First time out of U.S.to paint, help?!

charlottean · #1 10-20-2004, 06:19 PM

I have been fortunate enough to have been offered a full ride to study, paint,travel and look at art in Europe for 5 months beginning in March. I am so excited, but am a little nervous about traveling and painting or drawing. I've never been good at keeping a sketch book, or painting on the spot outdoors, but then again I've never really tried it. I'm sure I'll find a way once i get over there, but does anyone have any tips on what to take, what not to take, where to go, where not to go?
The only thing I'm sure of right now is that I'm spending 2 months in florence and the other 3 are for traveling wherever!

toyam · #2 10-20-2004, 07:03 PM

Charlotte, I am sorry I can't give you any advice on what to take with you
I just wanted to say congratulations that is a dream come true for all of us...
Have a great time...
Bonnie R

Sharon Douglas · #3 10-20-2004, 07:14 PM

Congratulations, I`m

of you.

Once you start painting pleine air, you`ll love it.

I found painting on the spot easier than working from photo`s , I really enjoyed it, unfortunatly, I haven`t done it since getting back from Kington.
I`m too nervous of doing it alone yet.

As for equiptment, I just used my normal paints, with a couple of brushes, plastic bottle of water, and a refillable plastic container.
Take plenty of masking tape to tape your paper down, or wrap elastic bands round your sketch book on windy days.
Other than that, you don`t need much else, maybe a roll of kitchen roll or toilet paper and store it all in a rucksack, oh and a fold up stool.
You can take a portable easel, but I find that for watercolours they aren`t necessary.

I hope this helps, you could always take me with you to carry your equiptment for you

artmom · #4 10-20-2004, 11:04 PM

Welcome to the wild, wacky, wonderful world of the watercolor forum, you lucky lady you!!!!

Florence is my ab-so-lute-ly favorite city in Italy!!

My advice is to paint outdoors as much as possible between now and March. You'll soon find out what you need, etc.

Will you be traveling with a group, or on your own? Inquiring minds want to know!!

Lyn

ingegerd · #5 10-21-2004, 08:27 AM

I strongly reccomend that you use two containers for your water, then you don't need to carry around so much water. I have been using cut up milkcartoons, they can bee folded flat and weigh almost nothing, they don't last forever but are easy to replace. In general I would recomend that you try to keep things as light as possible. A small sketchbook in your purse is better is better than a large one on your desk.

JudyL · #6 10-21-2004, 09:51 AM

You will want a digital camera! A little one.

**Yorky** · #7 10-21-2004, 10:28 AM

Wow! Lucky you!

It really is enjoyable to paint plein air. Here's a link to a previous thread on the subject.

I would advise you to take good quality sketch books and watercolour blocks, and if you can't paint, then sketch. Take lots of reference photos too.

It is essential to be comfortable when working outdoors, and I take a folding chair. Sit in the shade if you can, and if you have your back to the wall, then you won't be disturbed so much - although it has never bothered me - most people admire your work and "wish they could do that".

When painting, make a note of the shadows early on as they change as the sun moves around. A small composition sketch is also a good idea to get things organised. Remember you can leave out or move things that spoil the composition.

I look forward to seeing the results of your trip.

Doug

**pampe** · #8 10-21-2004, 10:40 AM

CONGRATULATIONS...how wonderful!!

Also....Italy (especially Florence) has art supplies available.....so you can always supplement what you take.

Watercolor BLOCKS travel well. If you are staying that long, however, you may want to take your regular sipplies also for finishing back in your rooms....

We can't wait for you to come back and show us all your work

Pam

charlottean · #9 10-21-2004, 01:54 PM

Wow! I just joined this site yesterday and this is great! Thanks to all for such useful tips.

to answer a few of the comments...
I'm going on the trip by myself and most likely will only have one of those big huge backpacks, so, i'm trying to prioritize my materials. The milk carton idea is great, and I would guess that I could get tape and that kind of thing over there. Does anyone have any thoughts on those travel boxes of watercolors? you know the little all in one things, like winsor newtons travel box? waste of money, or worth it?

**Yorky** · #10 10-21-2004, 02:14 PM

Hi Nancy,

Welcome to the forum. Just looked at your website - can't teach you much about painting!

Yes, the small W&N boxes are fine for plein air sketching, but I would also take your normal materials to do larger paintings. That's unless you are going to be continually on the move, in which case sketching and photography will have to do.

That said there are some fine examples of journal type sketches, and this is an art in itself. Do a search in the watercolour forum for sketchbook and I think you'll find some.

Also have a look at Javierroca's excellent plein air paintings of New York.

Got a spare place for me?

Doug

FriendCarol · #11 10-21-2004, 02:22 PM

Hi, Charlottean! What a wonderful offer, congratulations!

There is a site http://handprint.com which has a lot of musings about painting plein air (as well as terrific research on papers, brushes, and, especially, pigments). You could do worse than go there, click the color wheel, and find the 'painting outdoors' page, also the 'pleine air' kit if you want his ideas for specific gear.
He suggests, for example, that it's usually easy to get water in cafe's, etc., but for emergencies, purchase a 6-pack of those very small bottles of water packaged in light, crinkly plastic. Pour out a bit, then cut it down to use (then crush them & pack them out when finished).
Blocks are better for plein-air painting, but there's a tip in a forum here (about cool stuff to use, or studio tips) on how to make blocks -- much cheaper than buying them! (Cut down full sheets to your preferred size, then get something from a printing store than they use to glue pads of paper into pads, and attach to cardboard support.)

