best plein aire equipment

[clark bending]

so what is best easel set up?
french easels are bulky, thumboxes/cigar boxes are small. some rigs are expensive any ideas?

[Armand Cabrera]

Donna,

 

I'm curious, how you carry your wet panels with that system?

[Terri Miller]

Armand, I've found these little gems for carrying wet panels:

 

http://www.champion-artmate.com/products/wettotes.htm

 

They're made of corrugated plastic so they're light, and each panel case can carry up to four wet panels (two back to back in the center slot). I've been using them for years, so I know they hold up well.

 

I use an Open Box M pochade, and everything I need can be carried in a backpack. Usually I'll either carry my panel carriers in my hand, but if I'm hiking somewhere that might require a hand-hold, they can be strapped onto the backpack as well.

[Armand Cabrera]

Thanks Terry! I'll check them out.

[Marilyn Rose]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't know about "best" but here's something I discovered out of necessity. I use an EasyL with a tripod, and I used to carry all my gear in a backpack. Last year I injured my shoulder and can't use backpacks or shoulder straps of any kind, so I needed something that rolled but I didn't want to invest a lot of money in a new setup or trolley. Browsing through Lowe's I found this plastic Stanley tool chest for less than $20, regular price. I figured even if it didn't last too long it would be worth a try. I've been using it outdoors and in the studio for several months now and it works like a charm - and many of my plein air friends are looking to get one too. The wheels are big enough for average terrain, though not really rocky terrain. There is storage space under the top tray and in the bottom compartment. An added bonus - when I'm able to park right where I want to paint I can stand it up in the back of my SUV and clip my canvas to the open lid and paint without setting up the tripod. Great for windy days or where you might not feel safe for a long period of time with an elaborate setup. It's like a little mobile taboret - I have another one for my acrylics and I can roll them around my studio to where I want to work. I take it to classes and figure painting sessions too. Even after my shoulder is healed I'm sure I'll keep using this little guy.

[Bruce Bundock]

 Clark,

   I have a french easel that I have had since my twenties. I was almost going to trash it and upgrade and  then I started to imagine what it would say to me if it could talk. " You know my time is not up yet and you want to cut me loose, send me out to pasture and I've been a good friend to you all these years, through the ups and downs, the successes and failures,

and you know the best is yet to come. You need me there with you ( truly, my mind goes into overdrive sometimes) for what's ahead. We have miles to go before we sleep." ( with a nod to Robert Frost)  So I got myself totally bummed and decided to keep it. However, I modified a soho easel that sells for about 30 dollars and transformed it into a pretty neat back up unit that mounts on a camera tripod. If I can upload a photo of it I'll send it along. The other thing is that if you go into google and type in home made plein air easels, you may find enough stimulation to customize one to suit your taste. There are a lot of enterprising painters out there.

 best, Bruce Bundock

[Marilyn Rose]

At a recent Bryan Mark Taylor workshop in Sacramento's Capitol Park I discovered another use for my Stanley Tool Chest plein air cart: It was really windy and I wasn't close to a post to strap my easel to, so I bungee-corded my tripod legs to the Stanley and it stabilized it beautifully - see photo. What a great and unexpected find!

[Tony Hilscher]

I also paint with a Soltek and have used it for over four years now.The main problem that I have encountered are that the legs sometimes get stuck in the open position. This happened to me today and as i write this my Soltek is on the floor with the center leg fully extended in the open position...until I try to take it apart and hopefully repair it . My second gripe is the top plastic canvas holder is cracked again after replacing it 1 1/2 years ago. The company was happy to replace it for the cost of the part..$30.  Thirdly the trays on either side of the palette box are held together with plastic pieces that needed to be taped so they would hold together. Nothing lasts forever and this easel has been through lots of painting time, and even with these problems I would rather paint on the Soltek than my French Easel. I would like to try an open box M next ? .

 

[Armand Cabrera]

I've taught and taken classes for quite a few years and anyone who has had a soltek in a class has had problems with them. There was always a leg or the mast getting stuck or the tray would collapse or some spring would go pinging off into the grass.

[ML Robinson]

I have a Guerilla Thumbox. It holds all the paints I need, short handled brushes & a couple palette knives, a brush cleaning jar, has an extended palette for extra work surface with holes for brushes, hanging brush caddy for extra brushes, holds all the panels I need including wet ones. I have a small palette that seals & fits inside the box. So far, I'm loving it! I purchased a tripd for it as well which I'm also loving.

[Bruce Bundock]

This was the modified soho paint box I've adapted to fit on a tripod.( check out jpegs) If anyone has any questions I'll be happy to expand on what I did. As I mentioned, the box was about 30 dollars. You might be able to pick one up on ebay.

Bruce Bundock said:

 Clark,

   I have a french easel that I have had since my twenties. I was almost going to trash it and upgrade and  then I started to imagine what it would say to me if it could talk. " You know my time is not up yet and you want to cut me loose, send me out to pasture and I've been a good friend to you all these years, through the ups and downs, the successes and failures,

and you know the best is yet to come. You need me there with you ( truly, my mind goes into overdrive sometimes) for what's ahead. We have miles to go before we sleep." ( with a nod to Robert Frost)  So I got myself totally bummed and decided to keep it. However, I modified a soho easel that sells for about 30 dollars and transformed it into a pretty neat back up unit that mounts on a camera tripod. If I can upload a photo of it I'll send it along. The other thing is that if you go into google and type in home made plein air easels, you may find enough stimulation to customize one to suit your taste. There are a lot of enterprising painters out there.

 best, Bruce Bundock