A travel watercolor kit is a small folding case of half-pan paints, a brush and a mixing area that fits in a bag or even a pocket. This guide covers the best pre-made kits for beginners, serious artists and kids, plus the paper to pair with them.
Quick picks: the Sakura Koi is the easiest all-round kit for teens and adults, the Winsor & Newton Cotman is the smallest budget option, the Winsor & Newton Professional Field Box is the splurge, and a MEEDEN-style 42-color fold-out set suits kids and casual use.
These kits are great if you travel or have a long commute and want something to do besides:
- Stare at your phone
- Stare at other people
- Read a book
- Draw
What Is the Best Travel Watercolor Kit?
It depends on your level. For most beginners and hobbyists, a Sakura Koi set gives the most colors and the most built-in extras. If you want the least bulk, the Cotman Pocket Box is the pick. If you want professional paint on the road, choose the Winsor & Newton Professional Field Box. Details on each are below.
Some small kits can go in carry-on bags, and this roundup notes that some are fine on airplanes. Airline and airport rules vary, so check yours before you fly.
Sakura Koi Watercolor Travel Kit
The Sakura Koi Pocket Field Sketch Box is one of the most widely recommended travel sets, and it is the one you will see most often on social media. It is a solid choice for most people painting on the go.
Features
- Half-pan watercolor paints, sold in several set sizes (12 to 48 colors; check the listing for current options)
- Refillable water brush
- Dabbing sponges set into the case
- Removable mixing tray with pegs that snaps onto the case or lid
- Lightweight
- The snap lid can act as an easel for postcard-size paper
- You can stash a few sheets of paper in the box
Why it works: the mixing tray fits over the paints when the kit is closed, then clips into holes in the lid or box edge when you paint. Fewer colors save space, but 24 or more gives you more mixing choice.
Who is it for: teens and adults who want a well-designed travel set with plenty of colors, without paying for professional-grade paint.
Tips:
Consider more water brushes for different brush shapes, as backups, or to keep colors separate. You can wipe a brush tip on the sponges, but if you want pure colors, use a separate brush for each color family.
You can see paint swatches for all of the colors here.
Here is a pic of the sizes for the different sets:
Sakura Koi Field 30 Assorted Watercolors
Sakura Koi Watercolors Pocket Field Sketch Box SetsBuy From Blick
Winsor & Newton Travel Watercolor Kits
Winsor & Newton is a long-established art supply brand, and two of its pocket sets suit travel: the budget Cotman box and the professional Field Box.
Winsor & Newton Cotman Sketchers’ Pocket Box
Quality is comparable to the Sakura Koi: good student-grade paint, a step below professional. This little box is a no-frills travel set with 12 half-pan paints, a built-in mixing area and a small pocket brush.
Features
- About 5 inches long (roughly 130 x 65 x 20 mm) when closed
- 12 half-pans of basic mixing colors
- Lid is segmented for mixing areas
- Small pocket brush included
Why it works: half pans are bigger than the tiny pans in many mini sets, so you can use larger brushes and the paint lasts longer. You get the essentials and nothing else, at a low price.
Who is it for: anyone who wants to take up the least space in a bag or suitcase while still getting decent paint, and who is comfortable mixing colors. It is a good starter set for people who like a pared-down palette.
Tips:
Buy your own brushes, either regular or the pen style brushes.
Use double-sided tape or sticky tack to keep the pans in place. Pans coming loose is a common complaint with small kits, and this is an easy fix.
Swap out colors you don’t use for ones you prefer. Refill pans for this box can be hard to find, so your options are:
- refill with professional half pans
- squeeze tube watercolors into the empty pans and let them dry
Paint a color chart to bring with you before you travel. Here is an example:
Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour Field Box, 12 Half Pans
When you are ready to move up to professional watercolor paints, this is your travel kit. It holds 12 professional half pans in a compact case that opens into a mini portable palette.
Features:
- 12 professional-grade half pans
- Sponge for cleaning brushes and adding texture
- Folding travel brush
- Several mixing surfaces: a deep-well palette plus sliding palettes that stay attached to the case
- Small water bottle and container included
The exact 12 colors change over time as the manufacturer updates its pigments, so check the current listing before you buy. (An older version of this post listed specific colors; those have been removed because current sets differ.)
Why it works: professional pigments give rich, lightfast color, and generous half pans mean you can mix a lot of shades from 12 colors.
Who is it for: working artists, serious hobbyists, or anyone who wants top-quality paint on a trip. It is a splurge compared with the other kits here.
Tips:
Bring a few brush sizes, since the included brush is small.
Buy refill (or other color) half pan paints at Blick; check prices against Amazon before you order.
If the water will sit in the bottle for more than a few days, use distilled water so it doesn’t go bad.
Professional paint works best on good paper. Use 100% cotton!
Winsor & Newton Cotman Water Colour Paint Sketchers’ Pocket Box, Half Pans, 14-Pieces
Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour Field Box, 12 Half Pans
Travel Watercolor Kit for Kids and Casual Painters
Little travel watercolor sets are easy to take on vacations, to appointments and to restaurants, anywhere a screen might otherwise come out. Not every kit here has been tested by this site, so treat the notes below as a summary of the product listing.
The kit linked here is a foldable 42-color set sold under the MEEDEN brand (at the time of this update, the listing says it comes with 4 brushes).
Features:
- 42 colors of paint in a fold-out case
- Small divided side palette for mixing colors
- Listing describes it as portable and foldable for outdoor sketching
Who is it for: kids and beginners. Many brands sell near-identical fold-out designs, and the paint is student-level, so serious artists should look at the Sakura or Winsor & Newton kits. Check the packaging for age grading and safety labels (for example, an AP seal) before giving paints to young children; this page could not confirm the manufacturer’s non-toxic claim. Pair it with a pen-style water brush to avoid spilled water cups.
Travel Sketchbooks and Loose Paper
Don’t forget the paper! Choose a travel sketchbook or loose sheets, or even a pack of watercolor postcard paper. All of these are small but sturdy enough for water and pigment.
Global Art Materials Travelogue Watercolor Book, Square, 8-1/4-Inch by 8-1/4-InchStrathmore Softcover Watercolor Art JournalField Artist Masters Series 5 in. x 5 in. Square Watercolor Journal, Hardbound with 48 pags. 300 GSM Cold Press PaperStrathmore Ready CutPaul Rubens Watercolor Paper Block, Premium Leather Cover Artist Quality Hot Pressed PaperWinsor & Newton Professional Watercolor Paper Journal, Cold Pressed 140lb 5×7 White
A gift idea for the travel watercolor fan: this boxed set has included a Winsor & Newton watercolor sketchbook, 12 half-pan colors in a tin, a Series 7 brush and a blank color chart. Contents may have changed, so check the listing.
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