Making a Mobile Art Kit for Plein Air Paintings
How to Make a Practical Storage Box for Carrying Landscape Sketches
Jun 12, 2009
Painting out of doors is known as plein air painting. The Impressionists were best known for this practice for they believed that the rendering of colours on location was the best way to capture the atmosphere. Indeed, nothing quite compares to sitting in a wood or on a mountain, absorbing the sights and smells and the shifting light. But difficulty is faced when carrying the wet paintings over fields, risking paint-covered hands and a ruined painting. Before embarking upon the big step of painting from life, a little thought on how to transport the wet paintings is required.
The Artist’s Pochade Box
Some specialist art shops stock travel kits designed for mobile artists as well as gadgets such as collapsible stools, lightweight easels and travel bags.
A contraption known as a “pochade box” is a hinged wooden box divided into compartments. The box opens up via a hinge like a laptop. The painting surface rests on the angled lid like an easel, where the painting is completed. The wet painting can then be slotted safely away without fear of the wet surface touching anything. These kits are not always widely available and can be costly. Making your own contraption might be a suitable alternative.
Materials Required for Making a Painting Travel Box
Fig 1 shows the materials needed for making a travel box for carrying wet paintings. These are:
- A foolscap box file (usually manufactured in imperial sizes). This is a rectangular box with a hinged lid and sprung lever to hold the contents in place. Box files come in two sizes: A4 or foolscap. Foolscap is the one needed. These are available in 10 x 14 inches (25.5 x 35.5cm) in area and needs to be 1.25 inches (3cm) deep
- Six lengths of beading, each 14 inches (35.5cm) in length. These are widely available in DIY stores and are easy to cut
- Four 1.25 inch (3cm) small blocks of balsa wood (or similar lightweight wood)
- Glue, or alternatively, double-sided tape
Assembling a Carrier for Wet Oil Sketches
This is easy to do.
Fig 2. Place one end of the beading into a corner of the inside of the box. Allowing a little gap of a millimetre or so, place a block of the balsa wood against the free edge of the width of the beading. Stick the balsa wood firmly into the corner of the box.
Repeat for the other three inner corners of the box file.
An Artist’s Kit for on Location Landscape Painting
The box will allow the storage of oil paintings 10 x 14” (25.5cm x 35.5cm), 10 x 12” (30.5 x 25.5cm) and 10 x 8” (25.5 x 20cm) in size.
Fig 3. After completing a painting, place it face upwards in the storage box. Slot a length of beading into the corresponding slots created by the balsa wood at the top and bottom of the storage box and repeat for the other side of the box. A negligible area of the painting surface will be in contact with anything. If a further painting has been completed, place it on top and place another layer of beading over it as before.
Fig 4. Always store the largest painting surface on top and ensure that it is facing downward. The other materials can then be stored inside the box without anything touching the wet painting.
Transporting Wet Oil Paintings
Painting on location is an exhilarating experience spoiled only by the risk of ruining the painting whilst carrying it back over fields. Pochade boxes are contraptions for the storage of the paintings and the art materials, but can be expensive and limited in availability. Making your own mobile studio is cheaper and offers more flexibility. It is quite easy and requires a few basic materials. There is nothing quite like the thrill of painting on location, and once tried can become addictive.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
