Home › Forums › Explore Subjects › Plein Air › My Plein Air Equipment ~ Show your gear
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July 23, 2013 at 10:11 pm #991103
I thought I’d post about the equipment I use for plein air painting. So I’m including a few pictures and will explain a little on what I use and why.
For me, the most important item of painting outdoors is my easel. My personal favorite is the workhorse called the Take It Easel.[/URL] The TIE is a Gloucester style easel that opens into a large tripod with crossbars to stabilize it. At about 8 lbs. it is easily slung over the shoulder (with rifle strap) and carried wherever I need it. I posted a short video regarding its setup and breakdown a couple of years ago on YouTube. Here is a link to that video. This easel is so well made it’s hard to beat. I have painted up to 30″ x 40″ canvas on it, and down to an 8″ x 10″.
I made the paintbox that I sit on the cross bars out of scrap wood I had, and added purchased hardware such as the piano hinge, handle and latches. I also scavenged the canvas holder of off a French easel and attached it to the box. It measures approximately 20″ x 20″ x 4″ thick when closed. It lays completely flat when open which gives me lots of room to sit stuff on the inner lid.
The paint I use is made by a small company in New York state called RGH Artsists’ Oil Paints[/URL]. Great company, great service, and a wonderful product. I normally buy in jars and tube my own.
I just bought a new backpack. The Kelty Redwing 50 is a dream. Lots of pockets and a main compartment that unzips completely for easy packing of extra clothing, shoes, etc. I love it so far.
Some of these items are “just in case” items, but those don’t weigh much, so I don’t worry about keeping them in my pack. You never know what come up when you’re out in the woods by yourself.
The small canvases in my pack are there as a “just in case” also, as I usually don’t paint under 16″ x 20″ in the field, and those canvases are held in the holder on the box.
I hope this gives you an idea of what, how and why I pack what I do to go paint in the great outdoors.
Care to show your gear?
Bill Guffey
WEBSITE ~ BLOG ~ VIRTUAL PAINTOUT BLOGJuly 24, 2013 at 8:00 am #1191144Nice Bill! Thanks for sharing your stuff.
I basically take mostly the same with two exceptions: instead of rope, I take bungee cords, and I use disposable gray palette paper pads. I use the Winsor Newton Bristol Aluminum easel and the Sun Eden Artist Shelf.
Always enjoy seeing other artists gear. Lots depends on how much weight you are willing to tolerate in your gear and how far you are willing to go away from your car to paint.
website: sharronboxenbaum.com
July 24, 2013 at 9:31 am #1191136I have an older model of the same pack and can’t say enough good about it. In addition, Kelty really stands behind their products. I slammed the belt buckle in the tailgate once smashing it. I sent then a note, explaining what I’d done, asking about buying a replacement buckle. There responce was to give them an address and they’d just send me one.
Thick skinned and sometimes thick headed, C&C always welcome - Mike
Additional work can be viewed at Mike's site
July 25, 2013 at 12:13 am #1191145Good thought. I like seeing the gear of others.
This is my gear. Main components are:
Open Box M easel
Photo tripod
Best Brella
LLBean Book Bag strapped to a luggage cart.Best unique items:
Plastic mayonnaise jar to carry water as a solvent
REI soft lunch box to carry my H2O oils.I have started carrying a camping stool as well.
My Christmas gifts also supported my painting. My wife made me a sleeve for my easel and carrying case from my brushes:
"Painting is a verb"
July 25, 2013 at 11:04 am #1191137Nice Bill! Thanks for sharing your stuff.
I basically take mostly the same with two exceptions: instead of rope, I take bungee cords, and I use disposable gray palette paper pads. I use the Winsor Newton Bristol Aluminum easel and the Sun Eden Artist Shelf.
Always enjoy seeing other artists gear. Lots depends on how much weight you are willing to tolerate in your gear and how far you are willing to go away from your car to paint.
Yes, weight is important. I do have a couple of pochades that I use when hiking longer distances. The big paint box gets heavy pretty fast.
Bill Guffey
WEBSITE ~ BLOG ~ VIRTUAL PAINTOUT BLOGJuly 25, 2013 at 11:05 am #1191138I have an older model of the same pack and can’t say enough good about it. In addition, Kelty really stands behind their products. I slammed the belt buckle in the tailgate once smashing it. I sent then a note, explaining what I’d done, asking about buying a replacement buckle. There responce was to give them an address and they’d just send me one.
Hi Mike, This backpack was recommended by a few other artists. Seems to be a class act so far.
Bill Guffey
WEBSITE ~ BLOG ~ VIRTUAL PAINTOUT BLOGJuly 25, 2013 at 11:06 am #1191139Good thought. I like seeing the gear of others.
