Tip for Organizing Paint

[CarlyHardy]

Ever notice those canvas shoe holders, the kind that you hang on the back of a door?
They make a great organizer for your tubes of paint. And you can use a marker...write oils at the top, and print the colors on the individual pockets.

I have two..one is for oils and one is for acrylics. They hang on the front and back of the door into the bathroom in my studio.
Helps me to know when I'm running low on a favorite color, too!
carly

[bruin70]

yes, but where will i put my rockports?...milt

[cagathoc]

on your feet...

[CarlyHardy]

....or under the edge of the bed...or on the stairs...or beside the backdoor...like all good men do.
carly

[paintfool]

Thanks for the tip Carly, i think i shall go pick one of those up tonight. i've been keeping mine in a big 'ole nasty pile in a box & wonder why i have 3 tubes of cobalt blue! any ideas on brush storage? i'm currently using a wire rack sort of thing i devised using closet maid stuff but some of the brush handles are too fat to fit....Cheryl

[amanda]

what a fab idea, I'll have to do that when I get a studio set up one day.

[CarlyHardy]

In the studio, I have one of those big heavy coffee mugs for the short handle brushes and a tall straight vase to hold brushes with the longer handles. I like the desk to look cute with my floral mug and vase! (so okay, this won't appeal to the guys!)

But for plein air, I have one of the canvas brush holders with the pockets for slipping the brush handles into...it opens out flat and will roll up for carrying. I got mine at Michaels for $9.99. A lot of the art supplys online have similar canvas brush holders or I suppose you could make one of your own.

[babsalaba2]

In my studio (actually an extra bedroom) I have a plastic storage unit that I got at Caldor or Kmart for 25 bucks. It has three drawers and is on casters. In the top drawer, I keep all of my paints; in the second, I have assorted drawing stuff, pastels, pens, charcoal, ink etc, and in the bottom, I've got some other miscellaneous stuff crammed in.

I keep my watercolor brushes and painting knives in ceramic mugs on top of the unit, and my oil brushes are in some big beer steins. It works pretty well for me so far. I have all my canvas and paper on the shelves of a metal bookcase (also bought for less than 50 bucks). That's also where I keep all my jars of mediums.

It may not be oak, but it does the job!

This can be an expensive hobby/ pasttime/ passion. I can't seem to leave an art store empty-handed, and looking through the catalogs, I can always pick out something that I "must have."

[kemshmi]

good tip Carly http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/smile.gif..I think I had read this one a few years ago in an artist mag..or maybe a book..but had forgotten all about it..thinking tis a better method than in a box..and may be the way I'll go too////Bruin70..how do you "organize" your paint tubes, to have them available and not in the way?

seems the deep pockets can be good for brushes too..but seems most of us hve some sort of "vessle" to stand them in..

Kemshmi

[kemshmi]

Originally posted by CHClements:
....or under the edge of the bed...or on the stairs...or beside the backdoor...like all good men do.
carly

well..if he put them in a shoe bag..would that count as..ummm.. --------------------------------------------------------> being housebroken??


[This message has been edited by kemshmi (edited March 28, 2000).]

[paintfool]

the roll up canvas (for plein air) that carley suggested sounds like a MUST HAVE for me! My my the organazation tips are all so good! Just so you'll know Carly, some guys probably are into the 'cute' thing....lol. Yes Babs, you absolutley can drop a ton of cash at the 'ole art store! don't i know! When most of my friends go on a shopping spree, they head to the mall. Me, well...you know where you'll find me! Cheryl

[Mich451]

I think I own every Plano and Craftsman fishing tackle or tool box ever made, and store all my paints, and pencils, tools in them. One box has oils, one watercolors, one pastels, one acrylics, one guache, etc. I always know where my paints are, and where to put them back. There are a few empty boxes by Plano that I have for traveling or outdoor painting. They have nooks and crannies and drawers, and I can put what I need for the project or trip into them and never lose anything. I could not be without them, and my family never wonders what to buy for me.

[paintfool]

yes mich those boxes would work very well for a lot of things! I was looking at plastic storage boxes at the art store the other day & realized that they are identical to some of the tool & tackle boxes. The onlt difference being the price! given the amount of $ i have invested in brushes, i like to economaze in other areas....Cheryl

[paintfool]

see? i've even economized on spelling an typing lessons! lol Cheryl

[Rod]

Yes fishing tackle boxes with the folding top trays are ideal, use them for all my paints and pencils etc,
They are very well priced in NZ,
Rod.

[bobsart]

HOLY SMOKES CARLY!!! You have a bathroom in
your studio? I'm in awe! I gotta run up three flights of stairs...bob

[CarlyHardy]

Yes, Bob...and a shower, too!
My studio is in the bonus room over the garage which at one time was my daughter's bedroom (mainly because of the stairway that goes to the kitchen!) When I found that the walkin closet was already piped for a shower, sink and toilet, I had it built in.

Of course as soon as she was ready for college....I moved her into another bedroom and took over the bonus room...with my art and the computer....all my art books!!! My own private world!!!
(p.s. am now looking at the dining room...we never eat in there anyway!)
carly

[bobsart]

I know the feeling. The best thing about having kids is, they leave. My son left last summer and my daughter bless her heart, will graduate from college next January. My 1800 sq. feet will seem like a mansion. I will, however still be confined to the basement with my pet spiders....bob

[Painter]

Anybody tried the new? Jullian media boxes? I think they are just standby drawers set up for different media.

I like the idea of slots for colors. Saves my periodic inventory.

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God Blesses!
Ched