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| Don't you just love to see other people's art supplies and travel kits? I know I do. So when a blog reader messaged me and said she is going on an extended trip and wondered what art supplies I like to bring along when travel...well, I couldn't resist doing a blog post about it...even though I have posted about mail art kits in other posts. I figured you guys wouldn't mind another one. |
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| I do try to keep things pretty simple on the road. But you've got to bring along the most necessary supplies. For me, that includes glue sticks and double stick tape. I know you can buy supplies while traveling but I don't want to waste time searching for the stuff I need -- and often things can be more expensive. So I am always sure to bring as many glue sticks and (Diaso) double stick tape as I think I will use. I also bring along an old gift card or something like that little yellow thing in the top photo to really rub on what I've glued so it is flat. (what DO you call those things?) |
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| I like to bring my favorite pens too -- an ultra-fine tip fountain pen (with refill cartridges) for writing in my travel journal and some fine tip Micron pens for postcards and lists. And I always bring a pencil. I like to bring labels too -- use them in my journal and on cards. They always seem to come in handy. And a little tip -- address some labels at home so all you have to do is stick 'em on postcards or letters you want to send. It saves time and time is usually at a premium when on the road. |
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| I bring along a very small address book I made -- and I like to wind washi tape on gift cards I pick up....a fun and easy way to bring a variety of tape without a lot of bulk in your travel bag. |
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| Address Book with labels, stamps, washi on cards tucked inside... |
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| Bring some wax paper -- in a roll or or sheets of it. Very useful to protect the hotel desk when work/glueing/painting. For sticking between your journal pages so they won't stick together. I like to bring an inexpensive water color tin (that I can leave at the end of the trip) and sponges so I can do watercolor washes on postcards/collages/journal pages and the wax paper is good to have when you are doing that... |
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| This is a tiny plastic case I picked up in Chinatown and on a road trip I will tuck some tiny rolls of washi inside.... I generally don't bring rubber stamps -- but I did get a small, cheap set of ABC stamps that I am going to bring next time.... |
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| You've gotta have a great travel journal, right? And these are my favorites.... |
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| I like the paper in these books -- the fountain pens writes beautifully on them and I like the way you can tie them closed....and you can paste stuff on the covers too. You can order them in various sizes from Dick Blick. I like the 9x11 size best. |
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| Travel Snacks! I recommend tucking in a few little snacks or treats inside your bag too. You never know when you might need one, especially on a plane. They don't give you much at 30,000 feet anymore! |
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| After gathering everything up you've got to have something to put it in! (Travel bag made by Dori Singh) I am so incredibly lucky to have a couple of very special mail art pals who have made the the BEST zippered pouches for art supplies. i love them so much that i don't even bring them on big trips for fear they will somehow get lost or stolen -- they are irreplaceable! But I use them like crazy here in SF or on my road trips.... |
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| Travel pouches by C.S. in NYC |
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| This is my "local" travel bag (the black/white one). Nice and roomy and perfect to take to collage class or the library or my favorite cafe when I want to make some art on-the-go. Holds the red bag and the water bottle and the black apron and the art supplies..... |
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| For plane trips, I usually pack this Blue Q pouch since I know I can buy another one if the need arises. And zip-lock bags are the BEST. You can see what you've got in them and they seal and are very lightweight. But I bet you already knew that. |
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| Travel Journals I think the best souvenir of a trip is a fully loaded travel journal. And photos. And collages made from ephemera I pick up on the trip. You can prepare pages in the journal ahead by giving them a watercolor wash and sticking some stamps inside from the country you are visiting. I always pick up vintage postcards at the Vintage Paper Fair of places I am hoping to visit and use those inside my travel journals too. On the road, I write and collage in the journal every day. I leave spaces inside for adding photographs when I get home and use a pencil or stick-it note to remind me what I want to put in the empty space. When I am back in SF, I put all the finishing touches on the travel journal, adding photos washi tape, rubber stamps, etc etc -- a very fun way to extend the trip. |
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| Travel collages |
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| I pick up as much local ephemera as I possible can and often make little books from the city I visited too. Local post offices often have free postal forms that make great pages for little books. My basic supple list: 1. Journal & pens 2. Glue sticks, double stick tape and card to firmly attach ephemera to paper 3. small scissors 4. stick-it notes, labels, washi wound on old gift cards 5. cheap watercolors & sponge for color wash |
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| An Open Book Here's an empty travel journal just waiting to go on a trip. Just writing this post has made me really want to pack a suitcase and an art kit and go somewhere. But I don't have a plane ticket! Anybody want to invite me for a visit?????? Or, meet me someplace fun? I've really got the travel bug now. I'm a nice guest! Hope you all enjoyed this post and please let me know what YOU like to bring when you travel. Am I missing any good ideas? |
