Short answer
For plein air painting, bring a small surface, a limited palette of 4 to 6 colors, two or three brushes, something to hold your work (lap, easel or tripod), water or solvent, paper towels, a trash bag, a hat, sunscreen, water to drink and clips for wind. Pack light enough to carry it all in one trip.
The field basics (every medium)
- Bag or backpack you can carry with one hand free
- Wide-brimmed hat in a neutral color, sunscreen, layers
- Drinking water and a snack
- Paper towels or a rag, plus a trash bag to pack everything out
- Binder clips or bulldog clips for wind
- Pencil, eraser, and a viewfinder (or your phone camera) for composing
- Small stool, if you like to sit
- Bug spray, depending on where you're going
- Charged phone, keys and ID on your body, not in the bag
Watercolor
- Pocket or travel palette with 5 to 12 pans
- Watercolor sketchbook or a block (blocks stay flat in wind)
- Two or three round brushes, or water brushes
- Collapsible water cup and a bottle of clean water
- Small mister to keep the palette wet in heat
- Fineliner if you like line and wash
Gouache
- Tubes in a limited palette: a warm and cool of each primary, plus white
- Palette with a lid (gouache dries fast; a damp sponge under the lid helps)
- Mixed-media or watercolor paper, or toned paper
- Flat and round synthetic brushes, water cup, mister
Oil
- Pochade box or lightweight easel with a palette
- Small panels (6×8 to 9×12 inches are easy to carry and finish)
- A limited palette: titanium white plus a warm and cool of each primary
- Three to five brushes and a palette knife
- Odorless solvent or walnut oil in a sealed brush washer, or go solvent-free
- Wet-panel carrier to get paintings home without smudges
- Brush soap and a bag for dirty rags
Acrylic
- Stay-wet palette (acrylic dries fast outdoors)
- Canvas panels or heavy paper
- Synthetic brushes, water cup, mister
- Slow-drying medium for hot days
Pastel
- A travel set in a foam-lined box (half-sticks save space)
- Sanded paper taped to a backing board
- Glassine sheets to protect finished work
- Baby wipes for your hands
Keep it light
The best kit is the one you'll actually carry. If you're new to painting outside, start with watercolor or gouache and a sketchbook, and add gear once you know what you miss. Not sure where to go first? See how to find good painting spots.
Common questions
What is the lightest plein air setup?
A pocket watercolor palette, a small sketchbook, a water brush and a few clips. It fits in a jacket pocket and needs no easel.
What size canvas is best for plein air?
Small. 6×8, 8×10 or 9×12 inches. You can finish a small painting before the light changes, and it's easier to carry and to keep steady in wind.
How do I carry wet oil paintings home?
Use a wet-panel carrier, a box with slots that holds panels apart so the wet surfaces don't touch anything.