Counting down to the start of this year's Urban Sketchers Symposium! This year it's in Chicago, and here's what I'm bringing along.



This will be my seventh symposium - missed the first one but have been to every single one since. This year, I get to sketch in Chicago AND see "Hamilton" - squee!

I've gotten the symposium packing mostly down to a science. Basically, I copy the materials lists from all the workshops I'm taking into one document and then go through my studio pulling items. Then I edit. I add some of my own favorite supplies. Then I edit some more.

This year's haul includes:

• Hahnemuehle sketchbook and watercolor block
  
• Moleskine watercolor sketchbook
  
• A few toned paper sketchbooks, for Pat Southern Pearce's workshop
  
• Several palettes with watercolor half pans, mostly filled with tube paints
  
• Neocolor II crayons
  
• Brushes, waterbrushes
  
• Nalgene bottles and empty Talenti gelato container for water
  
• A tube of white gouache
  
• Fountain pens, fineliners including white, silver & gold, and some watercolor pencils, pencil sharpener
  
• Pastel sticks in gray, white, and cadmium orange, for LK Bing's workshop
  
• An iPad Air 2 and Adonit Pixel stylus, for Rob Sketcherman's workshop
  

Of course, I'll also take along a waterproof tote/backpack, an ammo belt (for pens!) a folding stool, hat, water bottle, etc.

What are you packing?