How to Pack Your Paint Supplies for Traveling, Part One

Packing your paint supplies and your clothes for travel, especially by air, can certainly be a challenge. I thought I would show you what and how I pack when I fly to answer the often asked question “What and how do I pack my supplies?”. Whether I’m teaching a workshop or going on a painting trip, the packing is essentially the same.

The most important thing about packing is to keep things to the bare minimum while keeping the weight as light as possible. Look at everything you place in your bag to make sure that it is essential. And, ask yourself, “Is there anything you can remove?”. Sounds like packing for any trip, doesn’t it? Now days with the weight restrictions when flying, it is even more important.

Let’s take a look at some of the things that I pack and how to reduce the load as much as possible. I’m going to be showing you what I would pack for oil painting. Of course, other mediums would vary. The first thing that I’ve been asked is how to carry oil paints and getting them through airport security. I pack my oil paints in a plastic container that is much like a pencil box. I found mine at Walmart a couple of years ago in the school supply area. I use this box all the time, whether I am traveling or painting in my own area. It is constantly in my backpack. You can see the box below with the paint tubes sitting side by side. I use a piece of bubble wrap interwoven between the tubes. In the lid of the box, I have placed the printed MSDS safety sheets from the appropriate paint company, in my case, Gamblin, in a plastic baggie in the lid of the box. On the outside of the lid I put a label briefly stating what is in the box.

The next question is “What about solvent?”. If I know it will be easy and convenient to get solvent when I arrive at my destination, I will do so. But there are places that it is inconvenient, nearly impossible and just not necessary to do. For those trips I have stopped at a grocery store and bought either a bottle of vegetable oil or baby lotion, either will work. My last trip to Oregon was for a one day workshop and I was there for a brief visit. I didn’t bother to pick up solvent, knowing that I would have to dispose of it. Instead I bought a bottle of baby lotion and left it with my mother. I also used a paper cup clipped onto my pochade box, thus eliminating the need for a solvent container.

My list of supplies for a week plein air painting is as follows:

Paints

• titanium white (2 small tubes)
• cad yellow lemon
• cad orange
• cad red light
• alizarin crimson
• dioxazine purple
• ultramarine blue
• cerulean blue
• sap green

This give you a warm/cool palette with a couple extra colors and enough to variety to mix any color you will need. Remember, keep the plein air palette simple. I constantly have people ask me what medium I use. I don’t. I started as a plein air painter and keeping things light, I learned to get along without it. The only time I will use a medium will be to mix a little liquin with a stiff paint that I have trouble moving around. I’ve just found that it isn’t necessary with the way that I paint.

The rest of my supplies are as follows:

• paper towels
• plastic bag, take a couple with you
• baggies for your solvent can
• solvent can
• various brushes in a zippered container
• panels for painting
• panel carrier
• palette knife
• small sketch pad and pencil
• sunscreen, chapstick, bug repellent
• visor or hat, clothing that is appropriate for the weather, layer if possible
• pochade box and tripod
• camera

hat, bug repellent, roll of plastic bags, small camera, solvent container.

Plein air backpack/wheeled bag to carry pochade box, tripod, hat, paints and brushes.

These are the supplies that I always take with me in the car. In my next post I will show you how to pare this list down to even less space and weight.

Happy Painting!

Becky