Sunday, July 20, 2014

HOW TO MAKE A FREE POCHADE PAINT BOX by TOM BROWN

6x4-inch original oil on Masonite panel
Click HERE for immediate purchase of this painting. This painting is one-of-a-kind and when it’s gone, it’s gone. It’s one of my personal favorites. (Two of my other favorites were just purchased from my Etsy store and are now gone. Don’t let this one get away.)

For other artists: Here’s how to make a pochade paint box for virtually nothing. It’s small and portable, and it holds everything you need.

It’s perfect for painting on the spur of the moment, like the day I painted this piece during a road trip.

To make one you can take any small cardboard box with a hinged lid like the one in the photo here. I mounted a gessoed Masonite panel inside the lid by taking rolled up bits of masking tape with the sticky side out and placing the tape on the back corners of the panel before pressing it into position in the lid of the box.

I then taped a sheet of palette paper in the base and put out my colors while still at home; this saves time messing around with tubes of paint later. (Tip: Use a limited palette to keep things simple.)

Keep the box closed with your panel and paints inside until you arrive wherever you’re going to paint. The box I used here is small enough to hold in my hand as I work. When I finished painting I just closed the box with my painting inside and I was packed to go.

A few related tips: To avoid using solvents or mediums on location, I added medium to my paints as I put them on my palette at home. I also took along a small packet of Kleenex to wipe the brush as I painted. I used only one brush, a short flat-bristled brush. You can see it in the photo.  

Painting on location is really fun, and will also help your studio painting improve as well by preventing you from over-working things. Give it a try using this compact setup; it costs absolutely nothing and you’ll have a great time with it. If you can, take along a few artist friends too; the more the merrier.

I hope you find this helpful and I wish you HAPPY PAINTING!
Tom Brown

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