From the time I began sketching on location or even before or just the mere thought of it, I’d always try to find or create the ultimate travel palette. It became my obsession (just like my obsession with hiking gear) . I explain how I made my first travel palette here. but I’ve moved on from that one now and my new one appears here in the photos . I later went on to be rather envious of palettes with thumb rings. …because you see I do a lot of standing and sketching in various locations…….not!!!  🙂 …but just in case I do then I want to be prepared.  So after much internet surfing and looking at various DIY palettes of others and collecting ideas this is what I finally come up with.

The Big Reveal

On the left is my DIY palette, then below that is my travel water container (that is actually a travel cosmetic container I bought in a set of two from the chemist), my purple metal ruler, and lastly my pocket size Moleskine sketchbook. I haven’t included my Pentel waterbrushes, my fine tip ink pen and my wrist sweatband I use for wiping my brush (inspired by Liz Steel) that accompanies this set.

 Velcro’d Up!

As you can see in this photo I put velcro to the backs of all four items pictured. I had originally used a plastic ruler because that’s all I had but I ended up going to OfficeWorks to get a metal ruler for more rigidity and stability.

This was the Velcro strips I used, not the Velrco for fabric and sewing. These ones are more heavy duty for wall hangings.

You can see how I easily attached my water container to my palette here.

All Connected

So this is what my whole set up looks like. All Velcro’d together and firmly in place .  I use the bull dog clip to ensure my sketchbook remains flat as well.

Even if I’m not standing and sketching it’s still good to have this sitting on my lap if there isn’t a table around, knowing that it wont slide off my lap.

I’ve tried the same with my latger palette and my A5 sketchbook (velcro on the back of both) with the same ruler and it works well still.

It easily packs away too , nice and flat.

The ruler also has a practical purpose too if you use rulers in your sketches.  I personally don’t, but it’s just handy to have.

I’m really happy and pleased with what I consider to be the ULTIMATE ULTIMATE pocket travel palette for me.  I never leave home with out my sketching set so I wanted to make sure that it was compact enough for me to have everything without it being bulky and cumbersome.  I think this one is it!!!

I’d be interested in what anyone else has created and come up with…because the ultimate is only the ultimate until another comes along that is possibly better!! hehe.

Happy Sketching!!

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