.watercolour (from photo reference)

I bought a hollow handled water brush (which I read about here on James Gurney’s blog – where there’s a goldmine of all sorts of art related information) and haven’t had too much opportunity to try it out yet. This is one of the first sketches with it. It’ll be pretty handy for painting on location when my watercolour kit has to be compact and portable.

Over the past year or so I’ve started amassing a variety of materials for on location painting – stuff that’s light weight, can be brought onto an airplane as carry on, takes up very little space and is functional. I’m new to working on location. I’m pretty (very) clumsy at it still. I also haven’t quite found the ultimate materials, and have been a little disappointed with what I’ve found in the local artist supply store as far as portable watercolour boxes go. I’m not very fond of plastic for a variety of reasons, and find many of the travel sized watercolour boxes to be flimsy and they often lack the right kind of configuration of paint pans to mixing area. I’ve realised that I’m probably going to have to put something together myself from other items and individual pans that I can attach in place in a re-purposed box, or upgrade one of those cheap children’s watercolour boxes that come with those awful chalky round watercolours and useless brushes. And then I came across this post on Drawing the Motmot (a blog full of beautiful bird paintings, and lovely on location drawings and studies. I have infinite admiration for anyone who can paint birds as they bounce around on a branch.) This kit seems to be the ultimate balance between lilliputian and functional as far as travel sized watercolour boxes go. And I love the diy-ness about it. I knew there was a reason why I’d been keeping all those random mint tins around. I figure something like this would be a perfect addition to a travel kit – something I could take out with me when my prime purpose is not to paint but when I’d still like the option if the scene or mood strikes me.

I love the internet.

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