I'm also living in Charlotte (Coulwood section, or "Mountain Island"). Used to paint outside a lot when I lived in Manhattan, but haven't ever tried it here. My housemate & I are supposed to go to a writers' conference next weekend, though, and I'm planning to paint outside there! (We'll have an ocean-front room or suite, and she'll be at the conference more than I will.) Maybe we could get together sometime after I get back, and try painting together, on a good day? They say it's less intimidating en masse. (I was never intimidated in Manhattan, never even gave it a thought -- but just about anyone can do anything in New York without raising an eyebrow. Not like here.)

Here's a suggestion: Take along a few watercolor pencils; an emptied "Pentel Color Brush" refilled with plain water; and an acid-free, 70-page, cheap (less than $5!) sketchbook you can get in Walmart, of all places. I have a cylindrical, plastic, translucent 'pencil case' I bought at a dollar store (NYC) in which I keep these. I'm sketching more than ever, with this setup.

My housemate had a device (given her by Lufthansa) she gave me that's perfect to tie the two together: It's a tiny metal airplane on a cable of twisted wire with a plug at the end. The plane has a slot in it so you can put the cable through it and it 'locks' in place naturally. (Probably this was originally meant as a luggage tie, or keyring, perhaps.)
The sketchbook is spiral bound, so I just put the cable through the D-ring on the pencil case, pass it through a few spirals at the top of the sketchbook, and close it (place cable end through slot in plane). When I want to sketch, I remove cable end through slot in plane to free it from closed sketchbook, open sketchbook to fresh page, and re-fasten pencil case to the sketchbook in its open position. Then open or half open pencil case; nothing falls out.

Draw with pencils, scribble, then erase (or adjust color) with Pentel Color Brush.
I don't recommend this in place of plein air painting, but as a supplement to it. I also have a Cotman Field Kit, and my own empty half-pans to fill with the W/N tube colors I normally use. If you want to try it out to see if you like it, I'd be happy to lend it to you.

Oh, and welcome.

manfrommerriam · #12 10-21-2004, 05:09 PM

Wow, need anyone to help with the bags?

Never painted in Europe but I've been to Australia with my watercolors several times. I suggest you keep it simple. Count of obtaining water containers and such there. Don't take your expensive favorite brushes or anything else that might grow legs. take a cheap/used but adaquate digital camera. I'd take a limited pallet of colors you know well. I'd take tubes of colors, the values are stronger I feel. I'd take zip-lock bags in various sizes for the paints and for bringing home the bacon intact. I'd research the equivalents of my favorite colors and take that as a shopping list if your paints get confiscated. I'd take a used, robust camera tripod fitted with one of the Sun-Eden tilting adaptors. These are inexpensive and will hold up to a 12x16 block and a clamped-on pallet. For a pallet I suggest a small covered one in a zip-lock bag. I use the Zoltan Stabo pallets. Get some kleen-ex and take a couple of old terry cloth towels you can throw away eventually. You will want a few 1" clamps, white tape, a knife or perhaps a leather-man tool. A floppy old hat. If it is cold take cotton work gloves. Some HB pencils, a sharpener and decent eraser. I take some paper but I also buy some there. I hit every art supply store I see... it is part of the fun. I get all this stuff into a smallish duffle-bag. The Sun-Eden adapter is the largest item to fit in.

Sketching... get some black 0.05 and 0.08 technical markers and small pads. Every time you sit down... draw. Well, almost every time.

Have a great trip,

Dave

**Yorky** · #13 10-21-2004, 05:23 PM

Sorry about that link

EDIT:Still doesn't find "air" or "NYC" however there are some of Javier's plein airs here:-

Here's a link to Javierroca's plein air paintings
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/sear...earchid=301695
This is better;
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/sear...earchid=301719

Doug

charlottean · #14 10-21-2004, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yorky

Sorry about that link

Here's a link to Javierroca's plein air paintings
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/sear...earchid=301695

Doug

thanks for the link those are amazing! i can only hope to come back with books like that.

artmom · #15 10-21-2004, 05:51 PM

Hi, again!

I have the smallest Field Kit that W&N makes--it has a flask for water, a small collapsible brush, 12 little paint pans, and four places to use as a palette and mixing area--and it fits in a shirt pocket!!! I highly recommend it. Until I received a free art fanny pak, I used a zip lock bag to carry a block of 5 x 7 watercolor paper (Fabriano, I believe), a couple packs of pocket size Kleenexes, and a couple of brushes. Took it to Canada with me in July.

Fanny packs are essential when traveling. And as you are going to be on the go, I suggest a hidden passport and money carrier--they make them for the leg, the waist, and the one I used when I traveled overseas you wear inside your shirt or jacket.

Travel as lightly as possible. Wear one set of clothes and carry another. (Suggest extra T-shirts and undies!) A waterproof jacket and a sweater.

What a wonderful adventure!

BTW, there is a forum on WC! called En Plein Aire. You should be able to get a lot of help there; several professional artists participate in that Forum.

Lyn

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