My Travel Watercolor Kit (What I Actually Use on the Camino)

By Ouchul Hwang -

My Travel Watercolor Kit (What I Actually Use on the Camino)

When I walk the Camino, I don’t carry much. Every gram matters. Every object must justify its presence. But among the few things I always carry, my watercolor kit is not optional. It is how I see, how I slow down, and how I remember.

Camino watercolor sketch on the road
Camino watercolor sketch on the road


Why I Paint While Walking

Photography captures quickly. Writing explains slowly. But watercolor does something else—it listens.

When I sit down on the road and open my sketchbook, time changes. The wind becomes visible. The silence becomes textured. The landscape stops being “scenery” and becomes a relationship.

This is why the tools matter. Not because they are expensive or perfect, but because they either support this listening—or interrupt it.

What I Carry (And Why)

My watercolor kit is minimal. I don’t believe in carrying everything. I believe in carrying what responds.

1. Watercolor Paper — The Most Important Choice

👉 Check latest price (Arches Watercolor Block)

For moments that feel significant—when the light, the road, and my body align—I use Arches. The paper holds water in a way that feels almost alive. It allows pigment to move, settle, and breathe. 

This is not just paper. It is a surface that collaborates with time. I personally like the rough texture of paper. It is good for the timly speed expression of cloud and winds.

👉 Check latest price (Strathmore 400 Series)

For daily sketches, I use Strathmore. It is reliable, practical, and forgiving. It doesn’t demand perfection—it allows continuity.

👉 Check latest price (Canson XL)

When I want to sketch without thinking too much, I use Canson XL. It removes hesitation. And sometimes, removing hesitation is more important than achieving beauty.

Watercolor sketchbook and materials
Watercolor sketchbook and materials

👉 Paper Block: Arches Aquarelle, Grain Torchon, 300g/m2, 18cm x 26cm, 20 sheets

👉 Pallette: Petit, 24 colors pallette wirh portable brush set

👉 Brushes: 5-6 round and flat brushes mixed(Various sizes)

👉 One Graphite stick(Optional: charcoal or 4B pencil)

👉 Portable water bucket

👉 One small painting knife(Optional)

👉 A piece of table cotton towel 

👉 A tote back for all material packing 

2. Brushes — Fewer, Better

I carry only one or two brushes. Usually a medium round brush that can do both line and wash.

On the Camino, there is no studio table, no perfect setup. Everything must adapt. A single brush that responds well is more valuable than a set of ten. 

Sometimes I iuse wide flat brushes to increase water smearing effect for my work.

3. Paint — A Limited Palette

My palette is small. Earth tones, a few blues, and one or two accents.

Too many colors create noise. A limited palette creates coherence.

When you walk long distances, your perception simplifies. Your colors should follow. Mixing colors on the surface of paper gave great pleasure of results later when it dried.

How the Kit Changes the Experience

This kit is not just about making images. It changes how I move.

When I carry watercolor tools, I stop more often. I sit longer. I observe deeper.

The road becomes slower—and in that slowness, more appears.

Painting on the Camino road
Painting on the Camino road


The Relationship Between Movement and Painting

Walking is repetition. Painting is variation. The moment I sit and paint, it is the moment my soul rest.

Step after step, the body moves forward. But when I paint, I return to a moment. I stay with it.

This tension—between moving and staying—is where something meaningful happens.

What I Learned From Carrying Less

At first, I wanted to bring more. More paper, more colors, more options.

But the Camino teaches reduction.

The less I carry, the more I notice. 

The simpler the kit, the deeper the experience. The simpler the image I gain.

Final Thought

A travel watercolor kit is not about equipment. It is about attention.

Choose tools that allow you to stay present. Tools that follow your rhythm, not disrupt it.

Because in the end, the most important thing you carry is not the kit—it is your way of seeing.

👉 See my full watercolor paper guide

📖 Continue the Journey — Buen Camino


Buen Camino watercolor art book

A watercolor art book inspired by walking, silence, and the inner journey of the Camino.

View Buen Camino Book

Some links may be affiliate links. This helps support the blog at no extra cost to you.

Ouchul Hwang is an artist whose work explores the relationship between walking, observation, and visual expression. His practice is rooted in the idea that movement shapes perception, and that drawing can emerge directly from lived experience rather than pre-planned intention. His work is closely connected to the Camino de Santiago, where he creates drawings and paintings during the act of walking. These works are often made quickly, using minimal tools, yet they aim to capture a deeper sense of presence and attention. Hwang’s approach emphasizes continuity over completion. Rather than focusing on isolated finished pieces, he builds a sequence of works that reflect the ongoing experience of movement. His materials are intentionally simple, allowing for daily practice without interruption. He is the creator of *Buen Camino*, a watercolor art book that documents his journey through walking, seeing, and drawing. His work invites a slower way of looking, where ordinary moments become visible through sustained attention.

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