Converting a Camera Tripod to a Travel Easel

Of course I couldn't have done it without help from my brother in law who made the little 4 x 4 wood blocks and counter sunk the 1/2 inch 'T' nuts an eighth inch. Blocks are 3/4 inch deep.  This is how it will look on your tripod;

Last photo shows the bottom of the 'T' nut but when you glue on your painting board with Gorilla Glue  you will cover this up.  Follow directions on bottle and keep away from the screw threads that will mount to tri pod.  My tip here is to buy a ready made frame from a reputable dealer that comes with the 1/8 inch hard board backing and glue that to your adapter.  Those boards are too heavy for a 16 x 20 frame  and they are not archival.  You can put a piece of acid free FC in the frame later.  Now that you have glued on your painting support, clip on a piece of watercolor paper  and take it on for a test run!

I tried it out over the weekend and I am very pleased with  this light weight option over the heavy steel WC easel I usually carry; this one fits in the back pack and will be fine as long as there are no huge wind gusts.  Hope you can try this.
*Plein Air Painting is from below Sitka on the mouth of the Salmon River.

Painting Friends Around Town

Stopped by Muse Art and Design yesterday on Hawthorne Blvd and found Liz Walker doing an Acrylic Demo.  I stopped her midsentence and mid painting to snap a pic!  Liz is participating in the series,"An Artist Day,"  to help Art teachers put Art Supplies in the class room.  For full details look at this link!

You Can Quote Me

'You're an Adult so only use the broken crayons if you want to.'

Pencil Sketch

I had no actual reference as I sketched this. My intent was to just practice hatching lines  (evenly spaced strokes with the same pressure) to create a random shape of value. I started seeing some facial features so I brought some of that out with an eraser.  I did more of the hatching alternating with an eraser till I put in detail in the eyes and mouth.  It  is really just a doodle; kind of fun when they turn out to look like something!  I need to put the iPad down and do more sketching and get ready for getting outdoors.

In Progress

Watercolor I started this month has some possibilities but may have to crop it because the tall vase got stuck in the middle.  Right now it is the darkest object and that has to change.   Ill work on it this week.

Sorry!!

Sorry I haven't been posting.  I'm having technical difficulties

Happy New Year

Photo Credit; Steve Oberg

Powell Butte

Pretty Day in Powell Butte, no clouds and almost 60.

Herd has been moved up to fields above canal.

This guy was watching me.  Does he know he will be in the freezer next month?

There are also 2 new grand kittys, one for Liv and one for Auggie.  This is as of yet un-named number 2, about two pounds now but he has huge feet. He already knows the good hiding places so he may survive the owls I hope! :(

Roller Skates and Buffalo

    Round up at Powell Butte Bison Ranch will be next weekend and there's lots of preparations under way.  Hope there is time to take a few pictures.  I was recently reminded of the song, "Can't Roller Skate In A Buffalo Herd." I agree.

Image; Art Card Edition, 2.5 x 3.5in  'Powell Butte Bison Ranch'  .collected