This is my gear. Main components are:
Open Box M easel
Photo tripod
Best Brella
LLBean Book Bag strapped to a luggage cart.Best unique items:
Plastic mayonnaise jar to carry water as a solvent
REI soft lunch box to carry my H2O oils.I have started carrying a camping stool as well.
[IMG]http://s3.amazonaws.com/wetcanvas-hdc/Community/images/25-Jul-2013/211148-16May13_ref.JPG[/IMG]
My Christmas gifts also supported my painting. My wife made me a sleeve for my easel and carrying case from my brushes:
[IMG]http://s3.amazonaws.com/wetcanvas-hdc/Community/images/25-Jul-2013/211148-photo30.JPG[/IMG]
Great set up and equipment. Your wife did good!
Bill Guffey
WEBSITE ~ BLOG ~ VIRTUAL PAINTOUT BLOGJuly 25, 2013 at 3:20 pm #1191134Nice setups, Bill and Trikist!
Since I was re-organizing my gear anyway, here’s a shot of what I haul around for my, um, expeditions:
…and a list I check nearly every time I go out, as I have the propensity for always leaving SOMETHING vital behind. It’s ridiculously comprehensive; I don’t always take everything on it.
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Basics:[/FONT]
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[*]pochade box
[*]pochade frame(s)
[*]tripod
[*]easel umbrella
[*]paper towels w/ clip
[*]viewfinder
[*]value card
[*]t-square ruler
[*]pencils
[*]kneaded erasure
[*]sketchbook
[*]trash bags/clips
[*]backpack
[*]canvas bagOils:
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[*]hog bristle brushes
[*]sable blend brushes
[*]brush carrier
[*]knives — small diamond and large scraper
[*]acrylic palette
[*]palette scraper blade
[*]bamboo skewer
[*]oil paint tubes
[*]Gamsol in brush washer
[*]extra Gamsol in jar
[*]cotton rag
[*]aluminum foil
[*]panels – 5×7, 8×10 etc.
[*]panel carrier
[*]brush soapWatercolors:
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[*]sable blend brushes
[*]brush carrier
[*]watercolor paint tubes in container
[*]travel palette
[*]water jar + extra gallon water container
[*]6 x 8 or 9 x12 pad OR 140 lb. cut paper
[*]gatorboard or sketch board
[*]masking tape
[*]sandpaperMore items:
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[*]apron
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[*]stain remover stick
[*]hand wipes
[*]Pinerite hand soap
[*]bugsprays – both natural and DEET
[*]business cards
[*]purse with ID, keys, etc.
[*]map of location(s)
[*]important phone numbers
[*]change of clothes
[*]backup contacts/glasses
[*]sunglasses
[*]sunblock/lip balm
[*]apron
[*]extra hat
[*]bandana
[*]water/drinks
[*]snacks/lunch
[*]cooler w/ ice blocks
[*]extra ziploc bags
[*]camera/camera lenses/extra battery
[*]cell phone
[*]watch
[*]compass
[*]pocket knife
[*]first aid kit
[*]pancho
[*]jacket
[*]small tarpWinter Extras
Mitten-gloves
Scarf
Hat #1
Hat#2
Extra mittens, hat
Handwarmers
Lip balm
Thermos with warm beverage–Lilo
July 27, 2013 at 4:20 pm #1191150I love talking about painting stuff! My easel is home made. It’s not ideal but it’s light, strong and works just fine. I use it a lot.
For my larger paintings I have a big paintbox, again home made.
Here’s what’s in it:
1. 11″ x 14″ canvas panels in swing out panel holder.
2. Wooden palette. Fits in same holder.
3. 150 ml size tubes of oil paint.
4. In this compartment I keep a tube or two of white paint, a small (37 ml) tube of ivory black, vine charcoal which I may someday use, along with an eraser, and whatnot. Whatnot gets into a lot of my stuff.
5. Here I keep a few plastic bags for oily rags, plus a couple bottles of almost-never-used medium; one of linseed oil and one of liquin.
6. Tube wringer. Domestically made – not imported. The imports break as soon as you try to use them.
7. Brush washer filled with odorless mineral spirits. Bigger than the one I use with the pochade boxes, but I wish it was bigger still.
8. This little compartment holds a small container of brush cleaning soap, if ever it’s needed, a neglected medium cup, a wire hook for hanging the brush washer from my easel, and a thumbscrew for fastening the support that holds the paintbox lid open.
9. Bamboo brush holder with brushes ranging in size from a little rigger to size 14 or 16 flats.
10. Also in this compartment are paper towels in a plastic bag and a couple palette knives. The hardwood lid support fits into this compartment for transport. There’s a collapsible mahl stick in there, too.I have a few pochade boxes that fit onto camera tripods. Here’s one of them:
It fits into this bag for carrying:
Here’s a bag I carry other painting supplies in:
1. The bag.
2. Paper towels in a plastic bag.
3. Apron. Keeps paint off of my clothes…usually.
4. Plastic shopping bags to use for trash bags. I keep a few of them on hand.
5. Extra paint solvent. This has saved my painting outings more than once!
6. Walnut oil, if ever I use it.
7. Liquin. I rarely use it.
8. Brush washer with paint solvent. Gets used a lot.
9. Small container of brush cleaning soap.
10. This slides into my homemade 8″ x 10″ pochade boxes when I want to paint in a vertical format instead of a horizontal one.
