Friday 31 August 2018

'Flying with Oil paints & Art Equipment


FLYING WITH OIL PAINTS & art equipment. Thought you might want to see what I'm taking to Venice - I am very lucky to be going for the whole month of September! 🎨 

It's the longest and biggest painting trip so far.... 
Last year we came back from Venice in October after a 6 day trip, I was just getting into it painting wise and then we left. I said on the boat back to the airport I want to come back and paint here for a month!  
So I found a house in the Dorsoduro area (near the Academia Bridge.)
For the first 2 weeks I have got other plein air painters coming to share and help with the cost of renting the house, it will be good to paint with them.  
On the 3rd week my Mum and sister - who lives in Africa and her partner are coming their first visit to Venice so very exciting to share it with them. 
The final week other artists again and back to intensive painting... 

It's been quite a build up I have never prepared so throughly for a painting trip! I really want it to work, so I have paid close attention to details! I closed my 2 cases yesterday and my weight allowance is 23Kg per case, I am over the limit! I need to put some into my husbands case! 
So its just last minute things today it still feels quite unreal, we leave tomorrow morning. 
I hope you will follow and support me on this exciting journey...

Also if anyone has any suggestions on areas to paint! Or tips for Venice gratefully received 👩‍🎨Please make a comment.

My Equipment List - all put in plane hold luggage:
See above photo
  • Oil paint put in:  'Lock & Lock' airtight container with my label (see pic) - don't say oil paint!
  • Sennelier Green for oil thinner & gel medium - plant based, safe for plane travel
  • Palette knife
  • Seawhite A5 Sketch book & Tombow pens
  • Viewfinder 
  • Masking Tape
  • Headless matchsticks - for stacking wet oil paintings together
  • Pva glue for matchsticks
  • Business Cards
  • Glass pots & jars to clean brushes
  • Paint Tube Squeezer
  • Apron missing from pic!
PIC 2 
  • Raymar wet painting carriers sizes 8x10", 10x12" 11x14" 
  • Open Box M easel palette
  • Manfrotto Be Free Tripod 
  • Palette Garage - holds paint, no need to carry tubes when out plein air 
  • Bamboo Brush Roll - all from Rosemary and Co
  • Solvent brush dipper & cleaner 
PIC 3 
Painting boards 2,3mm MDF
Wrapped in tissue, to keep them together in my case with sizes:
8x10" 10x10" 6x12" 9x12" 10x12" 8x14" 11x14" 20x50cm
This lots coming with me then the same again coming with my mum half way through September 😊You can't have enough boards!! 

PIC 4
Safety travel sheet for oil paint, 'Flash point' above 60 degrees this is the number that how easily something catches fire.  So anything above 60 is safe to fly with but some airlines differ, you should check. I will by solvent to clean brushes in Venice in a hardware shop. Oil paint is allowed on board - in the hold, not in hand luggage.



PIC 5
My painting of Venice from last year's trip.

To end something I found useful is a blog post by Katherine Tyrrell 'Making a Mark'- called Top tips for travelling artists' worth a look if you are travelling with art equipment.

2 comments:

  1. Happy Landings Claire....

    ReplyDelete
  2. Very impressive preparations. Wishing you a happy month of painting.

    ReplyDelete