Hiking is one of my greatest passions. Combine that with painting and I’m a happy girl. The biggest lesson I’ve learned after hiking hundreds of miles with heavy packs is that if I don’t make sketching as easy as possible on the trail, I just won’t do it.

If my sketch kit is buried in my bag, or takes ages to setup and breakdown, I convince myself not to start. I psych myself out and think ‘I have 10 more miles to go…I should really just have a quick snack and keep going.’ Then later I’m disappointed that I don’t have a sketch from that section.
Sure, I can paint at home afterwards, but there’s nothing like painting on the trail in the elements! My sketches always look more fresh and lively when painted on location. It also helps me connect with my surroundings on a deeper level, something I cherish.

The Challenges of Ultralight Backpacking (even just day trips)
When hiking, the saying goes, “every ounce is a pound.” It’s a reminder that after 5…10…20 miles, you feel everything you’re carrying.
Over the years I’ve slimmed down my gear list to the bare minimum (especially recently after 55 miles on Scotland’s coast). I suffer from chronic back pain and more recently a knee injury that threatens my whole body. So in my case, every ounce I put in my bag makes a massive difference. After over 10 miles, a couple pounds can mean the difference between a great hike and spending two weeks recovering.
But as many artists know, art supplies tend to accumulate faster than you can use them. The temptation is to bring more than you need, just in case. I’ve done it more often than I care to admit. But as my hikes get longer, the consequences of overpacking become much worse.

The world of ultralight backpacking appeals to my minimalist side, and the gram-counting challenge is addictive. You’re always wondering how many grams you can shave off by making small changes. Ultralight backpackers are notorious for cutting their toothbrushes in half to save a couple ounces. Have you ever tried brushing your teeth with half a toothbrush? It’s not enjoyable.
While I don’t plan on going that extreme, I did give myself the challenge of ‘trimming the fat’ off my pack to make it lighter than ever. And that included my sketch kit.

My Ultralight Compact Watercolor Travel Sketch Kit
Not only is it ultralight, but it’s really compact. It easily fits into any of my pockets. It’s easy to hold while painting. It’s quick to setup and breakdown.
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Main Items:
- Sketchbook: Stillman & Birn Beta (14x9cm)
- Pencil: Pentel Energize Mechanical Pencil (with blue lead)
- Pen: Sailor Fude Fountain Pen (waterproof, see ink below)
- Brush: Escoda Travel Brush (#10)
- Paint Palette: Portable Painter Micro (modified)
- Clip on back: Drawing board clip
- Velcro strips: 3M Command Picture Hanging Strips
Total weight: 6.24oz (176.9 grams)
Ink: De Atramentis Document Ink – Green Grey
Held together with rubber bands or inside plastic bag.
Optional Trade-outs
Sometimes I’ll trade out the brush/pen for one of these:
- For a 100% cotton sketchbook option, go for the A6 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book
- Rosemary & Co Travel Brush Rigger #6
- Caran D’Ache Waterbrush
- Pentel Waterbrush (medium tip)
- Uni Signo DX (not fully waterproof)
- Uni Jetstream Edge (fadeproof/waterproof)
Technically I don’t even need a pencil or pen…I could just paint! Why not? I’ve done that plenty of times and it’s a fun challenge. But if it’s very misty out, paint takes too long to dry and sometimes drawing is the only option.
Colors I’ve included:
Schmincke Vanadium Yellow, Daniel Smith New Gamboge, W&N Quinacridone Magenta, Lamp Black, Schmincke Helio Turquoise, Schmincke Ultramarine Finest, Schmincke Shire Blue, Daniel Smith Undersea Green.
How I Modified my Portable Painter Micro (and why)
I added a clip to the back so I can attach it to the sketchbook while painting if I want to. I used 3M velcro strips for easy removal.


Another great thing about the clip I added to the back of the palette is that I can easily slide it over my finger and get a tight grip on the palette.
Normal Portable Painter Micro (opened):

Modified:
I removed the water dish (left) and lid tray (right). I also removed the top row of color, and use that space as a mini water dish.

It might not seem like much, but here’s why I did it. It removes almost an ounce of weight but more importantly, there’s absolutely nothing to ‘setup.’ Just flip up the lid and start painting in a matter of seconds (another reason to use a water brush).
This setup also forces me to be an economical painter. I use less water overall, I am forced to mix my colors, and the very small mixing space forces me to plan ahead. It’s a little tricky to explain, but for instance, if I know I’ll need warm tones, I’ll start with those. Then I’ll naturally shift into greens, then blues, then finally any really dark mixes. This is an intuitive way of mixing.
Which leads me to my main point.

