Travel Sketching Essentials--the easel and travel stool I use

I have searched high and low for tools that will work...small and light, that fit in my carry on back and backpack.  With some tweaks, this is what I use for the big equipment.

Easel in action, with Beliza, Anne, and Susanna in last summer's
DRAW CIVITA 2015
workshop in Civita di Bagnoregio, Italy.  I'm leaving soon for this year's
workshop!!   This shows the larger surface and tripod #3.

Easel

En Plein Air Pro Easel surface ($79) (I cut mine down to fit into a backpack) with Sony VCT-R100 Lightweight    Compact Tripod with 3-Way Pan/Tilt Head (about $40 from Amazon)

Story: I bought the entire watercolor travel set at En Plein Air Pro, but most of the stuff is too big and heavy.

So I ditched the tripod, carrying case, etc. that comes in the set and now only use the angled plastic surface with a ledge for holding my sketchbook/pad while I paint. You can buy this ledge individually from En Plein Air Pro for about $80.

Last summer while sketching in Venice with Marc Taro Holmes (someone pinch me, did I really just write that?--YES!) I noticed that his was easel made by the same company was smaller than mine, he said it was an older version.  So I got an idea. When I got home from Europe before heading to Asia (did I really just write that too?), I cut about an inch from the top and one side, very carefully using an x-acto knife to score a line, then using pliers to bend the plastic back and forth until it snapped, followed by a mild sanding of the sharp edges.  And voilá, it now works GREAT and fits in my backpack with ease.

In my search for a lighter tripod, I bought and returned four others until I found this Sony.  It doesn't have the quick release mount which is unfortunate, so I end up just screwing the easel table onto the top of the tripod. Not a big deal...it works great...the lightest, smallest tripod I could find. Bought it on Amazon. Has a nice light carrying case too.

Travel Stool: Tribe Provisions Ultra-light Compact Portable Adventure Field Stool ($30)

This stool is great, although I sometimes feel like an elephant sitting on a thimble...it is just so light and tiny!  

Story: The day before leaving for Asia, I found this on Amazon, and with same day delivery, it arrived that same evening!! By 9pm I was repacking everything into a smaller suitcase and left for Asia the next morning!

It comes with a small carrying case. Amazon and Tribe are sold out at the moment, but I contacted Tribe and they are producing more of these.

Another option is a new 3-leg stool available through REI. I don't own it, but it is light, a little bulkier and heavier than the Tribe, but probably better if you don't want to sit so low to the ground or need a heftier stool. Only costs $25.

The tiny Tribe Provisions stool I use,
this photo from their website.

Using my stool as an easel in a pinch, with the talented Don Low who stood guard and entertained the onlookers.
Another thank you Laurel Holmes for this photo, this is in Singapore before the symposium last summer.

The best part of finding this easel, tripod, and stool, is that I can now travel only with a carry-on suitcase...my Travel Pro Max-Lite 3 spinner...this has made a huge difference when flights have been cancelled-- and no lost luggage.  Even with all my supplies, I now only travel with a carry-on and a backpack and a small purse!!!