When I am traveling, I like to bring an extremely compact set of tools but I still maintain my regular sketchbook practice of drawing at least one page every day. I'm a big fan of the Draw Your Day process from Samantha Dion Baker, and this is how I maintain my practice while on the road.

Here's a sample spread in my sketchbook from a recent trip to the Bay Area. I drew various birds I saw while hiking around Lake Merritt in Oakland, and then Salesforce Tower in San Francisco.

You can also see more examples of my figure drawings in my travel sketchbook in my post about sampson.

Equipment

Elam Sketchbook

My normal sketchbook is the 6.7" x 7.9" Elam Large Sketchbook. It's a little large for travel but I like to bring it with me to have continuity between my everyday sketch practice and my travel journaling. It has a hand-cut feel to it and a rough edge which makes it feel really special. They carry it at TopDrawer and it comes in a variety of interesting designs so I can pick a new one each time.

Koh-i-noor Versatil 2mm Lead Holder

My normal pencil is the Pentel Dot Grip with a 2H lead but when I'm traveling I like the Koh-i-noor Versatil. It's a lead holder with a tiny barrel but it is still comfortable to sketch with. It has a built in sharpening system so I don't need to pack a separate sharpener like I would with a traditional wood pencil. I normally sketch with a 2H lead, but with the smaller lead holder I find it to be easier with a 4H lead.

Kaweco Sport Fountain Pen

I love fountain pens, and my favorite pen is the Kaweco Sport with the Extra Fine Nib. I use De Atramentis Document Ink Cartridges for inking in my sketchbook. This is a great ink because it doesn't clog the pen but it is waterproof soon after it dries. For my process I lay down a clean pen line after the initial sketch and later on I can watercolor over it without worrying about the color getting muddy.

Tombow Mono Zero Eraser

Since the Lead holder doesn't have an eraser, I carry a separate one. I like the body of the Tombow Mono Zero. This comes in both a round and rectangular eraser shape- I prefer the rectangular one, the round one seems to fall apart easily.

Art Toolkit Watercolor Palette

I use a variety of media at home, including markers and gouache, but for traveling I find a small watercolor palette like the Art Toolkit Demi Palette is the most compact way to get a lot of possible colors for travel sketching.

Pentel Aquash Vistage Slim Water Brush

The Pentel Aquash Vistage Water Brush is my favorite water brush in general and i really like this slim version when I'm traveling, it's less bulky than the normal Aquash but the pen is the medium size and it works pretty much just as well.

Tom Bihn Small Cafe Bag

I use the Tom Bihn Small Cafe Bag for everyday use but also when I'm traveling. It's the perfect size to hold my sketchbook and my iPad Pro 11. It also has a set of pen holders which are perfect for easy access to the Lead Holder, Eraser, and Pen.

Conclusion

Here's a picture of all the colors I brought with me on my last trip. It's a really great way for me to capture all the exciting things I see on my travel and to integrate my drawings with things like ticket stubs, ephemera, and creates a tactile memory of my trip.

Update 2025-03-11

I learned on reddit today that these types of travel sketchbooks are called "carnet de route" and I think that's so cool. It's a style of travelogue that combines text, illustration, and other media.