LeonharTak

LeonharTak → Kit

Keep It Together

The stuff I use to do stuff

I’m meticulous about the tools and tech I use in my work. I spend a lot of time researching and experimenting to make sure each piece meets both my minimalist values and creative standards.

This is a curated list of the gear and software I rely on—not a deep dive into specs or benchmarks—of which there are plenty already. Instead, I focus on how these tools support my process and fit into my daily rhythm.

Some of these items aren’t brand new, and that’s intentional. I don’t have endless funds or corporate sponsorships, and even if I did, time is the real constraint. Between sleep and work, there’s not always room to chase the latest release.

So, here’s what I use, why I use it, and how it helps me create.

Every Day Carry

Colloquially know as EDC

Phone: I use the green iPhone 12 mini because ergonomics and thumb reach still matter to some of us. I’m holding out hope that Apple regains its senses and makes small phones again.

Wallet: I use the Roco slim aluminum wallet with RFID blocking. The exact one I have isn’t available anymore, but I have linked the new version. It holds cards, doesn’t bulk my pocket, and makes me feel just the right amount of tactical.

Pen: That’s right, I have a favorite pen. The white Sharpie S-Gel 0.7 with black ink is smooth, stylish, and never lets me down.

Knife: Kershaw 1640 Vapor in silver. Slim, unobtrusive, and a sentimental gift that manages to be useful and meaningful.

Necklace: I’ve worn the Final Fantasy 8 Sleeping Lion Heart since 1999, and at this point it’s more relic than accessory. It’s melted slightly, shaped to my sternum, and quietly judging all other fandom merch.

Medallion: I always carry the Memento Mori Medallion in my pocket, backpack, or wallet. Because existential reminders pair surprisingly well with errands and to-do lists.

Laptop: I have the 13 inch M2 MacBook Air from 2022 with 16 GB of ram. I switched from MacBook Pros when Apple Silicon arrived, and honestly? No regrets. It’s quiet, fast, and doesn’t feel like I’m hauling a brick around.

Tablet: I have the first generation 12.9 inch iPad Pro from 2015 with an Apple Pencil that remembers the Obama administration. Battery life is a joke at this point, but it’s still the best way to work creatively. I’d replace it, but so far it continues to function out of spite.

Headphones: I resisted wireless headphones for years, but after using using AirPods, I have to say it’s been life-changing. They make listening while cleaning, walking, and moving much easier than wired headphones.

Kindle: I dragged my heels on this one, too—I was very “team physical books.” But now? E-ink is glorious. I have an Amazon Kindle.

Every Day Apps

or at least every so often

Notion: My #1 life organization tool is Notion. It tracks my habits, houses my journal, runs my businesses, and politely holds my campaign lore without judgment. It’s equal parts second brain and glorified checklist.

Audible: I listen to an Audible book every day on my way into work, which makes traffic almost tolerable. Also, I like asking Alexa (Amazon’s AI) to read my Kindle books to me too.

Duolingo: I’ve been learning on Duolingo for a few years and find it to be a fun way to get a few minutes of beneficial brain activity each day. Competing with friends adds just enough petty energy to keep me going.

Finch: Finch is Tamagotchi for adults with mild burnout. You take care of yourself, the bird gets cuter. And if you ghost it for a few days? It just politely waits. No death scenes. No trauma. Just emotional support, feathered.

Website Design

Front and back-end

Website Publishing: All my sites are published with WordPress because I have control issues, and WordPress enables them beautifully. Unlike no-code platforms that “just work,” WordPress lets me decide how it works—thanks to an API that doesn’t flinch when I ask complicated things of it.

WordPress Theme: I don’t use a traditional theme. I use Thesis, paired with my custom-built Thesis Skin, Less. With this setup, I control the performance, design, and footprint—without drowning in visual page-builder chaos.

