Cathy Johnson's field bag full of art supplies!

Everything I need for home or travel fits inside my purse/field bag! (Well, except for the sketch journal itself...)

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Cathy Johnson
• watercolor
• travel sketching
• sketching
• travel
• how-to

[deezynar]

Kathy, that's pretty compact, but where do you lay things when you take them out of the bag to use them? I've seen videos of other watercolor artists who're out in the field painting & all their gear is laying on the ground around them. It seems that a small attache case w/ compartments would store everything for travel & when you open the lid out flat, you could work out of it too. Let me know if that sounds appealing to you, I've been thinking about designing something along those lines.

[KateJosTube]

I'm sure a lot of artists would find such a bag really useful! I'd love to see it. But yes, it depends entirely on where I am and where I'm working. Sometimes my stuff is on the ground, sometimes a table if I can find one, sometimes a bench, sometimes on the car seat next to me. Honestly, of course, that CAN be difficult, but I'm used to it. :-)

One reason my system works for me is that I'm a woman, and would probably have to carry a purse, too. This way, everything is in one bag.

[deezynar]

Kate, thanks for the reply. I'll draw something up & send it to you via your web-site. I'll focus on keeping it small so it'll fit in a purse.

I've drawn plans for a large box w/ legs. It carries everything including extra paper & 24" x 16" Gator board. The painter never has to lay anything down anywhere except in it. It's a studio in a suitcase.

I'm a drafter, I don't manufacture anything. My daughter got into watercolor painting so I started thinking about this subject.

[KateJosTube]

Sounds very cool! I'll look forward to seeing it--lots of plein air painters should LOVE your larger box!

[deezynar]

@deezynar

I got side tracked & haven't done anything w/ designing the small field kit, but I've had some spare time lately & got back to working on the suitcase version. I'm refining the design of the paint brush holder right now & was wondering if you were to do 1/2 sheet size paintings in the field, what brushes would you want to have w/ you?

[KateJosTube]

I'd probably want the largest ones I own! 3/4" and 1" flats, at least, and #10 rounds along with some smaller brushes for details. Good luck with that!

[pumkin54]

People still use checkbooks? :P

[TriforceWarrior]

Um, out of curiosity, I know you're not allowed things like water or sharpeners as a carry-on on a plane; but I like to draw with copics and pencils to pass the time, am I allowed to bring my pencils/pens/markers?

I kinda like to draw when I'm bored, so, I know this might be a different subject, but I can't find anyone to ask...

[deezynar]

@KateJosTube

Thanks. I think, or just hope, that 8 regular brushes and one 2" flat brush would be all that most people would use on a routine basis in plein air work.

Thanks, again.