(Revised and expanded from my One Thing I’ve Learned blog post, Oct. 6, 2026)
I‘m a longtime fan of DIY (Do-It-Yourself) art kits that I can take with me when on the road. Yes, I do still have commercial travel art kits as well….but I find that just like expensive art supplies, I tend to put these aside to “save” them for special occasions, to not waste them for casual drawing. As years pass, I’ve been trying to change that habit, but I’ll save for that for another post.
I like using empty Altoid or similar tins because they’re the perfect size, and close securely.
I’ve experimented with used gum inserts – Excel, for example – but I lean toward empty watercolour pans (search for “watercolor half pans” online) because I like being able to exchange different colours.
I’ve also been learning from other DIY art kit people out there, and use white ceramic paint for the inside surfaces to help prevent rust as well as provide a surface I can use for mixing paints. I’ve also learned not to have too thick a layer of the latter, else the magnets won’t stick properly.
You can use any kind of watercolour paint, but Daniel Smith watercolour paints tend to shrink less, dry smoother (thanks to my friend Mary P. for this tip). I’ve also heard that adding a tiny drop of liquid honey or vegetable glycerin will also do the trick. I use a toothpick to smooth out the paint once I squeeze it into a pan.
Something else I’ve learned: I enjoy making DIY watercolour travel kits just as much as I do actually using them….so I’ve given away some of my extras. 😅
I ended up being immensely glad to have one of these DIY kits with me when I was supposed to do an art demo with Michael Ian Black the New York Times offices years ago. The professional art supplies I had ordered to be delivered to the Simon & Schuster offices (because I didn’t want to carry them around with me on my book tour) never arrived…but I only found out about this the day of the event (!!!).
Here’s what I ended up taking with me to the NYTimes:
Also in the photo above: a Pentel water brush and a Pentel pocket brush pen, also part of my DIY art kit. I also had a fun Simon & Schuster crayon package because hey, why not?
Happily, it all ended up working out just fine. I was still SUPER SUPER nervous, but I focused on drawing and let Michael do most of the talking. 😁
The Facebook Live video is no longer available (Meta removed all videos older than 30 days as part of a platform wide policy) but one of my followers was kind enough to send me the recording; because I’m Canadian, I also no longer had access.
At around the 8:00 timestamp, you’ll notice Maria Russo (who was NYT children’s book editor) about my DIY art kit. 😁
So hurray for DIY art kits!