Affordable Hosting: If you don’t mind using the command line, DigitalOcean is great because it’s scalable and affordable. This site is hosted on a WordPress-optimized droplet on DigitalOcean.

Managed Hosting: When I want peace of mind, backups, staging, and a UI that doesn’t condescend, I use Flywheel1. My business sites, LightlyStyled and Vostra Moda, are hosted on Flywheel.

Website Analytics: Most of what I care about is in Google Search Console, but for site traffic stats I use Plausible. It’s privacy-friendly, lightweight (under 1 KB), and doesn’t bloat my site. I broke up with Google Analytics and honestly, I’m thriving.

Email Marketing: Vostra Moda runs a newsletter powered by Buttondown, because I don’t need AI-powered marketing funnels—I just want custom html emails and an API that lets me build things without touching some drag-and-drop monstrosity.

WordPress Development: I use Local by Flywheel to quickly develop my sites locally, push them to staging, and then pull them back to start the process again. It’s so simple and seamless because I use Flywheel hosting.

Code Editor: I use VS Code with the City Lights color, icon, and ui theme and IBM Plex Mono font. Because if I’m going to stare at a screen writing theme functions and custom fields, it might as well look good while I’m suffering.

Photography

What’s in my bag

Camera Body: My first full-frame camera is the original Sony a7R. I chose it for one reason: that glorious 36MP sensor. Sure, the startup time is slow, the shutter sounds like it’s stepping on gravel, and the menu system is a maze of sadness—but when it’s locked down on a tripod (where it belongs), it’s a beast in the best way.

Camera Lenses: Zooms are convenient, but primes are how I’ve come to appreciate image quality—sharpness, clarity, and that clean, intentional framing that only comes when you have no choice but to move your feet.

  • Wide Angle Lens: The Sony FE 35mm f/2.8 Sonnar T FE ZA was my first lens—not by design, but by circumstance. It was one of only two native options when I picked up the original Sony a7R. It’s compact, sharp, and served me well as a default wide, but I’m now looking to replace it with a lens that better matches my style and intent. The Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM offers a wider field of view, exceptional low-light performance, and edge-to-edge sharpness—an ideal upgrade for both expansive landscapes and astrophotography.
  • Telephoto Macro Lens: The Sony FE 90mm f/2.8-22 Macro G OSS is my go-to telephoto—not just for its reach, but for its versatility. It offers razor-sharp detail, excellent rendering, and 1:1 macro. While longer focal lengths can offer more compression, I’ve found the 90mm strikes the perfect balance: it gives me all the detail I need without the weight or workflow disruption of a bulkier telephoto.

Looking ahead, if the 24mm feels too restrictive for certain compositions, the Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM would be a great addition—perfect for capturing dramatic skies, astrophotography, and immersive ultra-wide scenes.

Camera Bags: I love bags. I love putting things in them, organizing those things, and knowing exactly where those things are, down to the zipper orientation.

  • Main Bag: The original Everyday Backpack 20L by Peak Design (charcoal) is my daily driver—compact, modular, and smarter than I am. Mine’s an early version no longer in production, but I’ve linked the updated model for reference.
  • Field Bag: Once I’ve arrived and unpacked, I transfer only what’s essential into the Everyday Sling 10L (also charcoal, naturally). It’s nimble, discreet, and perfect when I’m working on-site or scouting with intention. Again, my version is discontinued, but I’ve linked the closest modern equivalent.
  • Filter Bag: The Filter Hive Mini by MindShift Gear keeps my ND filters protected, labeled, and accessible. There’s a simple joy in opening a pouch and seeing exactly what I need, where I left it.
  • Tech Pouch: The Field Pouch by Peak Design has all the miscellaneous tech garbage. Cables, card readers, backup batteries, existential dread. They all live in this pouch until needed. Of course it’s charcoal.

Tripods: I shoot with intention, which often means slowing down and staying steady. A good tripod is a foundation. So I use two.

