Deborah Rivers asked me to show my small plein air kit.

This little men’s bag is so practical—I’m really thrilled with it. I take it along on almost all my walks, even if it’s just a quick stroll through town.

I can wear it diagonally across my shoulder; it doesn't get in the way, and there's enough room for an A5 sketchbook and a small pencil case. The pencil case stays open inside the bag, so I can take the pens out from the top without having to remove the case from the bag. I can simply stop while walking around, a grab in the bag, and I have everything at hand—without having to awkwardly put everything down and search for it, or sit down and set anything up.

I'm not looking for a great subject; I just want to sketch whatever catches my eye. An interesting roof formation, a building with many extensions, a fence, a forest path, a group of trees, a flowerpot… the main thing is that I can train my eye, learn to observe and recognize tonal values ​​and shapes.

It's also interesting how differently people react when I'm standing somewhere with my sketchbook versus when I'm sitting somewhere with all my art supplies spread out around me. In the latter case, people are less hesitant; they often look over my shoulder and want to chat. But when I'm standing somewhere with my sketchbook, they just look, maybe smile, and move on. This might be a tip for someone who's hesitant to paint or draw outdoors 😉

I also have a slightly larger bag in case the sketchbook is too thick for the small one—but the small one is my favorite.

Why not give it a try, go out for sketching, it's so much fun!