Home › Forums › Explore Subjects › Plein Air › Pochade boxes and tripods
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May 30, 2019 at 11:07 am #473900
I’m soon to embark on my first overseas Plein Air workshop and I want to purchase a Pochade box. I have a photography tripod and would like to use this if it will work. does anyone have any ideas on a good quality Pochade box? I have been researching on the internet and locally I can purchase the Craftech Sienna Pochade box with a tempered glass palette. Probably the medium size is best but I’m not sure. Size and weight is important as it has to be packed in luggage but I also want quality. Reviews for the box are good but the Sienna Tripod reviews are not so great.
any tips would be appreciated.
LGM
June 1, 2019 at 9:57 am #835023If you’re going to go Sienna style, take a look at the copied version, Soho, at Jerry’s artarama.
There are many styles of pochade. Really depends upon how you paint. If what you want is really an easel and palette platform, there are less weighty ways to go. If what you want is a box that also carries supplies and is an easel, that’s a different choice.
In all, a photo tripod version (which is what I use) has to cover these bases: 1) be sturdy at the height at which you paint; 2) have a strong enough head mechanism to withstand the weight of your box/easel and the pressure you will put on it as you paint the canvas. For many photo tripods you can replace the head and it’s not terribly expensive to get a heavier duty one. For example, I had to replace the head on my Dolica with one that cost $30 and handles 20 kilos – truly sturdy.
Someone posted a great URL for a review of types and models/makes here on Plein Air forum.
June 1, 2019 at 11:13 am #835032I am by no means as experience as most here but I do have the Sienna box and tripod etc and it is really well built and with all the accessories etc I carry it around in a simple backpack conveniently. It is nice and sturdy for such a lightweight set up. I wish I could offer you comparatives but the best I could say is I would certainly buy it again without hesitation.
June 2, 2019 at 3:17 pm #835027Thanks bartc – I will look for a heavier duty attachment for the tripod for sure. I was wondering about whether the one I have is sturdy enough. As for storage I don’t really care about that but I do want to have a tempered glass palette surface and an easel to attach the painting support to. I could store my supplies in a separate art bin. I’m not sure where to find anything like that. so far the art supplies stores where I live seem to only carry heavier boxes similar to the portable French easel and that’s just too much weight to travel with.
Thank you bobbybirds for the review of the Sienna box and tripod. I haven’t checked one out yet but plan on going to have a look at both the tripod and the box soon.
I’ll do a bit more research on other options as well. I appreciate your responses.
LGM
June 3, 2019 at 11:15 am #835024The style you are seeking is most associated with oil painting. It’s the easel palette on a tripod combo. That’s the style that Sienna makes well, but for less expanse go over to Jerry’s Artarama on the web for their Soho version (looks and works the same, but cheaper).
June 3, 2019 at 12:57 pm #835026If you are looking for the lightest and smallest setup you can get, you might consider a panel holding mast and a tripod shelf rather than a pochade box. My Sienna 11″ x 13″ OD box weighs 4 lbs 13 ounces. My smallest DIY compact / lightweight mast and tripod shelf palette weigh 2 lbs 5 ounces. That is 3 lbs 2 ounces lighter than the Sienna and I prefer the way the mast holds the panels vs the Sienna. The tripod shelf palette does not have any way to cover it up when it has wet paint on it, but I take my Masterson palette box with me for wet palette storage whether I am using the Sienna pochade box or the mast and shelf, so I am not including that or the tripod setup in the weight total.
More details in this thread of mine on WC:
https://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1440161&highlight=mast
June 12, 2019 at 9:26 am #835028thank you all – this is a great help. I was checking out the EasyL boxes and they look good except with the exchange on the dollar a bit pricey. I would be ordering from Canada. I’ll look up the Soho and Jerry’s Artarama mentioned by bartc.
LGM
June 12, 2019 at 10:55 pm #835020AnonymousMedium sized u.go
June 14, 2019 at 4:29 pm #835018The key thing to remember about tripods: If it has a plastic head, no amount of tightening will keep it from wobbling! You’ll want a tripod with a metal head. As for a box, I like the Daytripper from Prolific Painter (http://www.prolificpainter.com) and also the Open Box M (http://www.openboxm.com[/URL%5D). Both of these are light setups.
