For many of us, travеling isn’t just about visiting nеw placеs, it’s about capturing thosе momеnts that makе thе journey worth remembering. You could takе a photo, of coursе, but why not capturе thе momеnt by crеating your own small piеcе of art?
Painting with watеrcolors can bе a fun and rеlaxing way to еngagе with your surroundings, and thе bеst part is, you don’t nееd to carry a big pochadе box or bе a Picasso to gеt startеd.
If you’ve еvеr wаntеd to try your hand at painting on thе go, a good travеl watеrcolor sеt could bе your tickеt to an еnjoyablе nеw hobby. Convеniеnt, еasy to carry, and simplе to usе, thеsе watercolor sets are perfect for beginners and profеssional artists alikе.
In this articlе, we’re going to talk about what to look for in a travеl sеt, thе bеst options out thеrе, and how to choosе thе right onе for you.
Why Get a Watercolor Travel Set?
Thеrе’s somеthing uniquеly charming and magical about watеrcolors. Its fluidity, transparеncy, and vibrant colors make it an appealing medium for every creative soul, bеsidеs that, watercolors are incredibly versatile. They can’t mimic the appearance of other paint typеs, likе oil and acrylic, but their truе powеr lies in the ability to blеnd and layеr colors in ways that othеr mеdiums can’t match. This versatility allows you to create a wide range of effects, capturing thosе mesmerizing landscapes or bluе skies of your travеls in rich, vibrant huеs or soft, pastеl tonеs.
Watеrcolor travеl sеts arе light and compact sidе, making thеn thе pеrfеct travel companion for train trips, hikеs, hiddеn locations and opеn spacеs. Thеy typically includе a sеlеction of colors and a built-in mixing palеttе allowing you to paint anywhere without needing much equipment.
All you nееd is your watеrcolor travеl sеt (that somеtimеs can fit in your pockеt), a brush, a spongе and watеr. Plus, cleanup is a breeze, no need for harsh solvents or excessive washing, just watеr will do.
In thе nеxt sеction, wе’ll delve deeper into thе kеy features to look for in a watеrcolor travеl sеt to help you mаkе thе bеst choice for your artistic journey.
How to Choose the Best Travel Watercolor Set
Size
The primary advantage of a travel set is portability, so the size and weight matter. A compact, lightweight set is easier to carry around, whether you’re exploring urban landscapes or hiking up a mountain trail. Some sets come with a compact watercolor travel brush, a waterbrush, a detachable palette or a water container, which is amazing for those who don’t like carrying around all the equipment for watercolor painting.
Quality of Pigment
Not all watercolors are created equal. The vibrancy and durability of your paintings depend largely on the quality of the pigments in your set. High-quality paints offer more color intensity, enabling you to capture the world around you with stunning accuracy and lasting for a lifetime, in contrast to low quality pigments, which can easily yellow or fade in a matter of weeks.
(From Jane Blundell)
Although archival pigments tend to be much more expensive, if you plan on painting professionally or want your works to stay as they are, then investing a bit more is not a bad idea.
Range of Colors
A good travel set should offer a diverse range of colors. This allows you to replicate the wide array of hues you’ll encounter in your travels. But don’t be overwhelmed by sets with countless shades. Sometimes, a set with a smaller, carefully selected color range can be just as versatile.
Ensuring a brand has a wide range of colors will allow you to hand pick your favorite pigments and attach them to your travel palette easily, without needing a lot of non-interchangeable variety cramped in a small palette.
Besides, a set with lots of small pans might be prone to color contamination due to the limited space and can be a hindrance when you want to use only a few pigments and can’t build a cohesive color palette with ease.
Accessories
Some travel sets come with added bonuses like a built-in mixing palette, or a water brush. A palette is essential for mixing colors, and its inclusion makes for a more compact set.
A water brush combines a brush and water container into one tool, which can be a game-changer when painting on the move.
Price
High-quality watercolor sets can be pricey, but there are also many affordable options available that don’t compromise too much on quality. It’s important to find a balance between cost and quality that suits your budget.
Will watercolor work on canvas?
While traditionally, watercolor is used on paper, especially designed for its absorbency, it can indeed be used on specially primed canvas meant for watercolors. This allows you to create larger, more durable pieces that can stand the test of time.
Best Watercolor Travel Set Today
- Best Watercolor Travel Set Overall — Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolor Paint Compact Set
- Best Watercolor Travel Set for Beginners — SAKURA Koi Pocket Field Sketch Kit
- Best Value Watercolor Travel Set — Paintcrush Watercolor Paint Set
- Best Watercolor Travel Set for Professional — Schmincke – HORADAM AQUARELL
- Best Metallic Watercolor Travel Set — ARTEZA Iridescent Watercolor Paint Set
1. Best Watercolor Travel Set Overall — Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolour Paint Compact Set
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Selection Criteria
- Color Range: 96 colors.
- Our Score – 9/10
- Dimensions: 5.6 x 4.5 x 1.1 inches.
- Our Score- 8/10
- Number of pans: 14 Pans.
- Our Score – 9/10
- Accessories: Included 1 Brush, 1 Mixing Palette.
- Our Score – 9/10
- Price: $21.15
- Our Score – 10/10
About the Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolor
Winsor and Newton is one of the most popular brands in the world of watercolors and not without good reason. Although the Cotman line is not “professional watercolor paint”, it still is very high quality paint, has a wide color range and it’s very lightfast in comparison to other brands.
