Mini-Easel New York Art Kit

The water brush is the star here — dip it in the built-in palette and you're painting in seconds, no cup of water needed. My daughter took it on the train and the carrying case kept everything neat. We've already finished three pages from the watercolor pad.

The 12-color set covers everything I need for a quick sketch session, and the whole kit fits neatly in my bag without taking up much room. I’ve already used the 10-page watercolor pad twice on my lunch break—it’s perfect for when I want to paint but don’t have a ton of space.

The water brush and built-in palette make this kit ridiculously easy to use on a plane tray table, and the 12 colors are vibrant enough that I didn’t miss my studio paints at all. I finished two of the pre-designed canvases before we even landed, and the case kept everything tidy.