Did you TEST RUN your Portable ART KIT - Painting & Drawing Tips

Have you ever bought a new pair of Shoes?  

Yeah!

Well, don't you walk around with them, go short distances before taking them to the BIG event.

Even more so, if they are for something SPECIAL.

Sun Shining at Gowlland Pt, Pender Island - Max and I had an awesome walk along the shore.

As many of you know, I curl. I need new curling shoes.  

No big deal, you might think.  But it is.  One shoe has a gripper tread and the other has a sliding tread.  All sliding treads are not the same.  They come in different thickness and react differently on the ice.  Some are fast and some are slow.  Throwing a curling rock is all about feeling how fast to slide and throw.  This feel develops over lots of practice. ie.  many Test Runs. So suddenly showing up with new shoes and a slider that you haven't 'felt' yet will guarantee disaster for your first draw.  Even the pros guard their shoes carefully as they know how hard it is to get 'the feel' with new shoes.

Bennett's Bay, Mayne Island. - Clouds starting to move off the bay.

Your Art Kit needs a Test Run too. . . .

I don't mean just pulling it out in the studio and working on a few projects. Although that is important too.  (Don't have a great Smallmendous Portable Art Kit?  See my last post here)  I mean pack your bag, head out somewhere and really try it out. 

Seems Redundant, eh?! . . .
Not really.  First of all, have you really thought about how you will carry your Art Kit and stuff.  That's right, stuff.  You will need your sketchbook, drink, (I use water than I have paint water too), snack, wallet, phone and/or camera, (always good to take a picture of what you paint/draw in case you don't finish), sunglasses, keys, . . . .I know hey, the list just goes on and on.  You need 1 case that can take all of that.  I use a small backpack.  Easy to carry, hands free, no shoulder/arm pain. 

Okay, bag packed. Spot found. Now pull out your kit and go for it. 

Things to note . . .
1. Are you able to work comfortably?  Do you need a clip to hold your book open? An elastic to hold the pages. Is your book too big/small to work on?  Will the paper take your washes and not warp?

Pages not warping, even with all that wash.  I look for books with heavy pages, I find the Mixed Medium ones the best. 

2.  Are you happy with your colours?  Are you finding you are missing your favourites?  You followed my suggestions but is there something more you like to work with?
3.  Brushes working well?  Were you able to figure out how to work with them and make your work sing?
4.  Anything missing? 

Rainy at Hope Bay - I like to add a bit of writing to my books.

Getting it Right . . .
You might think because I do this alot that I don't need to give things a Test Run.  I do.  My kit sits ready, to grab and run.  Sometimes I forget, a pen is dead.  My pencil or eraser got lost on the last trip. My pencil sharpener is dull.  My bag is awkward.  I am not happy with one of my colours.

Lagoon at Hope Bay - getting good darks took layers.  I decided I need to try a new colour. 

As you know, I am off to Italy soon and I plan on doing lots of sketching.  There is no do-overs, on this trip.  So things need to be ready.  I went on a short trip to Mayne Island and Pender and did my Spring Test Run.  There were changes: new sharpener; changed my pens; decided to fill that empty spot on my tray with Indigo, to see if I could get some darks faster; tried out a new backpack - light, few pockets, easy to load, water carrier on the outside.

I'm READY.  . . .     

Are you?

After my big show next week, see below, I am off to Italy.  Next post will be in a few weeks - Report on my Sketching Time in Italy.  Ciao

My Etsy Store is always OPEN: Etsy - WendyMouldsArt

Originals, prints and Instant Printable Cards for all Seasons available.

Time to Register - Note Date Change

**Tuesday, April 30 - Workshop Day for Spring Show - South Burnaby

Want to experience the joy of watercolour?  Learn about the supplies? See paint in action as you create your first Masterpiece?  - Join Audrey and Myself on May 1, 10-12pm for a Beginner Watercolour Class - $40 all supplies incld. 

You will practice the big wash, wet on wet and work with detail wet on dry. Yes, you can do this.    

Itching to create but want some direction? Want to make exciting cards and notes for the special people in your life? Add design to your sketchbooks and journals? - Join Myself and Audrey on May 1, 1-3pm for a Creative Card Class - $40 all supplies incld.  This year's theme: Flowers and Ladybugs.  FULL

Few things you can do with with Ladybugs and Flowers

Audrey Bakewell and Myself include this Workshop Day as part of our Spring and Fall Shows at Mandeville Gardens, 4746 Marine Dr, Burnaby.  Both classes are very popular and fill up very quickly.  

