Altoids/Mint Mini watercolor paint box-New process

[1x9x8x9]

Excellent video!

[tonibunny]

@truemirror Hi! I live in the UK and there are various websites which sell them, but I got mine from the Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood which is just down the road from me in London. It won't let me post a link here, but if you go to HunterGather.info and search for "retro mini paint box" you should be able to find them :-)

[truemirror]

@tonibunny aww this is good to know< i just got done answering your email, yes, my dad brought that monkey one home for me from London about 45 years ago.

[tonibunny]

Hello! I loved this demonstration, thanks for putting the video up :-) They are still making little mini palettes like your Monkey one, though with different designs on the front. I've just bought three from which I've removed the kiddy paint and replaced it with Winsor & Newton tube paint. I love your extremely compact kit!

[truemirror]

@tonibunny ty, may I ask where you found your kiddy paint boxes? I still haven't found one.

[truemirror]

@sunflr1986 You are welcome! : )

size & extra weight are important to me for everyday sketching, esp if you are addicted to sketching in color.

[stephenhayesuk]

love it! I have a little pocket pallette made from a Wheatley aluminium fly (as in fly fishing) box. I used epoxy resin to glue some Windsor and Newton water colour half pans of paints inside it, leaving just enough space for some cut down brushes. Afraid I can't paint too well, but going on a course this autumn.

Agree about covering over the scripture, my friend Ray's wife read psalm 91 over him as we stood round his dying bed 2 years ago. a profound experience none of us will forget.

[truemirror]

@stephenhayesuk I'm sorry to hear about your friend, I am hoping that his loved ones are able to continue life with sweet memories of him. psalms 91 is a very good scripture to care in your heart, plaster it up on the walls and mirror.

I would like to see your mini paint box and even some of your sketches, I just don't feel dressed unless I have my watercolors with me. hopfull we'll be going fishing this week-end, giving me a chance to practice plein air.

[axiomatic272]

@truemirror Thanks. No need to worry about Ray, he died in Christ and went straight to heaven through the merits of our precious Saviour in whom he trusted. I had the honour of giving a funeral oration. Its been hard for his widow, but clean, if you know what I mean.

I wish I was going fishing this weekend, but too much work (must dash now!) However Julia and I will be going fishing to a tiny Welsh lake where red kites and buzzards soar, and we'll be taking our paintboxes then. kind regards.

[bsonenthal1]

I thought you were her because of her quest for portability, which we all have. i invested in the "cell-phone " mini paint set. but being a male I have a hard time being portable enough to not have to carry a tote or "man-bag" it is not a simple issue. I also have the cotman field set but again its bulky and again its ment for painting not sketching, though iknow that some would disagree. goodluck to you

[bsonenthal1]

True morror, sorry I thought that you cathy johnson ,I did not see the trumirror.. as to the paint set I like the portability of it . sorry for typos

[truemirror]

@bsonenthal1 Hey that is OK, I admire Cathy Johnson, and wish I could go paint with her, so I take it as a great compliment : ).

I like the portability of that winsor and newton set as well, I use the field set, but when I want a tiny 2" paint kit, than I use my mint tin. And with both my field set and my tiny set, I change the paint from student to professional paint and it all works out good.

[bsonenthal1]

cathy; can we presume that your studio paints are different from your portable set up?

[truemirror]

@bsonenthal1 my name is not cathy, I remove the paint from my portable set and replace them with professional paint not that my sketches are that important, just I like the way the professional paint handles.

[bsonenthal1]

cathy; winsor newton has designed a portable paint set that resembles a "cell-phone " with eight half pans. you might check it out.

[truemirror]

@bsonenthal1 hmm I'm going to check it out, thanks!

[truemirror]

@bsonenthal1 yes I found the set you are talking about, it still is too big for what I was needing, but ty for the heads up.

[janetkatz1]

Lovely idea. I hope I can do the same. Thanks for the video.

[TurbineDogSevenFour]

I've had two of these little watercolor tins, identical to the mini-monkey, but with a car on the top and the other had no painting. Found them I believe both at Dick Blicks stores. I'm probably going to make my own set with these and similar instructions, just like being able to customize the colours. :)

[truemirror]

@TurbineDogSevenFour Hope your own tin turns out just how you want it! I'm still using mine. Thanks for the info, I will check out Dick Blicks stores when I get near a city that has one, but if I remember correctly it is hard to find the little paint boxes with the metal tops, many of the newer ones have plastic tops, paint doesn't spread well on that plastic.

[baboon109]

do you remember where you got the monkey paint box ?

[truemirror]

My Dad brought it back with him from England.

[freekhand]

Awesome idea! It's the best way I know to carry 12 colors. Mine is smaller, but It's easier for me because I use just 6 colors outdoors.

[truemirror]

thank you, I love your stuff, thanks for stopping by and checking out my video!!

how did you find a smaller tin? I'm in USA and i think that was the smallest I could find, we used to have aspirin tins but can't find them anymore.

[synapticspear]

DID you seal the clay Paint trays before putting in the paints? I could not tell, after you disolved the pills...?

THANKS

very cool. Love that Monkey tin too!!

[truemirror]

No I didn't seal them, but you can get a sealer made especially for that clay, If I had it I would have used it.

with constant use for the last three months I haven't had any problems, so I don't think it needs sealing.

[synapticspear]

THANKS SO Much for the reply!! I was searching today for ideas on sealing the clay.

Sounds like wet sanding is a good way to super smooth it too.

Did you have to use glycerine in paints? or feel like you needed it? one comment suggested that on 'instructables'

THX

[truemirror]

YW, no I just used the paints straight out of the tubes, some say to add honey others say glycerin, but I like the professional grade and don't like mine diluted, it's a messy job to get the paints in the pans, but after squeezing from the tubes using a fresh toothpick or two with each color to guide the paint in and smooth over the pans, helps, I hope you send a pic or a video of your paint box

[metalfist616]

i think this one shpuld be the last (but not least) clip im my mint tin list LOOOOOL

wohoo im done

[truemirror]

wow thanks great compliment, I like your list.

[deezynar]

Thanks for the reply. I'm just getting interested in watercolor and I haven't jumped in yet. Love your posts.

[truemirror]

yep, i miss monkey but, still enjoying my new box, I always carry water for drinking, but yes the waterbrush rinses out it's self, just give it a squeeze while the tip is on a paper towel, It is hard to get used to a brush that is always wet, I'd like to try some of the other types and see if there is more control, if I'm not just sketching I take a small assortment of reg brushes with me.

[deezynar]

Very nice job. I feel bad for poor Monkey though! He's going to be lonely now. Hey, what do you do for water? Does that brush with the reservoir rinse the brush out between colors? I've never used one.