Artraveller : Easel Bag : 37x27cm (Apx.15x11in)

I must say I like the idea behind this drawing board but it could be better. I do a spot of urban sketching and I also go to a life drawing session each week which can be pretty crowded, and this holder comes in useful for both. The idea of having all your equipment handy, easy to access and easy to pack up again quickly is very attractive. The Pros: This is easy to carry, is expandable due to the Velcro fasteners and four flaps, and when open your pencils will stay in place due to gravity. I popped an A4 hard cover sketchbook in mine as well as a few sheets of paper plus the pencils and pens I’d use, and although it bulked it out, it was still easy enough to close and hold everything in place. If I’m urban sketching around the town I take a small stool (I use a Walkstool) which slings on my back along with the Artraveller and I’m fully equipped. I also like to go to museums to sketch and where I live near Glasgow we’re spoiled for choice. The museums here provide stools as part of the service so it’s easy just to take the Artraveller Roy along. Once you’re sitting the whole thing unfolds so your pencils are pointing up in a holster ready to select and you can use your sketchbook or the supplied drawing board (which can be removed and used or left flat and secured by the corner tabs. If you do remove it to use you may want to bring along a couple of Bulldog Clips to hold the paper. My life drawing session is also busy and there’s no room for easels or anything much bigger than A3. Seats are packed together and you’re rubbing shoulders with other artists so this device is perfect and contains everything close to you. The Cons: The drawing board is an odd size – 33cm by 23cm. It’s neither A3 or A4 and I just wonder what an A3 version would look like. A4 is probably too small but I’d certainly give it a go with an A3 size. On the right hand flap there’s a small pouch which I presume is for rubbers or sharpeners. When the Artraveller Roy arrived it had a business card in it but the pouch is actually too small for business cards. I thought I’d pop a few in there for my local art club but if you do (I use the standard Vista Print size) you can’t close the popper that holds it shut. So, apart from that being made bigger, I’d like to see a small pouch, perhaps with a top opening like an envelope, on one of the side flaps to cater for sharpeners and rubbers (and other non-pencil paraphernalia). I still like the business card idea even if it’s just for your personal contact details in case you lose the thing. Another thing I’d like to see is a template holder, even if it’s on one of the other two flaps (up and down). What I mean by this is the funny things some artists carry – protractors, viewfinders, perspective viewer, colour wheel etc. My final point, and it’s a small one, is that the top of the bag is (presumably) where the straps are attached, so if you unfold it with the top away from you (towards your knees), when you have the flaps open each side as “holsters” for your pens and pencils, the side with the most space for pencils (four pouches) is on the left. The right hand side has two plus the business card/rubber/sharpener pouch. Most people are right handed but the bulk of your pens and pencils are on the left hand side. It’s no big deal but it demonstrates a lack of thought in the design process. Overall I’m very pleased with the Artraveller Roy and I’m sure it will get a lot of use, but it could certainly be improved.

I am so impressed with this bag and can honestly say that you won't need to take any other bags when sketching outdoors as all your pencils pens and sketchbook will fit. Ingenious.