Grasshopper and Sensei and I are huge fans of watercolor painting. We are especially fond of travel-size watercolor kits, even though we rarely paint en Plein air. We have fantasies of painting outside while on vacation or at an art museum; fantasies that never come to pass. It’s probably because we don’t have the right art supplies. That’s right! That’s our reason and we are sticking to it.
If only … if only we had these kits. We’d be painting up a storm! Here’s a sampling of some of the art we’ve produced over the years, sadly indoors, and not with these irresistible travel watercolor kits. But if you want to know what to get us for our birthdays or Christmas — hint, hint to relatives reading — now you know!
Watercolor Travel Kit Gift Guide
Prima Marketing Watercolor Confections: The Classics
, $23
This is really good paint because it’s very pigmented. It comes in a metal container that folds out so there’s more mixing room.
Winsor & Newton Cotman Water Colour Sketchers Pocket Box
, $18
This pocket-sized watercolor travel set has 12 half pans of colors in a plastic box with a mixing palette in the lid.
Winsor & Newton Cotman Brush Pen Set
, $21
This is a watercolor paint set with 12 half pans PLUS Windsor & Newton water brush pen.
Jerry Q Art Water Colors Travel Pocket Set, $14
This kit has 18 watercolor pans, with a refillable water brush and sponge.
Windsor & Newton Cotman Watercolor Travel Set, $23
This set includes 14 half pans of student-grade watercolor paint.
Holbein Travel Set, $129
This has 12 Holbein Professional transparent watercolor pans.
Sakura Koi Watercolor Kit, $26
This kit has 30 assorted watercolors with a brush.
Pentel Aqua Brush, $12
These brushes are really good for travel and painting outside because you don’t need to dip a brush into a pot of water, you can just squeeze out water from the barrel.
Strathmore Watercolor Postcard Paper Pad, $7
This watercolor pad is 4 x 6 inches. It’s made of 15 sheets of 140-pound cold-pressed watercolor paper. You can use these cards as actual postcards; address and message areas are on the back. Use this paper for watercolor, gouache, pastels, and artists’ pens. It’s the perfect size for a travel watercolor painting kit.
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This is wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Mia!!
Thanks Maria! My daughter and I had fun putting these kits together! We both love watercolor painting.
All of these look wonderful. Johnny really likes painting with liquid watercolors.
My daughter loves these water brushes. Maybe Johnny would like them. The water is the brush and you squeeze it out as you need it. Like a waterbottle in a watercolor brush. It’s new to me.
Intriguing! Does she ever have trouble with the paint seeping into the water part of the brush?
Hi MaryAnne,
She says it’s easy to control the water by squeezing out what you need. I’ve never heard of or used these type of brushes before, but now I’m going to try out hers. It sounds like the way to go for painting outside or at a museum.
Those are really neat! Josie likes watercolor! 🙂
Josie might like a little watercolor kit. My daughter is obsessed with them!