REGISTER NOW

SPRING SHOW:     Paints'n Bloom Workshops & Art Show & Sale

 in Support of the Alzheimer's Society of BC

 Wednesday, May 2  to Friday,  May 3, 10-4pm Saturday, May 4, 9-12pm

Gardenworks at Mandeville Gardens, 4746 Marine Dr, Burnaby

Workshop Day: Tuesday, April 30

10-12pm - Beginner Watercolour Class

1-3pm Spring Card Making Class  FULL

$40 ea. All supplies incl. Beginner to Advanced Welcome

Registration Happening Now Contact Wendy 

 Be sure to like and share my posts.

You won't miss a single post if you Follow by Email or Like my Facebook Page.

Have a great Artful Day,

Wendy

My Really SMALLmendous Art Kit - Painting and Drawing Tips

Your SEARCH is OVER!!

I have found the best darn Art Kit you could ever want.

Small. Compact. Great Materials. Light weight. Always Ready. Draw, Paint, Write with Ease.

Don't believe me, it's true.  I have tried many combinations, read tons of blogs, spent copious amounts of money, getting smaller and smaller. 

  But finally I am there.  

Hey, I bet you aren't ready to paint JUST ANYWHERE!! Fishing with my family on Blanchford Lake, NWT.  (Well I wasn't fishing alllllll the time)

645 grams and that includes the sketchbook . . .
Weight doesn't seem important if you want your kit to pull out at home and do a bit of work.  But once you leave the house it becomes a factor.  Don't forget you need your wallet, phone (surprising how heavy they are), keys, sunglasses, water, snack, hat,  . . . .  There always seems to be so much even when you try and whittle it down. So 398 grams  is great.

Small compact and almost the same size as my sketchbook

Materials are Artist Grade.  
I have tried lots of little kits and although they are nice and compact the paints are weak.  I spend ages trying to get some good darks.  Or the colours are opaque.  I like transparent colours.   My secret, get my own empty metal pallet and put my colours in it.  My paint tray is a small metal case approx. 12 x 7 x 2 cm.  (I have provided Links to Amazon on many of the items I mention.  It is not an endorsement of Amazon only a means of showing you what they are like.)  I use the half pans and have 12 in my case.

This little case goes everywhere with me.  Little trays means you mix paint on any little surface.  

Setting Up your Own tray: 
It is a bit of fiddling to set up your own tray but once it is done, your are ready to Rock and Roll.  Paint Pans are held in place using Tacky Putty. Fit the trays in the case before filling them.  Allow them to sit at least 24 hours or until they have a good film over them before closing the tray.

 As a good rule of thumb to choose your colours you want: 2 reds, 2 blues, 2 yellows (a warm and cool of each) and brunt sienna and a premixed green.  My colours right now are: Hooker Green WN, Aureolin DV, New Gamboge WN, Cadmium Orange WN, Permenent Rose DV, Quinacridone Red DS, Brunt Sienna DV, Cobalt Teal Blue, DV, Ultra Marine DS, Indanthrene Blue WN, Winsor Blue Gr Shade WN

Don't worry if you don't fill all your pans right away.  Paint a bit and see what colours you like.  Cad Orange was a late addition for me and although it is not transparent I like it.  It gives me a good shot of orange, when I want it and used thinly it makes a nice warm yellow.  My Indathrene Blue is on the way out.  I find I prefer the Ultra Marine more. I thought at one time I liked Indanthrene Blue but our love affair seems to be over.  I think a nice premixed Purple would be good, still deciding on the right kind of Turquoise and maybe Prussian Blue should join me.  You can get a good dark with Prussian Blue. 

Great having the mesh cover so you can see what in there and where it is.  

Case
The Case is really crucial.  It needs to be lightweight, strong enough to protect, big enough for EVERYTHING, easy to use.  Impossible right.  My secret is my Travelon Packing Square.  (The middle one).  It is mesh on the front so you can see in, long enough for pens, pencils and paint brushes and even has a pocket at the back for business cards and special things. 

There not that expenses so it is surprising how nice the brushes are.

