Travelling Art Stash
What's in my suitcase?
On my return from Brittany last month a couple of months ago, I promised I’d dish the dirt on what art materials I managed to stash in the car for my trip.
Here you go!
Messy Mat
Oil cloth
One square, shallow, plastic storage box containing:
Small, square Gelli plate (approx 6”)
Two printing rollers
Acrylic paint in three colours plus a black-ish and white. This is enough to make oodles of different colours, tints and tones.
For this particular holiday, I took: Prussian blue, Permanent Rose, Payne’s Grey, Titanium White, Yellow Ochre which was totally the wrong yellow as it gave me khaki - regretted it immediately. To view the results from these colours, see this post.
Masking tape
Double sided sticky tape
Dry glue stick (couple of tubes: one fat, one thin)
Small travel-bottle of decanted fluid matte medium
Paper scissors
A4 printer paper
One file pocket (can’t remember why)
Two A5 sketchbooks of 130g/80lb smooth cartridge paper- just what was kicking about in the drawer, both partially used
Bleed-proof white paint - something I started using following courses with
Plastic pencil case containing:
A couple of small, slim sketchbooks
Selection of pens: rollerball, biro, fineliner etc
A few Paper-mate mechanical/pop-up pencils
Eraser, pencil sharpener
White chinagraph pencil - this was from a marketing agency my husband used to work for
I also took my usual Art Bag - see below for more info on the bag, and what I can stuff inside!
Links to things mentioned
Yes, there’s an actual thing called a ‘Messy Mat’. I have two, given to me by my mother-in-law years ago. So yes, I can vouch for their durability and longevity. I’m thrilled to report they’re still available, and really cheap! A pack of four for under £8. These are more colourful than mine, although that said, mine now have a decent covering of paint stains anyway.
Really useful boxes the one I took is square-ish, 40cm x 35cm x 8cm
Paint rollers last forever
Acrylic paint this sort of thing, not fluid acrylic (not for printing, anyway). Cheap and cheerful so you actually use it instead of hoarding it! How do I know you’d do this with expensive paints? Hmm…
Daler Rowney smooth cartridge paper 130g/80lb the yellow one
Art bag
Sorry - no link for this one! But I have made a video guided tour for you 👇
Years and years ago, inspired by Beaney and Littlejohn, I purchased a sturdy multi-compartment black leather-look washbag from Boots. Sadly, it’s no longer available, and I’ve never been able to find an equivalent. I love it because you can stuff an awful lot inside….
The first zipped compartment opens out to reveal several little slots for brushes, with a slim A5 pocket behind just right for a small palette of Inktense pencils.
The other side of this first compartment has a couple of elasticated pockets approx A6 size, perfect for shoving in random things like glue sticks, watercolour palette, eraser, pencil sharpener, tube of white gouache etc.
The second zipped compartment opens to reveal two further A5 size zippy pockets deep enough for a spiral bound sketchbook, some exercise book type sketchbooks, and small boxes of Aquarelles and/or pastels and Koh-i-noor paints.
Once again, the clever pen clips are from Tansy.
Finally, there’s a slim pocket on the front for stuffing in a sheet of waxed paper or kitchen towel, or storing found collage papers.
Love this - thanks for sharing. I always end up with loads of pencil cases - I need to try and whittle it down. As we go away in the uk and drive there is space but I’m amazed how much you’ve fitted into that bag!