Home Forums Explore Media Watercolor The Learning Zone Need suggestions on how to work in compact space

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  • #451894
    gizmokids
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        Hi all! I’ve been absorbing everything here, but I have a question I hope you can help me with. I have bad knees and mid back, so standing and painting is out of the question for me. I have a beautiful craft room on the second story of my home that has beautiful light but no chair with proper back support. Plus it’s very very hard to climb the steps. So I sit in my reclining seat on my couch. I have an art board (the mdf board with the paper clamp and rubber band?) and a lapdesk. I manage to fit my palette, my paper, and my water bucket on it. But it’s not very fun as I’m packed in like a sardine and I’m afraid to spill something everywhere.

        I know many of you work in cramped fashion when you paint outside. So does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can create a workable area on my couch!? I’m getting more stressed out than anything and it’s making me want to quit. And I don’t want to quit – I’ve wanted to paint since I was 8 years old. Two solid years of learning to color in adult coloring books (which is enjoyable in my tight space) gave me the desire to try what I’ve always wanted to do. Thank you so very much!

        i thank you in advance for your advice and critiques!

        #571710
        star fisher
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            Water buckets/cups/jars need a safe place to keep them from being knocked over. When I paint on-site I use a water brush instead of a brush and bucket. They make my life so much easier.

            When space is limited or I don’t have a table to set things on while painting on-site, I use a W&N compact set with a small pad of paper on the open lid and a paper towel held between my fingers that are holding the paint set This means that I can hold the paper, paint palette, mixing palette, and paper towel in one hand. The water brush is in my other hand. No table needed. No space for water buckets, palette, paper, etc needed. Perfect for a tight space or for painting while standing or sitting.

            Something like this might work for you.

            #571705
            artist123
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                I’ve worked in a recliner in front of the tv for years before moving to a new home and I now have a bedroom to work in. I work with different mediums so I keep each in their own container. I have one for watercolor I got from Michaels that has a tray on the top that I can put my brushes and paint in. It is deep enough for my watercolor bucket to fit in the bottom. I do ACEO’s so will hold all my paper. A box would work but something with a handle is better. I use a TV tray to work on. You might use one for your water so you quit worrying about it. I also had a floor lamp with a daylight bulb in it. My new home came with light bulbs and I have yellow light in my workroom ugg.

                #571708
                Superturtle
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                    Is a side table an option? That might be more stable.

                    If the water bucket’s giving you trouble I’ll second the water brush suggestion. They have a bit of a learning curve, but they’re a real tidy way to do watercolor.

                    #571709
                    briantmeyer
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                        TV tray or lap desk?

                        Here is a very small setup I did a while back, only need a sketchbook, it’s all self contained.

                        Look up urban sketching on youtube or google, you will see very small kits.

                        You might need a drop cloth or a towel to go under you.

                        #571706
                        Cyntada
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                            Stress does nothing good for your art, that’s for sure. There’s absolutely no reason to give up your art, this is a solveable problem. You might need to experiment to find the best setup, but it will be well worth the effort.

                            I would highly recommend a waterbrush for your situation. The larger ones will allow you to sketch for a good hour or more, will work to paint up to 9″ x 12″ paper sizes, and there’s no water bucket to spill! You’ll have nothing messier on hand than a damp paper towel.

                            Like Brian, my palette (a small cigar tin) is attached to my sketchbook. I used a different method, but similar result. It not only keeps my gear very portable, it’s also very cosy while in use. I don’t even need a table to put things on, the paint/book go in one hand (or rest on my lap) and the brush in the other. This book opens to 9″ x 12″, so it’s not much smaller than a lot of paper pads. If you don’t want to work in a sketchbook, the same should apply to a pad of paper. Just find a way to get the palette attached so it can’t slide away from you while you work.

                            I started painting a LOT more once I solved gear problems that were stressing me. I hope you’ll find some answers that work well for you, too.

                            CK =)
                            I take great comfort in knowing that my genuine typos will probably be blamed on some device's autocorrect. :angel:
                            DIY art supplies, sketches, and more: cyntada.com / @cyntada
                            #571713
                            shadye1
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                                I posted the plans for this work station which is a small workstation, come plein aire setup.

                                #571711
                                wotrcolr
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                                    Have you googled, lap desk? There are some big ones, small ones, some with drawers, lots of variations. Just a thought. Pinterest has some great small spaces ideas. Maybe cut a hole in the lap desk for a water cup/bucket so it can’t slide.

                                    #571707
                                    janinco
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                                        I always use a waterbrush when I paint while I’m watching TV. I staple or tape my paper to GatorFoam board so that it’s very light, then put that on a bean bag lap desk with a hard melamine top. I can set my paints next to me and not worry about water spilling. I keep a pop top bottle with water in it to refill my brush as needed and a damp sponge to wipe it on.

                                        Jan

                                        #571715
                                        iamdaie
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                                            you will need a waterbrush sirrr

                                            #571714
                                            drzeller
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                                                Try googling “couch tray tilt”. There are rolling tables that are part tiltable and part flat. They also have the same thing, but as a lap tray – but the flat part will move around with you and may not stay flat.

                                                Here is one example of the rolling kind. I’m not recommending this one, it is just the first one I came across.

                                                https://www.amazon.com/Rolling-Tilting-Tabletop-Overbed-Hospital/dp/B00M2BZ2F8

                                                Best wishes!

                                                David

                                                #571712

                                                This looks great to me. And you can DIY by the time that it has the dimensions too!

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