  • Main Tripod: I use the Brian Evolution 2 carbon fiber tripod by Three Legged Thing. It offers that rare combo of stability, height, and portability—reaching nearly 76 inches fully extended while folding down small enough to travel easily. It’s been my rock for long exposures, architectural compositions, and any moment where tripod-first shooting matters.
  • Field Tripod: For more spontaneous or minimalist outings, I’ve been using the MeFOTO BackPacker Air (in black). It’s incredibly compact and lightweight—great for scouting, casual hikes, or anytime I want the option of stabilization without the bulk. That said, its stability is limited, especially with heavier setups or wind.

I’ve been eyeing the Peak Design Travel Tripod (carbon fiber) as a potential upgrade to the MeFOTO. It packs down nearly as small, but offers significantly more stability and thoughtful refinements—like a stronger ball head, intuitive setup, and a more confident stance in real-world conditions.

Filters: Even with today’s post-processing tools, I sometimes like making decisions in-camera instead of relying on post processing. My neutral density kit consists of 100x100mm Firecrest IRND filters by Formatt-Hitech in the following strengths:

  • 0.9 (3 Stops): Helps tame bright light—useful for softening movement in water without overcommitting on exposure time.
  • 1.8 (6 Stops): A solid middle-ground for motion blur in daytime without losing detail—my general-purpose long exposure filter.
  • 3.0 (10 Stops): Ideal for stretching shutter speeds to capture smooth skies, blurred water, or urban motion with intentional softness and abstraction.
  • 4.8 (16 Stops): For high noon surrealism or long exposures exceeding several minutes. It’s not used often, but when I need to completely clear a scene or lean into minimalism, it’s essential.

I also skip graduated filters. When I need dynamic range, I bracket exposures instead. Blending exposures gives me more control and avoids the alignment limitations of fixed grads.

And while it’s possible to simulate motion blur by stacking multiple frames in post, the result often lacks the natural continuity and atmosphere of a true long exposure. Some effects just don’t composite well—they have to be captured in the moment.

Filter Vaults: Each filter is stored in a Wine Country Camera Vault to reduce handling and flare. Since the Vaults add thickness, I’ve modified my Formatt-Hitech filter holder to accommodate them securely.

Photo Editing Software: I used to use Lightroom, but switched to Luminar and Aurora HDR by Skylum years ago. These days I work with Luminar Neo1, Skylum’s flagship editing and cataloging software. It’s streamlined, powerful, and surprisingly enjoyable to use. The UI is intuitive, and advanced tools like relighting, noise reduction, and structure controls are built right in—no need for plug-ins or complicated workarounds. It fits the way I like to work: creative, efficient, and hands-on.

Illustration

Markers and ink

Paper: I’ve mostly used whatever was easy to find—Bienfang Graphics 360 Translucent Marker or Canson Pro-Layout Marker. Neither is archival, but so far, no yellowing or crumbling, so I can’t complain.

For sketching and tracing, I’ll stick with them—they’re affordable and handle loose work well. But for anything closer to finished, I’m thinking about trying  X-Press It Blending Card. It’s archival, smooth, and won’t flake out on me years later when I go to rescan or touch something up.

Markers: I used Prismacolor markers back in my student days, but I’ve since moved to Copic Sketch—refillable, reusable, and generally less guilt-inducing than tossing another dried-out marker in the bin.

Plus, there’s something oddly satisfying about refilling them myself, like I’ve joined a very specific, extremely low-stakes repair profession.

Just as a reminder, these markers are alcohol-based, so they’re not lightfast. That means your artwork will fade over time—so scan or photograph it, and if you care about longevity, print using archival ink.

Pens: I’ve been using black Sakura Pigma Micron pens since I bought my second pen—because the first one wasn’t a Micron, and I’ve since corrected that mistake. They’re my go-to for almost everything: linework, marker layering, watercolor detailing.

