acid free, archival and waterproof. Seriously – you should watch Kae Peas demonstration with those ink pads on the RubberMoon Facebook Page -for me this is one of the most creative and nifty ideas regarding ink pads in a long long long time!

I preordered all of the colors and I cannot wait for them to arrive :)

Daniel Smith – Iridescent Gold Gesso

Oh my oh my- this stuff made me so happy this year. So rich, highly pigmented- and just amazingly beautiful! I love it and I cannot get enough of it!

General Pencil The Masters Brush Cleaner

Can you fall in love with a brush cleaner…well…yeahhhha …especially when this stuff is your life saver and …or maybe actually your brushes life saver and on top of that made in your hood …in Jersey City.

Artful Adventures in Mixed Media

Shamelessly plugging my own book- because you know …I think there is a lot of valuable information in this book and some pretty fun idea for some techniques and projects :)

Leonardo da Vinci – by Walter Isaacson

I just finished this book and it was such a fascinating biography of an amazing and creative mind. If you are interested in the life of Leonardo and can deal with some non-fiction- I highly recommend this book!

And last but not least

CREATIVE JUMPSTART 2018

Join the 31 artists we call “JumpStarters” as they reveal their art recipes. They’ll be bringing their unique style and favorite media and techniques to the kitchen (AKA the studio) to share.

For only $45 Dollars right now – you’ll get:

  • A series of 31 technique- and project-based videos from 31 artists from around the world.
  • Each video is 10-15 minutes long for a total total of over 6 hours of video content
  • Downloadable videos – download before November 2018 to enjoy them forever.
  • Information about new creative and innovative products and techniques you might not have used before.
  • Inspiration to jumpstart your own artwork
  • Methods to translate artwork by others into your own style.

Sign up here: Creative JumpStart 2018


I hope there were some good ideas for you in this list- but in any event – may your holiday filled with lots of wonderful artsy fun!

Comments (2)

  • Maura Hibbitts

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    Definitely some fun ones here! Gold gesso? I definitely have to check that one out! I already have a few stuffed away already :) Merry Christmas!

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      The gold gesso is divine- and just so richly pigmented! Merry Christmas to you too!

      Reply

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