Since not being able to travel I have been building a semi-permanent desk set-up. This post focuses on 3D artists, but I am sure video editors, animators and people from any area of design will find it helpful.

The goal is to have a desk that I can take anywhere in the UK and pitch up, almost like a camp if you were on an expedition. ⛺ I want it to be as self-contained as possible without spending a ton of money. So here is how I got on.

Since not being able to travel I have been building a semi-permanent desk set-up. This video focuses on 3D artists, but I am sure video editors, animators an...

💻 DELL XPS 15

The centre of my set up is the Dell XPS 15inch laptop, with an i9 Processor, 2tb solid state hard drive and 32Gb of ram. I chose this as this was as much power I could get into a laptop, whilst keeping it lightweight and having decent battery times. 3D, video and design software can chew a battery up.

The reason I have opted for a laptop is I value the freedom of moving around and working where I please. I can hear other 3D Artists, video editors and animators banging their heads against their desks. But, the power of the Dell XPS is good enough to do most of my work. The XPS can run any software I throw at it and has no problem if I want to model on the road.

For a long time, I have done most of my rendering, both stills and animation in 'the cloud'. First with Rebus Farm and now with Chaos Cloud. You can get 20 free credits here. This leaves the laptop free for the design work rather than the rendering.

One of the first things I brought was a laptop hinge and holder. Whilst travelling I use the Nexstand K2 laptop stand. But, I wanted to have as much desk space as possible when it came to my more permanent desk set-up.

Get the Dell here.

💡 LIGHT BAR

In the same vein as keeping the desk uncluttered, the ScreenBar Plus sits off my desk and replaces the need for a traditional lamp on my desk. Another benefit is that there is no glare on the screen from the light bar. It is not something for the road, but a benefit to finally having a dedicated desk.

Lighting is something that is overlooked when spending long hours in front of a screen. This bit of kit is actually designed to reduce eye strain. This is something I didn't realise I needed until I tried it.

Not only for eye health but also for color correcting your images as an animator, video editor or cgi artist. You can change the brightness and color temperature from the dial that sits on the desk.

There is also a sensor that will react to the light in the room, creating the optimal light set up. So I just leave it on auto most of the time. Until I tried it I didn't realise how badly lit my desk was. I spend tons of time journaling and the light bar gives the perfect light for these kinds of offline tasks.

Get the Light Bar here.

📖 JOURNAL

The number one journal I recommend is the Leuchtturm1917, Whitelines Link, Ruled, A5. White lines seem so simple but it blows my mind that all notebooks are not white lined. If I draw something and photograph it, it is as clear as a plain piece of paper. When I write I have the ruled guides.

It also has some cool QR codes that link to email, Dropbox and Evernote, but I have never used it.

Get the Leuchtturm 1917 White Lines here.

📺 MONITOR

I was given the Samsung 32inch monitor. When travelling I use the Asus MB16B+ as an extra screen. The MB168B+ isn't available anymore but I think the Zen screen will do the job now. Screen space is massive, even when I am packing light I take a second screen.

⛵ DOCK

All of this plugs into the Dell D6000 Dock. The idea here is that I have one cable that I need to plug into the laptop and it transforms into a desktop. You can connect up to 3 monitors and charge the laptop via the USB-C and it gives you four well-needed USB ports. The dock does have some issues with Adobe software, where I need to unplug the dock when starting software such as Dimension or After Effects.

Get the Dell D6000 here.

🐭 MOUSE & KEYBOARD

The mouse and keyboard are Logitech. The mouse is one great piece of kit. I have had this for nearly 10 years (It may be due an upgrade soon). If I was to upgrade, it would be to the newer version, the MX Master 3.

Keyboard, a silent one maybe the next move. People have said they don't like hearing me banging the buttons in some of my tutorials. I am eyeing up the Logitech craft.

Get the Logitech MX and Craft here.

🎤 MICROPHONE

The microphone was sent to me by Skillshare a few years ago and it is fantastic. It's the AT2020USB+, it has been around the world a few times and is still doing the biz.

A recent purchase for this desk set up was the hinge which means I can pull it in and out of the way easily. This has been massive in an attempt to remove any friction in creating videos.

Get the AT2020+ here.

🧍‍♂️ DESK

After reading Deskbound, and working from standing desks, I knew I wanted this desk to go from standing to sitting. If you are early on in your career take care of your body. Being sat at a desk for years takes its toll and takes a lot of deliberate effort to undo.

For the desk itself, the legs are from Flexispot and have a simple up and down. The desktop itself is made from 3 wooden scaffold planks donated by my brother in law.

Get the Flexispot desk here.

🪑 CHAIR

I chose the Fullwatt Gaming Chair and I honestly can not be happier. I am a particular fan of the footrest. I am not as keen on the big graphics but I just reversed the pillows.

Get the Fullwatt Gaming Chair here.

Other bits and pieces are the oversized desk mat. Cable clips on the back of the desk for easy access to any wires. And, floor mats for when standing. This can all be found on the Amazon list here.

That is where I am at with the semi-permanent desk set up. If you want to know more about software, have a look here.

I noted a few bits that I use when travelling. If you'd like me to go deeper into the travelling experiences, equipment and software then let me know.

Let me know in the comments your number one desk essential.