Michael Chesley Johnson AIS MPAC PSA
www.MChesleyJohnson.comJune 18, 2019 at 7:29 pm #835025Hi…Can I recommend looking at the LederEasel as a lightweight compact travel kit for Plein air? It’s not a pochade box but it holds both your canvas and palette.
June 24, 2019 at 9:56 am #835029Hi…Can I recommend looking at the LederEasel as a lightweight compact travel kit for Plein air? It’s not a pochade box but it holds both your canvas and palette.
This sounds like a great option but I’ll have to look at this for later as I ended up buying an EasyL Lite Pochade Box and an Optex Pan Head photographic tripod that seems really sturdy and light and works with the box well. The box has a lot of good features like the metal brush holder and extra hooks to hang a solvent can and easily holds the sizes of wet panels I will be working on in the back section. I also bought the side tray which may end up being a waste of money but I’ll find out. At least it will be a spot to set down my palette knives. I feel pretty confident this setup will work out at least for my first big trip overseas. Oh and I bought the EasyL umbrella too. it seems great and I may or may not need it but it also works well with the tripod. I have done a couple of local Plein Air workshops but used only a cheap aluminum Heritage easel (which blew over a couple of times) and a hand held palette. This new setup will work far better and as I’ve learned from all the other posts and reviews I’ll definitely look at the other suggestions especially this one for the LederEasel for the future. Thanks again for all the responses. I really appreciate all the tips from more experienced Plein Air artists! I’ll let you know how it goes…
LGM
June 29, 2019 at 9:24 pm #835019Eh… I’ve a number of boxes but as I’ve increasingly dragged out watercolors those outfits stay at home and I use a plastic panel, a couple of big clips and a slightly modified Sun-Eden Tilting adaptor. My tripod is a cut-down Bogen/manfrotto with a larger sized ball head and quick release.
I put the tilting adaptor onto the tripod… tape my paper onto the plastic panel, (scrap from framing)… Mount the panel to the bottom of the tilting adaptor… Attach my pallette on the top of the tilting adaptor with two big clips… Hang my water bucket on an “S” hook from the tilting adaptors bottom end… Adjust the adaptor to the angle I need and start painting. Works for me.
Plus… cheaper than many outfits, compact in luggage or back pack, quick to set up. Can be used sitting down by not extending the tripods legs.
-Dave
July 1, 2019 at 10:21 am #835030It’s funny you mention water colour because I just tried to use my EasyL yesterday for that purpose and I definitely agree it is more trouble than it’s worth for that medium. Since I will be painting in oils on the trip I feel pretty optimistic it will work out. Good to know about these other options for the future though if I go on any more of these trips. Thanks Dave!
LGM
July 7, 2019 at 3:48 pm #835021As for a box, I like the Daytripper from Prolific Painter ([URL=http://www.prolificpainter.com]www.prolificpainter.com[/URL]) and also the Open Box M ([URL=https://www.openboxm.com/]www.openboxm.com[/URL]). Both of these are light setups.
Hello Michel,
If you have any comments to share about these two boxes, I have written up a quick analysis here: and there is a place for you to add your own review to add to my comments:Daytripper Easel[/URL]
openbox m pochade box[/URL]Hope you find the information useful
BarrySeptember 4, 2019 at 10:49 am #835031I have returned from my Plein Air workshop in Italy and what a wonderful experience it was! I want to post an update. I loved my EasyL LITE Pochade Box! I paired it with an OPTEX photographic tripod which was sturdy and easy to set up. The EasyL with the brass brush holder was great and stayed solid even on a windy day. I had purchased the side tray but never used it. I would highly recommend the EasyL box. there was plenty of room on the 9 X 12 palette area to mix my paints. I used a disposable palette paper wedged underneath the little wooden separator where I was also able to keep my little solvent cups during use. It carried the wet panels in the back easily and the entire box fit into my High Sierra wheeled backpack along with paints, brushes and other supplies. I did not use the EasyL umbrella although there were days I wish I had taken it along as it got really sunny and hot a couple of times. no rain though and I learned a lot! I would highly recommend the EasyL!
LGM
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