Best Plein Air Umbrella - WetCanvas: Online Living for Artists

This topic has 14 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 4 months ago by Batman55.

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October 17, 2015 at 4:49 pm #993504
reisa
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I have been considering buying an umbrella for plein air painting and I have been researching which one to buy. The more I research, the more confused I get. What do you all think? What is the best umbrella for plein air painting, and why? What are you using? What holds up the best in the wind, and actually and isn’t too heavy?
Thanks for your input!
October 17, 2015 at 6:11 pm #1240911
csxcnj
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I think the Best is best. http://www.bestbrella.com

[FONT="Times New Roman"]Bob Smith
October 17, 2015 at 6:59 pm #1240908
Gary Mc (Trikist)
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I have the Best Brella as well and like it. The best part is the clamping device which is versatile and holds. I have both the black underside and the translucent umbrella (which I have unfortunately just received and not yet tried). Its ability to stand in the wind depends on the weight of the object to which it is attached. See my set up below. In a strong canyon wind, it will not stay up and I paint without it.

As this is the only umbrella that I have owned, I can not compare it to others.

[ATTACH]830020[/ATTACH]

"Painting is a verb"
October 17, 2015 at 11:58 pm #1240906
IMaybe
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I have had the Brestbrella for about 4 years and love mine. I have had no problems at all with it, and I know the Lady who developed it, it was a great idea to use they type of clamp she uses on this as they will adjust and hold onto almost anything well – – a french easel or one with rounded pipe-like legs, I do really like mine. I use a tri-pod, and a wooden Heilman box which it holds to either the legs of the tri-pod or the box–whatever I feel like doing at the time.

Good luck painting!:wave:

www.artskipsabeat.blogspot.com
October 18, 2015 at 7:43 am #1240914
Johnnie
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I have tried a few and have always gone back to the umbrella you get at golf shops.

They are big, cover you all up and in a NO WIND rain storm and it could be a downpour you will NOT get wet .. well maybe your feet.. Mind you I use mine in my wheel chair so bit different I guess. But it works for me.
Believe me.Golfing umbrellas are the width of a sidewalk almost.

And if you want it for shade it works also.

You can find them anywhere from $29.95 up to $100 bux.. so there ya go.

Johnnie

Spread Kindness Like Confetti !!
October 18, 2015 at 10:55 am #1240903
reisa
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Thank you for all the replies Bob, IMaybe, and Johnnie! I appreciate your help.
I had been looking at the Best Brella but was concerned because I have a Guerrilla tripod and didn’t know if it would attach to it. I looked online and couldn’t find anything or anyone saying they had attached theirs to a Guerrilla tripod. I finally wrote Patricia at Best Brella and she told me it would work. Then I realized I own a Maybef tripod also, duh! Not sure why I have been carrying the heavier tripod into the field!
So I am going to purchase mine today. Need it for workshop in two weeks!
October 18, 2015 at 10:57 am #1240904
reisa
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And thank you Trikist for the great photo of your plein air set up! It is wonderful to see how other people “do it!”
October 27, 2015 at 2:39 pm #1240901
Profi9le
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Not a problem with the Best Brella on the Guerrilla tripod – I use my ‘brella on that all the time. I love the Best Brella! The clamp is a bit heavy and big, but it works.

Michael Chesley Johnson AIS MPAC PSA
www.MChesleyJohnson.com
October 27, 2015 at 3:16 pm #1240902
JamieWG
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The one I use most is the plein air umbrella made by Artwork Essentials. I’ve had it for many years and it’s taken a lot of abuse, including my husband running over it with the car! In comparison with the Bestbrella, its canopy is 7″ wider, it has fewer separate parts, and it’s lighter.

My second choice (actually it’s my first choice if conditions are right for it) is the ShadeBuddy. Its canopy is even larger than the umbrella by Artwork Essentials. It goes into the ground, so you don’t ever have to worry about it taking down your easel. However, it is pretty heavy and you need soft ground for it, so if you’re hiking far, or on rocky terrain or pavement, it’s not a good option.

Hudson Valley Painter[/url]
Hudson Valley Sketches -- Reviews/Lightfastness Tests/Art Materials [/url]
One year from now, you'll wish you had started today.
October 27, 2015 at 7:43 pm #1240905
reisa
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Thank you for the reply Jamie! I didn’t realize the size difference in the umbrellas. Wow! I do like the idea of having a larger umbrella.
I did already buy a Bestbrella and am at a workshop, we are getting plenty of rain so I will get to use it this week
Thank you Michael for your reply about the Guerrilla tripod. I have only set it up in my living room, which I know is a no-no not to field test it, but there wasn’t time 😯 I will be sure to pay attention to the clamp.
October 29, 2015 at 1:07 pm #1240909
ErnstG
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Einen hervorragenden Sonnenschirm zum hervorragenden Preis von
etwa 7 Euro, in weiß und mit Gelenkkopf zum Befestigen gibt es bei IKEA.
Haben Sie die Möglichkeit?

An excellent umbrella for excellent price of about 7 euros, in white and
with Swivel Head for securing can be found at IKEA.
Do you have the possibility?

Ernst

Meine Seiten - My website
Malen ist nicht alles im Leben - aber ohne Malen ist alles nichts!
Painting is not everything in life - but without painting everything is nothing!
November 5, 2015 at 2:08 pm #1240910
tuzigoot
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I really don’t think it’s possible to use an umbrella in anything more than a light breeze, unless you can clamp it to something really stable – not your easel or tripod.
I bought a Shade Buddy, which you poke into the ground rather than clamping to something. A nice idea until you’re trying to paint on rocky or very sandy ground. And after only a few uses,, two of the ribs broke. It was still usable but obviously it is not particularly sturdy. I have to say tho, that the folks at Judson’s, where I bought it, were really nice about refunding my money. Also, I think a translucent one would be much better, as working in the deep shade the Shade Buddy casts and looking out into bright sunlight is really fatiguing on my eyes.

[FONT=Garamond]- Linda .......... [FONT=Garamond]C/C always welcome!
[FONT=Garamond]I started with nothing - I still have most of it left.
My website - www.flanaganstudio.com
November 19, 2015 at 7:41 pm #1240907
debratoo
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I have a Shade Buddy too, which I like, but I prefer a more translucent umbrella. So I had my husband make a stand for my white clamp on umbrella that I can poke into the ground. He made it out of re-bar, and welded two small pieces of 1 x 2″ steel box tube onto it. One about six inches from the bottom, for stomping it into the ground, and the other at the top for attaching the umbrella. I’ve even used both of them together, works great!
November 20, 2015 at 9:58 pm #1240912
Bartc
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I have tried a few and have always gone back to the umbrella you get at golf shops.

They are big, cover you all up and in a NO WIND rain storm and it could be a downpour you will NOT get wet .. well maybe your feet.. Mind you I use mine in my wheel chair so bit different I guess. But it works for me.
Believe me.Golfing umbrellas are the width of a sidewalk almost.

And if you want it for shade it works also.

You can find them anywhere from $29.95 up to $100 bux.. so there ya go.

Johnnie

I second this. An artist friend of mine showed me how to adapt a cheap, silvered, slotted gold umbrella to my painting rig. I have never looked back! Why pay over $100 for something supposedly art specific? The golf stuff is just as good, believe me!
November 27, 2015 at 4:31 pm #1240913
Bartc
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I second this. An artist friend of mine showed me how to adapt a cheap, silvered, slotted gold umbrella to my painting rig. I have never looked back! Why pay over $100 for something supposedly art specific? The golf stuff is just as good, believe me!

Read that as “golf” umbrella.
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