Simplify, improve, get loose, and have FUN
Is this tiny kit really enough to properly sketch and to enjoy myself?
Hell yes.
I’m an abstract minimalist at heart. I’m always thinking “how few brush strokes do I need to convey my idea?”
One thing I love about a supremely simplified kit is that it forces me to simplify my process. There’s no second-guessing my choice of supplies. I can focus on values, proper color mixing, and most importantly: design. That leaves a lot of room for creativity.
Often times I’m completely overwhelmed by the beauty in front of me, and have to remind myself I’m not there to copy what I see. I’m there to interpret it through my unique vision and give it new life on paper. That’s the fun of it! If I have one pencil, pen, brush, and only a couple of colors, I’m forced to dive right in. No hesitation trying to decide what to use.
It’s very freeing.



How does this ultralight kit compare to my “normal” outdoor painting kit?
I guess we’d have to define normal. Normal means packing to have creative options vs. counting ounces. If you missed it, I made a whole video about my favorite outdoor painting gear. This ‘go bag’ concept is conducive to frequent painting sessions. It’s not meant for long distance hiking, because the bag is full of painting stuff that weighs 6.5 lbs. And that doesn’t even include camera gear, food, extra water or clothing.
In a perfect world, yes I’d have this kit (< blog post) wherever I go.
Purpose dictates gear. If I’m going out to paint rather than hike many miles, this bag is perfect. But I’m currently working on hiking around the entire coast of Scotland with my sketchbook. So priorities have shifted.
It doesn’t mean I never go out with other supplies. It just means I’m very thoughtful about my choices.

Weight Comparison – My Normal Trail Gear vs. Ultralight Option
(Notice the ‘base weight’ differences)
My Normal Hiking Kit (Winter 2023) – Updated Regularly Here

My Ultralight Hiking Kit (Winter 2023) – Updated Regularly Here

Conclusion
Do you need to go this minimal? Of course not. As I said, this is an extreme version for the days where I need to walk big miles. But even if you aren’t hiking far, I recommend trying something similar at least once to see the difference it makes to your process and experience on the trail. You might be surprised how freeing and fun it is to go minimal!

These spring clips are commonly sold to hold plastic covers on picnic tables. Have seen them in various stores, from discount types to sports outlets, often in sets of four or six.
Hello there, what size pans are you using? My portable paint palette only has 6 half pans and I can’t seem to find the configuration of pans like yours. Thank you
They are the custom micro pans made by Portable Painter which are available on their website.
Thank you Sarah 🎨 😊
Is your pencil a 0.5 or 0.7. Just got 0.5 blue lead and it is SO scratchy and barely visible. I wish I could find that Strathmore 500 travel journal. This would be so perfect for me. But it sounds like they stopped making them. I’m trying to use the Arttoolkit palettes with a magnet sheet of mixing pans. I’m putting magnets on everything! I love it! Thanks for sharing your kit Sarah. I love your videos and learn so much from them.
I use a .7mm because it doesn’t break as easily.
This is so brilliant. As a much older person I am always looking to make my pockets/bag lighter as I like to walk but I can’t stand for too long. I guess I could always use gouache instead of watercolour?
Yes you could change out the watercolor for gouache. I’ve used gouache in my portable palette before. It will typically dry out after a couple days, but it’s a small amount anyway. Just be careful if your gouache is runny, that it doesn’t spill over the sides in your pocket! You could keep it in a plastic bag just in case. Or pour it in and let it ‘set’ for a while.
Thank you. I will look out for runny gouache! Do you know if I can purchase extension pallets for micro pallet in UK? I don’t have those tiny ones you have. I tried to get them from Portable Painter in the US but they don’t ship to the UK and Jacksons don’t seem to stock them. Thanks Clare
I know that’s a bummer 🙁 I got mine because I know the owner who is super nice. But what I’ve been telling people is to email Jacksons & Cass Art (and anywhere else) to request they start stocking them, because demand drives supply
Thank you – will get in touch with Jacksons.
Awesome way to pare down your plein air kit! Do you still like the Etchr slate mini? Where does it fit into your plein air painting set up?
Yes, I still use it for when I plan on being in one spot for longer than 15 minutes.
freeing///simplify…get loose…have fun! I can relate to these phrases. I want more of this. Here’s to enjoying these moments as that is life!
I really enjoy your posts and videos. Up until recently my focus has been on oils while plein air painting. However, I have discovered gouache and love them. I’m trekking the Rob Roy MacGregor trail in March/April. I plan to take a small set up. Thanks for these tips. Where did you get that clip? I don’t know the name of it to Google it, haha. Thanks!
For the life of me I could not remember the name of them! But then someone in the youtube comments said drawing board clip and ah ha! Yes that’s it! I’m updating the blog post with the link now.