So You Want to Try Plein Air Painting

This is the supply list for those of you who are first timers or just want to have a list handy so you don't forget anything.  

Paint
Easel (hopefully one that is steady enough that it won't blow over in the wind)
Palette (I always use a piece of acrylic that my husband has cut to size to fit in my easel or french companion)
Paint Brushes
Jar of turpentine
Some medium (I use a quick dry one called Archival Lean medium)
A container for the medium (I have seen people use a bottle cap, I have a small jar)
Paper Towels
Wet Wipes
Bungee cord - big enough or small enough to help secure your painting on windy days
Canvas, or board (boards are great because the sun doesn't shine through them)
Plein air umbrella (this isn't absolutely necessary for a first time painter but if you decide you want to continue you will need one.)
Something to scrape your palette, such as a palette knife or the kind of scraper you get at the paint store to scrape paint off windows
Something to carry your wet painting home in (a new pizza box works well, or one of those flat boxes from Sams Club)
I usually have a tarp covering the back of my SUV so no paint gets on the carpet
Something to schlepp your stuff to where you are planning to paint
Wide brimmed hat
Sun screen
Bug spray (I have an assortment - Cactus Juice, which is great and doesn't have DEET in it and powerful deep woods Off for those times when the mosquitoes and gnats are like B-52 bombers.

Some of you may find it handy to have a camera (to record what you are painting so that you can finish it back in the studio) or to have a view finder (one of those little gizmos to isolate the view you might want to paint.

Extra stuff I always carry:
Wrench (to open paint tubes when they have become sticky)
One of those squeezing things that you turn to remove the last smidgen of paint from the tube
Latex gloves (this stuff is carcinogenic) (I don't always use these)
Extra paper towels
A business card (I always have a sort of rack card with my web site and other contact information on it which also displays a photo or two of my work.  Just in case a potential customer comes by.)

Today I will take some time to discuss your palette and paint in depth.  Your palette - if you have a jullian easel you can use the wood one and store it in one of those palette boxes which slow the dry time.  I have seen artists put their paint in pill boxes (one color in each slot) then they can cover them up when they are done and store them in the freezer to retard the dry time.  I have also seen artists put blobs of paint on thin strips of acrylic (such as 3" by 10") then those can be stored in the freezer.  I used the pill box method early on and from time to time think I should go back to that but then I am a little lazy and often I like to carry every color available out with me.

Which brings me to my next point - lugging the darn stuff around with you.  I usually am not hiking into the wilderness to paint - the most I ever have to walk is maybe 1/2 mile to 1 mile so, I use a rolling file carrier (see the above picture) from your local office supply store.  I have hiked further and then I really have to consolidate my stuff and use a backpack and light easel, but if you are beginning, chances are that you won't be doing that.

In that rolling file carrier I have a cardboard box almost the size of the carrier.  It holds just about everything.  I always have a plastic bag in which I set my turp. container and medium container and medium.  There was a learning curve relative to that - before I used the plastic bag to contain the runny stuff I had a leak and the turpentine got all over my car and soaked through the cardboard - it was a mess.  Experience is a dear teacher.

I have a plastic box from Joann's which was probably designed to hold sewing or beading supplies and into it I put small tubes of paint. I have removed the small pieces that would divide it into much smaller sections. What doesn't fit in there goes into the cardboard box.  (this is when I am in the "everything but the kitchen sink" mode)  When I pare down everything I use about 10 colors and the extra box isn't necessary.

I realize this probably seems daunting to you but you undoubtedly have much of this on hand in your studio.  Think of it like taking your studio outside.  And, stay tuned, I will have more helpful hints tomorrow.