Extras
- Two waterfilled paint brushes, one with some water in it and one empty.  I find the water in the brush often keeps the brush too wet so I like a dry one for the detail at the end.  These are reasonable in price, don't go too cheap though. You want something that holds the water and has a decent brush. 

I know hey, lots of little things in that kit.  Somehow I need them all!

- Two Micron 03 pens.  I use to carry just one but after having one explode on the plane I like to always have an extra. 
- 2B Derwent Pencil
- vinyl eraser cut with a point
- putty eraser
- small pencil sharpener in small plastic bag
- few pieces of paper towel
- small ruler
- water tin 3.5 cm diameter (a small tea leaf tin from Davids Tea)
business cards
- few paper with some pictures on them (see last post on Prepping Your Sketchbook for more info on this)
- Special thing: My little book on John Constable's work from the Art Gallery in Edinburgh.  (Haven't been able to part with it yet.  Still a great memory from an old trip) 

Yes, believe it or not,  all of that fits in my case with ease.  That's why that case is sooooo important. 

Other Extras:
Yes, there is still more I often add.  I love to draw with my pens so I take a thinner pen 01 and thicker one 05 for more detail.  Since I use watercolour for colour I don't take coloured pens.  But 1 or 2 coloured pens might be something you would want.  If I am traveling I also add a pair of small folding scissors (these are surprisingly sharp) and Scotch Double sided mounting strips.  (Strips can be cut into small squares and used to attach brochures, pictures, artifacts from the trip.  I like to journal as well as draw/paint when traveling. Fun to do on planes, trains or where ever your waiting.

Do you have some favourite Extras in your kit?  Do you keep your kit packed and ready to go?

Next week, its time for a Test Run - see you then.

My Etsy Store is always OPEN: Etsy - WendyMouldsArt

Originals, prints and Instant Printable Cards for all Seasons available.

Time to Register - Note Date Change

**Tuesday, April 30 - Workshop Day for Spring Show - South Burnaby

Want to experience the joy of watercolour?  Learn about the supplies? See paint in action as you create your first Masterpiece?  - Join Audrey and Myself on May 1, 10-12pm for a Beginner Watercolour Class - $40 all supplies incld. 

Itching to create but want some direction? Want to make exciting cards and notes for the special people in your life? Add design to your sketchbooks and journals? - Join Myself and Audrey on May 1, 1-3pm for a Creative Card Class - $40 all supplies incld.  This year's theme: Flowers and Ladybugs.  

Few things you can do with with Ladybugs and Flowers

Audrey Bakewell and Myself include this Workshop Day as part of our Spring and Fall Shows at Mandeville Gardens, 4746 Marine Dr, Burnaby.  Both classes are very popular and fill up very quickly.  

REGISTER NOW

SPRING SHOW:     Paints'n Bloom Workshops & Art Show & Sale

 in Support of the Alzheimer's Society of BC

 Wednesday, May 2  to Friday,  May 3, 10-4pm Saturday, May 4, 9-12pm

Gardenworks at Mandeville Gardens, 4746 Marine Dr, Burnaby

Workshop Day: Tuesday, April 30

10-12pm - Beginner Watercolour Class

1-3pm Spring Card Making Class

$40 ea. All supplies incl. Beginner to Advanced Welcome

Registration Happening Now Contact Wendy 

 Be sure to like and share my posts.

You won't miss a single post if you Follow by Email or Like my Facebook Page.

Have a great Artful Day,

Wendy

Is Your Sketchbook READY TO ROLL - Painting & Drawing Tips

Spring is here

is your BFF ready to ROLL?

Of Course I mean my Sketchbook, what other BFF would I have?

Winter seems to be studio time - working inside, working large, focusing on 'the Masterpiece'.  But somehow, when it is warm, buried in the studio just doesn't seem to work for me.  How about you?

Title Page for my Book - Does this inspire you to want to FILL the book?

Hikes on the trail, walks along the pier, relaxing on the beach - do they call to you?  Or just plain old settling in on a sunny deck and trying something new.  This is when I really pull out my sketchbooks and let fly.

I have several on the go, some with themes, some not and some for certain mediums.  Sounds a little complicated but I am always searching for that 'best sketchbook'.  Unfortunately each book can't handle everything, no matter what the advertisement says.  But no matter what, each book needs a little prep to really add fun to the mix.

Right now I am getting my new BFF ready for  . . . . Italy.
Yes, in less than 5 weeks, my BFF and I are off to Italy with my two sisters.