The Cotman line has something other “student-grade” paints don’t, and that is color variety. This means, you can get each individual pan separately and build your own color palette, or replace the colors you use the most without needing to get a whole new set.
Pros
- Extensive color range
- High-quality pigments
- Refills available
Cons
- Set might be too small for some
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2. Best Watercolor Travel Set for Beginners — SAKURA Koi Pocket Field Sketch Kit
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Selection Criteria
- Color Range: not specified.
- Our Score – 9/10
- Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.5 x 1.13 inches.
- Our Score- 8/10
- Number of pans: 30 Pans
- Our Score – 10/10
- Accessories: Included 1 Water Brush, 1 Sponge, 1 Mixing Palette.
- Our Score – 10/10
- Price: $26.47
- Our Score – 9/10
About the SAKURA Koi Pocket Field
The Sakura Koi Pocket field is a small, portable set with one of the most bright color combinations, perfect for landscaping, flower painting and ghibli-like illustrations. It has 30 pans which fit nicely into its small case and it comes with a mixing palette as well as a waterbrush and a sponge packing everything you need to paint on the go.
The palette has a foldable handle so you can use it on a flat surface or hold it with your hands as you paint, and it comes in 72 colors as well for those who love to have everything at hand.
Pros
- Small and portable
- Very affordable
Cons
- No refills or pan replacements available
- Limited color range
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3. Best Value Watercolor Travel Set — Paintcrush Watercolor Paint Set
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Selection Criteria
- Color Range: 144 colors.
- Our Score – 9/10
- Dimensions: 5.47 x 3.86 x 1.46 inches.
- Our Score- 7/10
- Number of pans: 12 Pans.
- Our Score – 8/10
- Accessories: With Removable Tray.
- Our Score – 8/10
- Price: $42.00
- Our Score – 9/10
About the Paintcrush Professional Watercolor
The Paintcrush watercolor set is not one of the most popular, however it is one of the highest quality professional watercolor paints that are also extremely affordable and offer great value. This small, select watercolor palette is the perfect starter set for those who want to learn color mixing and color theory, it has all the needed pigments as well as an included watercolor painting course by Kristy Rice.
This set offers one of the greatest values which is learning watercolor painting and color mixing, which will take the limitations of needing lots of pigments. You’ll be able to experiment with professional-grade watercolor paint as well as learn from one of the best.
Pros
- Professional watercolor paint
- High-quality, vibrant ink
- Painting lesson included
- Great value for the price
Cons
- On the expensive side
- Limited color range
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4. Best Watercolor Travel Set for Professional — Schmincke – HORADAM AQUARELL
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Selection Criteria
- Color Range: 140 colors.
- Our Score – 9/10
- Dimensions: 2.68 x 3.82 x 1.18 inches.
- Our Score- 8/10
- Number of pans: 8 Pans.
- Our Score – 7/10
- Accessories: With Water Tank.
- Our Score – 8/10
- Price: $79.99
- Our Score – 7/10
About the Schmincke – HORADAM AQUARELL
Well known as one of the best watercolor brands worldwide, Schminke now presents this small, yet amazing travel watercolor set. This set is not only beautiful and very high quality, but it’s also portable, easy to use and has a great design where the container is also a water tank and the cap becomes a water container so that you can easily paint from anywhere, anytime.
It has a small integrated mixing palette and handle in the back for easy holding.
Pros
- High quality watercolor paint
- Small, portable presentation
- Water container and tank included
Cons
- Very expensive
- Limited color set
- No space for paint brushes
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5. Best Metallic Watercolor Travel Set — ARTEZA Iridescent Watercolor Paint Set
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Selection Criteria
- Color Range: 50 Colors.
- Our Score – 9/10
- Dimensions: 5.08 x 4.13 x 0.98 inches.
- Our Score- 8/10
- Number of pans: 12 Pans.
- Our Score – 8/10
- Accessories: Included 1 Waterbrush.
- Our Score – 8/10
- Price: $19.99
- Our Score – 8/10
About the ARTEZA Iridescent Watercolor
Since a while ago, Arteza has been building a name and reputation of their own and we must say that although they’re a relatively new brand, their products are exceptional. This metallic watercolor set is no different. Crafted with care and attention to detail, this iridescent watercolor travel set is the dream of many. Whether you love giving metallic accents to your work or are a lettering artist or craft professional, this set has everything you could dream of.
This set includes a waterbrush and two mixing palettes, plus the pans are interchangeable and Arteza does have a dedicated color range for metallic watercolors so you can get the ones you like the most and arrange your own palette.
Pros
- Wide color range
- Portable and refillable
- Includes a waterbrush
Cons
- Mica-based paints
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Conclusions
In the end, the best travel watercolor set is the one you feel most comfortable with, be it you’d rather have everything in one set or you prefer to carry your tools separately, it’ll be up to you to unleash your creativity in the most unexpected places, adding a personal, hand-painted touch to your travel experiences. The sets we’ve reviewed bring that possibility to your fingertips, allowing you to paint anywhere without the need for a vast array of tools, and make the cleanup as simple as a splash of water.
So pack your brushes, choose your colors, and let the world be your canvas. Whether capturing the fleeting hues of a sunset or the intricate details of a bustling street, a travel watercolor set invites you to see the world through the eyes of an artist, where every scene is a potential masterpiece waiting to be painted.
Happy painti
