How to Make Your Own Portable Art Studio
- 1). Get all the supplies you want to take on the go together in one place, to gauge how much room they will take up. Organize your supplies into categories, separating paints, pencils, pallets and other tools.
- 2). Purchase or sew your own fabric roll to hold your brushes. Find a brush roll at a local or online art supply store, or look for a pattern at the craft store or online. Oftentimes a makeup brush roll will do, so long as it's tall enough for your longest brushes. (See Resources)
- 3). Organize your brushes with the roll, typically ordered by size. You may also want to arrange brushes by the type of bristles, whether synthetic or natural, and their intended purpose. This is up to you, just make sure you have them arranged in a way that makes sense to you.
- 4). Store pencils, pens and erasers in a cloth pencil bag. Hard pencil cases may seem enticing, but take up valuable room in your mobile studio while fabric offers increased versatility and flexibility. Any cloth bag large enough for pencils will do, or you can make your own at home.
- 5). Purchase a small, folding easel. Make sure it will be tall enough for you to work with. This will likely be the most inconvenient part of your portable studio to carry, but will prove valuable when setting up to paint anything larger than sketchbook-size. You can even set your sketchbook on the easel to work on. Lightweight easels are available in aluminum and wire. Avoid wooden ones, which are less practical in outdoor settings.
- 6). Find a good, heavy-duty bag to carry your supplies in. Vinyl or canvas suit the job well. Make sure the bag is lined inside and easy to clean, in case of any spills or broken tools. A good bag will have a variety of pockets and compartments, and a comfortable shoulder strap. Messenger bags, tote bags and backpacks all work for making a portable art studio.