They’re pigment-based, waterproof, fade-resistant, and archival—which means they’ll outlive most of my sketchbooks and probably me. They don’t bleed, don’t smudge (unless I give them a reason), and come in enough sizes to make me feel like I’m selecting a Photoshop brush in real life. Here’s how I choose what size to use:

  • 003 (0.15mm): When I want to suffer hand-cramps and eye strain.
  • 005 (0.2mm): Like 003, but slightly less masochistic.
  • 01 (0.25mm): I’m being precise—but only in a way I can recover from.
  • 02 (0.30mm): Is that a scratch in the paper or did I draw that?
  • 03 (0.35mm): Oh, it’s ink. Cool. Guess we’re committing now.
  • 05 (0.45mm): The pen you use to justify not using a regular pen.
  • 08 (0.5mm): Should I just use a regular pen at this point?
  • 10 (0.6mm): No, I need this unnecessary-but-inevitable in-between pen.
  • 12 (0.7mm): All jokes aside, this is the quintessential medium tip size.

Drawing

Mostly graphite

Paper: If you want to follow in my regretful footsteps grab a pad of Strathmore 300 Series Smooth Bristol. Why the regrets? Because building up rich darks feels like drawing on wax paper. I bought and used this stuff before I understood paper quality was a thing.

  • Study: Strathmore 400 Series Drawing 80 lb., 70% Wood and 30% PCF—Slightly toothy, off-white, and strong enough to take some layering.
  • Archival: Arches Watercolor Hot Press, 140 lb., 100% Cotton—Technically watercolor paper, but don’t let that fool you—it’s firm enough to handle heavy layering, and tough enough to survive erasing.
  • Plein Air: Arches Travel Journal Hot Press, 140 lb., 100% Cotton—A compact version of my archival choice—perfect for drawing in the field without sacrificing quality.
  • Sketch: Stillman & Birn Alpha Series, 100 lb., 100% Wood—All around sketchbook used for mixed media.

Pencils: I’ve used the Derwent Graphite pencils from 2H to 8B, but they never quite got dark enough. For deeper values, I reached for the Sanford 14420 Design Ebony (now apparently rebranded as Prismacolor 14420 Design Ebony), which was darker… but also added an unfortunate silvery sheen to my already reflective drawings. Art should look how it was drawn—not like it’s trying to signal airplanes.

So now I’m looking into the Faber-Castell Pitt Graphite Mattes (HB–14B), which promise a true matte finish with velvety blacks and zero sparkle. We’ll see if they deliver. In the meantime, here’s how I divide the pencil caste system:

  • 6H–3H: Absolutely not. Too hard, too pale, too likely to carve into paper like I’m etching glass. Your drawing style might love these, mine doesn’t.
  • 2H–HB: Useful for sketching—just be gentle or risk permanent regret.
  • B–8B: The sweet spot for drawing, but still not dark enough for me.
  • 9B–14B: The promised land. Haven’t tested them yet, but they’re coming for my sketchbook soon.

Kneaded Eraser: The eraser equivalent of a stress ball thats shapeable, reusable, and fun to stretch. Kneaded erasers are ideal for lifting subtle highlights and “oops” moments I pretend were intentional.

Painting

In and out of the studio

Paper: After years of working on sub-par student-grade paper, I’ve learned that high-quality paper isn’t optional. Good paper resists buckling under wet washes, allows for intentional lifting and glazing, and supports fine detail without surface damage.

