Quick answer: Choose the Nomad if you want the best all-round pocket kit, the Voyager if you want a bigger A5 page and the most colors, and the Walnut Master Edition if you want an heirloom wooden studio you can mount on a tripod. All three are complete, refillable travel kits — they just suit different painters.
These are three of ArtMate’s most popular kits, and they’re easy to confuse because they all do the same core job: a complete watercolor studio you can carry. The difference is size, materials and how serious you are about painting in the field. Here’s how to choose.
Side-by-side comparison
| Nomad | Voyager | Walnut Master Edition | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Best all-rounder | Bigger paintings | Heirloom / plein air |
| Material | Leather | Leather (A5) | Walnut wood |
| Page size | A7 (4.6×5.8″) | A5 slim (~2× bigger) | 7×9″ box |
| Colors | 24 (W&N) | 33 (W&N Cotman) | 27 |
| Brushes | 3 (2/4/6) | 3 (2/4/6) | Brush slot |
| Paper | A7, 300gsm | A5, 100% cotton 300gsm | Cotton sketchpad |
| Standout | Passport-sized, complete | Magnetic pop-out palette | Tripod-mountable station |
Nomad — the best all-rounder
The Nomad is the kit most people should buy first. It’s a leather sketchbook the size of a passport with a 24-color Winsor & Newton palette, three brushes, a water pot and refillable A7 paper. It does everything, fits anywhere, and comes in eight colorways. If you can’t decide, get this.
Pick the Nomad if: you want one complete kit that lives in your bag and handles café sketches, travel and quick studies.
Voyager — when you want to paint bigger
The Voyager is the Nomad’s bigger sibling: a leather A5 journal with roughly double the painting area, 33 Winsor & Newton Cotman colors, 100% cotton paper, and a patented magnetic palette that pops out to mix. The loose-leaf binder lets you swap pages freely. It’s still bag-slim, just built for full scenes instead of thumbnails.
Pick the Voyager if: you find pocket pages cramping and want more room, more colors and premium cotton paper.
Walnut Master Edition — the heirloom studio
The Walnut Master Edition is a different animal: a handcrafted walnut box (7×9″) with a removable 27-color grid, mixing palette, sketchpad holder and brush slot. It threads onto any standard tripod so you can paint standing in the field, and it’s the most giftable, keep-forever kit in the range.
Pick the Master Edition if: you’re a dedicated plein-air painter (or buying a special gift) and want a wooden studio that lasts decades.
So which one?
- Most people / first kit: Nomad.
- Want to paint bigger, more detailed work: Voyager.
- Serious plein air or a premium gift: Walnut Master Edition.
All three are complete and refillable, so you’re really choosing size and material, not quality. Still unsure? Our full travel-kit buyer’s guide compares the whole range.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Voyager just a bigger Nomad?
Essentially yes — same leather, ring-bound concept, but on an A5 page with roughly double the painting area, 33 colors instead of 24, 100% cotton paper, and a patented magnetic pop-out palette. The Nomad is more pocketable; the Voyager paints bigger.
What makes the Walnut Master Edition different?
It’s wood, not leather, and much larger (7×9″). It has a removable 27-color grid and threads onto a tripod so you can paint standing in the field — a true plein-air station rather than a pocket kit.
Which kit has the most colors?
The Voyager, with 33 Winsor & Newton Cotman colors. The Master Edition has 27 and the Nomad has 24.
Which is the best value for a beginner?
The Nomad is the best all-round starting point. True beginners on a budget may prefer a simpler compact kit — see our buyer’s guide.
Are all three refillable?
Yes. Paper refills are available for each, and the Nomad and Voyager use ring binders so you can swap sheets in seconds.
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