Studio On The Go

Hobbyist/Artist – whatever you call yourself, the bottom line is supplies.  We have been discussing the ways and means to handle the need for organization for the past few months.  This may be a good time to recap.  For those of us that have been following and trying a new idea or two or for those of us that have identified some areas of space planning that we may have overlooked, and for those of you that have shared, let’s catch up.

Two months into this project, I can tell you that most people have denied the obvious - we are artists.  And artists have stuff and now we are finding a way to live a more fruitful life among all the stuff we love. 

           

            We have:

• Identified our hobbies
• Decided on what we need closest to us to work efficiently
• Determined a budget if needed
• Evaluated our storage needs by determining what is worth saving
• Thought about what type of containers we prefer
• Sorted our piles
• Recycled and reinvented
• Acknowledged our tolerance for visual clutter and whether to reveal or not
• Decided on what type of shelving
• Space planning (which we may visit from time to time)
• Quick File Method

Fiddling with paper is like playing with paper dolls.  There are so many choices.   If you are adjusting your filing method, this may take some time so let’s take the rest of the week to work on filing. 



Sample of supplies need for the outdoor artist

In the meantime, some artists aren’t limited to a studio or office.


Marilynn K shares her interests.

As a scientist, researcher, and visual journaler, I spend a lot of my time in the out of doors. Most artists don’t face the situations that I have had to cope with. Dirt, curious animals, scorching sun, freezing cold, pouring rain. Choosing the supplies for my traveling pack has always been a challenge. As I’ve gotten older and developed bad knees, what I carry now is a much shorter list as is the distance and length of stay.

Fanny pack  (For a day in the field with little to no walking.)

Bottle of water, and lunch/snack.

Wet wipes and ziplocks of different sizes for collecting treasures and trash.

Paper towels; three or so folded and placed in a ziplock for wiping brushes.

Journal; 9x12, hard cover spiral bound with watercolor paper. 

Watercolor pallet with lid and brushes in protected wrap or box.

Water container with lid.

Pens; archival and waterproof .005, .01, .02 nibs. Micron Pigma is what I have used for 20 years.

Pocket knife.

Large cotton hanky for a multitude of purposes.

Magnifying lens 16x. For plant and lichen studies.

Gloves with the finger tips open for gripping pens, pencils and brushes.

Flashlight; small with fresh batteries.

Camera; fits in my pocket.

Binoculars for birding etc. Small, waterproof, 8x35.



Marilynn in the outdoors




Marilynn's tip:


Being organized in the outdoor studio is just as important as being organized in the indoor studio.

Dress appropriately for the weather. Remember there is no bad weather, just inappropriate clothing.

Marilynn's research



More of Marilynn's research journals

Quote: 

"Art is the means by which an artist comes to see.  It is his peculiar, highly sophisticated and extremely demanding technique of discovery."                                            -Annie Dillard- 

Meet me here Monday.  We're taking a trip to New York.