Brushes: I’ve destroyed more brushes than I care to admit—bristles have flown, I’ve used the wrong one at the worst times, and yes, I’ve even tried to “fix” them with scissors. Back in my oil-painting days, I mixed all my brushes together until I couldn’t tell one from another. Lesson learned, and I’m ready for an upgrade. Here are the brushes I’m aiming for:

  • Round 8: Princeton Aqua Elite 4850 This medium round is set to be my main brush. Its tapered point and rounded belly are designed to hold plenty of water and snap nicely, which should help me pull off everything from atmospheric skies to more precise, mid-sized details.
  • Round 2: Escoda Versàtil Series 1540 I chose this small round for its precision. Its fine point and firm snap make it ideal for the delicate details where I need extra control.
  • Flat 1″: Princeton Neptune 4750 This one-inch flat brush is all about broad strokes. It’s built to distribute pigment smoothly over large areas, making it perfect for open skies or calm, reflective water surfaces. Honestly, it should be a massive upgrade over the wall-paint brush I’ve been cranking out.
  • Dagger 3/8″: Rosemary & Co Golden Synthetic Series 311 The dagger brush, with its angled edge and fine synthetic bristles, is tailored for putting down expressive, directional marks. I’m banking on it to capture things like grasses or the textured edge of tree silhouettes.
  • Rigger 10: Princeton Aqua Elite 4850 This long, slender brush is my pick for continuous, fluid lines. Its shape should let it hold a steady flow of paint, which is exactly what I need for drawing fine branches or those extended, elegant water reflections without constantly reloading.

Primary Palette: I like to keep things clean (non-toxic) and simple with a painter’s primary triad of Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow. This gives me the widest possible gamut without introducing muddiness.

  • Yellow PY154:  W&N Winsor Yellow (Benzimidazolone Yellow) is a bright, clean, mid-range yellow—warm enough for oranges, cool enough for natural greens.
  • Magenta PR122 or PV19: W&N Quinacridone Magenta or W&N Permanent Rose is crisp, transparent, and irreplaceable for mixing violets, dusky reds, and clean darks.
  • Cyan PB15:3: W&N Winsor Blue GS (Phthalo Blue) is my go-to for bold greens, soft turquoise skies, and deep shadow mixes.

Secondary Palette: I supplement my primary palette with three secondary pigments (also non-toxic)—each chosen to fill in areas where mixed hues tend to dull or neutralize too easily.

  • Red-Orange P073: W&N Winsor Orange RS (Pyrrole Orange) holds its saturation well in mixes, especially with warm earths or autumn foliage.
  • Blue-Violet PB29: W&N Ultramarine GS or W&N French Ultramarine helps anchor shadow mixes, deepen skies, and create moody purples when paired with magenta.
  • Blue-Green PG7 or PG36: W&N Winsor Green BS or W&N Winsor Green YS a Phthalo Green ideal for mixing vibrant greens and teals. I wish I could choose between the two, but they’re so different:
    • PG7 (Blue Shade): Cooler and deeper.
    • PG36 (Yellow Shade): Warmer and softer.

Gouache: I use gouache sparingly alongside watercolor as a substitute for masking fluid, which I rarely apply properly (waiting is hard), struggle to remove cleanly, or just forget to use altogether.

  • White PW5:  W&N Zinc White is my go-to for highlights, small corrections, and soft value shifts. Zinc White is less opaque than Titanium, which gives me more control when layering over watercolor.

Palette: Everyone needs a palette, and right now I’m using the Quiller Covered Travel Palette. It’s great for learning color theory and navigating a color wheel layout—ideal for studio work or mixing practice.

That said, I’ve got my eye on the Art Toolkit Demi Palette for plein air. It’s compact, magnetic, and built for portability, which makes it feel like the obvious upgrade for painting in the field.

Accessories: Every hobbyist eventually finds themselves ankle-deep in “extras”. This is my carefully curated collection of stuff that keeps me wondering where my money went.