How to Prep your BFF (Sketchbook for Fun and Adventure)

1.  Name and Contact Info in the inside Front Cover - you put lots of effort into your book, so make sure it will find its way home if it gets lost.

2.  Title Page - Leave it til later; leave it blank;  Don't let that First Page become  'too precious'.  I often leave mine till later. Once I get into my book I seem to have an idea of something I  would like to put on the title page.  For my Italy book, I decided I wanted a gondola.  But that is something that came up after looking at all the brochures and things for the trip.

Of Course we are going to Cinque Terre - We plan on hiking and of course I plan on Drawing.  Room on the map to add highlights from the trip.

3.  Maps - I am big on maps.  They can be little sketches or quite formal drawings.  I like to lay them out ahead of time and then add little antidotes during/after the events.  I find if I am going somewhere new, it really helps me understand the lay of the land.

Always like to make a few sheets of symbols.  Nice to have things to draw and decorate pages.  I can do these anywhere - home, plane, train  . . .

4.  Symbols - Signs, words, shapes, colour.  It really adds to your fun when you turn the page and something is there.   No I don't do every page.  It is great whether at home, on the plane or train I have a little prompt for something I can do for my book.  In the summer I carry pictures of birds and animals I will see on my travels and draw them when there is nothing in front of me that inspires.

This page is ready for more pictures and writing.  That little motorcycle really entices you to add more to the page, eh?!

 For my Italy sketchbook I am adding a little symbols of the culture to the corners of the page - outlined shapes with a splash of colour.  Fun to do on a rainy day at home as I prepare for my trip. Or at the airport as I wait, on the plane, on the train,  . . . .

Couldn't resist putting this picture in my book, you just know while in Venice we will hop on a gondola.  Notice there is room on the page to add notes and highlights of the day.  

5.  Paint Special Pictures - when sketching and painting on site I am often doing quick line work with a wash.  It is fun to have a few pictures of places or things you will do in your book.  I thumb through to a spot and paint my picture.

I tried this out when I went to Scotland, I did a full page spread of Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye before I left.  It really added to the fun of the trip and my book. Learning about the castle really built the excitement for the trip.  And of course,  I loved having a great picture of the castle in my book as we spent a full day in the area. See more on prepping and sketchbooking in Scotland starting here - Time to Crack Open that Travel Journal

Dunvegan Castle - my full page spread completed as part of my Sketchbook Prep.

Do you prep your Journals before you start them?  What things do you like to do? 

Looking for a good portable kit for sketchbooking?  Small, lightweight, easy to fit in your pack?

Next post - An AWESOME Portable Sketchbooking Kit 

My Etsy Store is always OPEN: Etsy - WendyMouldsArt

Originals, prints and Instant Printable Cards for all Seasons available.

Time to Register - Note Date Change

**Tuesday, April 30 - Workshop Day for Spring Show - South Burnaby

Want to experience the joy of watercolour?  Learn about the supplies? See paint in action as you create your first Masterpiece?  - Join Audrey and Myself on May 1, 10-12pm for a Beginner Watercolour Class - $40 all supplies incld. 

Itching to create but want some direction? Want to make exciting cards and notes for the special people in your life? Add design to your sketchbooks and journals? - Join Myself and Audrey on May 1, 1-3pm for a Creative Card Class - $40 all supplies incld.  This year's theme: Flowers and Ladybugs.  

Few things you can do with with Ladybugs and Flowers

Audrey Bakewell and Myself include this Workshop Day as part of our Spring and Fall Shows at Mandeville Gardens, 4746 Marine Dr, Burnaby.  Both classes are very popular and fill up very quickly.  

REGISTER NOW

SPRING SHOW:     Paints'n Bloom Workshops & Art Show & Sale

 in Support of the Alzheimer's Society of BC

 Wednesday, May 2  to Friday,  May 3, 10-4pm Saturday, May 4, 9-12pm

Gardenworks at Mandeville Gardens, 4746 Marine Dr, Burnaby

Workshop Day: Tuesday, April 30

10-12pm - Beginner Watercolour Class

1-3pm Spring Card Making Class

$40 ea. All supplies incl. Beginner to Advanced Welcome

Registration Happening Now Contact Wendy 

 Be sure to like and share my posts.

You won't miss a single post if you Follow by Email or Like my Facebook Page.

Have a great Artful Day,

Wendy