11. This screws onto a camera tripod and holds my little Julian thumb box, which doesn’t have a tripod attachment.
12. 4″ x 6″ canvas panel. Fits in my homemade 6″ x 8″ pochade boxes.
13. 6″ x 6″ canvas panel. I keep these tiny panels for the rare occasions when I want to paint smaller than 6″ x 8″.
14. Hook for hanging brush washer from a pochade box or easel, and a spare. These are made from a coat hanger.
15. Collapsible mahl stick made from an antenna from a no-longer functioning boom box.
16. Small plastic bag which holds spare hardware for easel or paintbox, rubber bands, extra business cards and whatnot. Not sure I need the whatnot.For the bigger painting panels I’ll also carry panel holders. With a hat and a day pack with water, some food, rain gear, insect repellent, TP, and other outdoor equipment that pretty much rounds out my gear. Which of these things I take with me on painting trips depends on the size I want to paint and whether I’m driving, walking or biking. There’s more info about all this on my blog.
[FONT=Arial Narrow]James Gunter
instagram.com/jamesgunterstudio/
jamesgunterstudio.com
jamesgunterstudio.blogspot.comAugust 13, 2013 at 2:37 pm #1191158Cool stuff all! I’m just reorganizing after a long break. So once I amass my gear I will share. Briefly, I have a 12×16 Guerilla box for my pastels and a lighter box of unknown make for my oil supplies. Both fit attach to a heavy duty tripod. I have a couple of home made panel carriers also. The painting juices are beginning to flow again!!! Bill
August 17, 2013 at 12:40 am #1191133Hi, Bill. I like your thread. So many supplies to look at and want.
I made over a tripod a few months ago into a plein air easel. Hope you can go see it.
https://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1313502&highlight=plein+easelTonight, I added latches to my pastel box. It’s a cheap box and repurposed. 9″ by 14″ by 2 1/2″ or so.
Andagail
August 20, 2013 at 9:08 am #1191146I posted my plein air kit a few days ago. It must have been misplaced in our recent troubles.
I just purchased this set up this year. I had an easel box in past years. It was stolen when our house was broken into in the spring. It’s hard to tell why it was taken with our valuables. Perhaps since it was a nice box with a nice handle the burglar might have thought it was important. I think it would have been fun to be there when he opened it to find a bunch of half empty paint tubes.
I used my insurance settlement to buy my dream pochade. An Alla Prima Bitterroot from Ben Haggett. Since I enjoy traveling far afield to paint, making things compact and portable was important to me. Here is my ruck:
Inside I keep a pretty standard fare. Besides paint, brushes, turp and medium I carry a utility tool, sketch pad, mirror, viewfinder, bug and sun spray, wind/rain jacket, an ingenious maulstick made from a fishing rod holder (kudo’s to my painting buddy Jerry), a small T-square, tripod, camera and tablet, portable seat, folding knife and paper towels. I use a small covered palette box to spread the paint out on and a disposable sheet palette to mix. Of course water and edibles.
I wear a Tilley lid and army fatigue pants, waterproof hikers. If the mosquitos are heavy I also carry an old white dress shirt to wear.
Besides the rucksack, I sometimes hump with a small cooler with lunch and more water, and a wet canvas carrier if I’m working on a larger format.
That’s it. I’ve been out quite a bit this summer and have never wanted for anything more except more time to paint.Speak to me of summer, long winters
longer than time can remember,
Setting up of other roads, travel on in
old accustomed ways.August 22, 2013 at 6:41 am #1191129Great thread, Bill. I’ll try to take some photos later of my gear. I have about a dozen (or more!) pochade boxes and easels. Every year I seem to be trying something new. This year, it’s the Open Box M with a Sienna tripod, plus a homemade 9×12 wet panel carrier (basically, two picture frames bolted face-to-face and with turnbuttons to hold in the panels).
Michael Chesley Johnson AIS MPAC PSA
www.MChesleyJohnson.comAugust 22, 2013 at 9:33 am #1191132I love looking at everyone’s gear!!
Lady Mars Orange Marmalade Stapleford
Moderator: OIls, Pastels, Plein Air
Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken. -Oscar Wilde
August 25, 2013 at 8:59 am #1191140Keep those pics and descriptions coming folks. I really enjoy seeing what everyone else finds essential, and what works well for them.
Bill Guffey
WEBSITE ~ BLOG ~ VIRTUAL PAINTOUT BLOG -
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