  • View Catcher: I’m considering adding the View Catcher by Color Wheel to my kit. It promises to help me frame and simplify a scene before I paint—much like using a camera’s viewfinder.
  • Seating: I’m also looking into the Therm-a-Rest Z Seat Cushion for my plein air outings. It could be a game-changer when uneven terrain, rocks, roots, or damp conditions threaten to distract me during a session.
  • Bamboo Brush Roll: My brushes don’t clatter in a jar—they travel in a neat, unreasonably satisfying bamboo roll. Keeps them safe, organized, and feeling more like tools than utensils.
  • Cloth: A dedicated absorbent cloth or towel for blotting brushes, mopping spills, and generally staying ahead of watercolor chaos.
  • Water: No surprises here—clean water is non-negotiable. I carry a small spray bottle to rehydrate pans or prep paper, plus a glamorous rinse jar (usually a recycled salsa container with a lid) so I can pack out my paint water. Even “non-toxic” paints aren’t necessarily safe for wildlife—non-toxic to humans doesn’t mean non-toxic to frogs.

Music

Performing and recording studio

Piano: I have the P-140 Series Contemporary Digital Piano by Yamaha—bought in 2006 with $999 in bartending tips from Daddy’s Junkie Music (RIP). I couldn’t afford a stand or bench at the time, but a few weeks later, my dad built me one: shiny black, lovingly handmade, and better than anything store-bought. I still use it.

Seaboard: I also have the ROLI Seaboard Rise. It’s a completely different animal—squishy, expressive, and fun to explore. It’s not a piano, and it doesn’t pretend to be—but it’s great for messing with textures and dynamics that digital pianos only dream about. Mine’s discontinued, but I’ve linked the current version.

Cello: I started cello in college, fell in love with it, then life intervened in a not-so-gentle way and I lost the instrument. I still want to return to it, and when I do, I’ll probably go with an electric model—quiet for the neighbors, dramatic for me.

Headphones: My Bose SoundTrue Headphones from 2014 are battered, fraying, and very much holding it together with willpower alone—but they’re still the ones I trust when I’m tracking or mixing. I’ll replace them eventually, but not yet.

Audio Interface: I use the Mio audio interface by iConnectivity. It does exactly what I need. My piano connects directly to my laptop—no bulky setup, no audio spaghetti. It’s simple, stable, and lets me skip the gear spiral and get straight to playing.

Recording Software: I use Logic Pro by Apple as my DAW. For orchestral work, I use the X-DAW Art Pro Articulation Toolkit by Audio Grocery—it makes switching articulations in Kontakt instruments painless. Anything that cuts down on menu-diving and lets me stay in flow is a win.

Sound Libraries: My Kontakt library shelf includes Noire, The Giant, Una Corda, and The Maverick. Each one inspires something different: soft, sharp, cinematic, weird. They’re like having four slightly unhinged pianos waiting to see what mood I’m in.

Gaming

What’s in my GM toolbox

Basic Setup: My go-to rig for running games is an iPad in split-screen mode—EncounterPlus on one side, Notion campaign notes on the other. I keep a dice app on my phone for emergencies but still prefer the satisfying clatter of real dice in a compact tray.

Books: Yes, a lot of my favorites are D&D-related—but don’t let that ruin your game. The best sessions borrow shamelessly from everything.

Digital Tabletop: I use EncounterPlus and Module Packer to build encounters, wrangle initiative, and dress up VVT maps with tokens and custom characters.

Physical Map: For in-person sessions, it’s the Megamat—34″×48″ of glorious vinyl real estate. I slap a clear overlay on top and draw with dry erase markers:

  • Red = lava
  • Green = terrain
  • Black = walls
  • Blue = water

If I pre-draw the map, I use black sticky notes to hide unexplored areas—a lo-fi fog of war that feels delightfully analog.

Physical Tokens: Painted minis are cool, but I like to keep it simple. Acrylic chips do the job without requiring a second mortgage or a mini paint studio.

Index Cards: Still undefeated. Whether it’s NPC traits, traps, turn order, or last session’s plot twist—index cards are my low-tech, high-reliability lifesaver. I keep a stack—some laminated—nearby for scribbles, secrets, and spontaneous lore.

Ambiance: SoundTale is my audio engine for live sessions. It’s fast, flexible, and can switch between “mysterious tavern” and “descending into doom” without breaking immersion—or me.

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