Tag Archive for: NJ Toolkit

Final board outside

Everyone finds different ways to watercolor journal outdoors. I like all my supplies close at hand and I don’t want to root around in a bag after I start. At a campsite I use a camp chair with a pockets and a pop-up tray. Everything I need is close at hand. When hiking I will take a very small tripod camp stool that I carry on my shoulder. I also journal standing up. In these last two scenarios I attach all of my supplies to a support board which has the added benefit of letting me move around. I am able to hold everything in my left hand leaving my right hand free to draw or pet my dog, Tracy. It takes a minute to set up – that’s it.

My Dog Tracy

First let’s look at a simple solution used by artist Amy Stewart (former Eureka resident, author, and artist). She carries all of her supplies in a shoulder/cross-body bag. She clips her watercolor palette to the sketchbook. She uses the journal itself for the support board. If this suits your purpose then read no more!

Simple board

The board I use is adapted from Urban Sketcher Liz Steel. She carries a lot of supplies in her cross-body bag. I don’t carry as many things but what I do use I attach to the board – which after use folds up and goes into my cross-body bag. My journal is a Moleskin watercolor journal, 3.5″ x 5.5″ (opened it is 11″ wide). I made another larger support board for my Moleskin 8″ x 5″ journal. You can make the boards from coated foam board, Coroplast, book board, or a repurposed game board. You just need something that doesn’t bend and is lightweight. I would not recommend cardboard as it can bend and it too thock to clip things to. NOTE: You do not have to create a board that folds – you can just cut a board that would be the finished size of our open foldable board. *Foldable boards are easier to carry because they are smaller.

1. DETERMINE SIZE NEEDED

* Open your journal. Lay it along the board you intend to cut.  The bottom of the journal should rest on the  bottom of the board.

*  The Width should cover the spine as well as half of the way (or more) to each fore edge of the open journal. Make a note of the Width.

* The Height of each board should be higher than the height of the journal (mine is about 1/2″ but it could be longer depending on how much “stuff” you want to clip on the board) plus an additional 1/2″ for account for overlap. Make a note of the Length.

* Cut two boards using your Width and Length.

Board Sizes

2. SETUP BOARDS

* My boards were white which can create glare outside so I painted one side of mine with black acrylic paint. In the photo below I have painted one board and am about to paint the other.

* The bottom board will fit UNDER the top board. Set up the boards so that they overlap 1/2″.

Overlap Boards

3. TAPE HINGE

* You can use packing tape or duct tape to tape the hinge. You will tape the front and then the back.

* Test the hinge by opening and closing. It should close flat and open flat.

Taped Boards

3. TAPE THE BACK

* Close the two boards. The backs of mine are white. You can see the black 1/2″ overlap from the bottom board. When closed the bottoms don’t align.

* Tape the hinge. Don’t worry if it’s a bit wobbly as the clips will hold it in place when open.

Closed Boards

4. ADD ATTACHMENTS & OPENINGS

* I use self-stick heavy duty Velcro from the hardware store. I have black Velcro on the bottom of my one oz. Nalgene water bottle*  but felt that the bottle stuck up too high on the board so I cut a hole. I taped around the water bottle so that it wouldn’t fall through the hole. I have learned to use very little water using the “Dip and Flip” method; I clean paint off on a rag before I “DIP” it into the water and I do not swish the brush around in the water but lift it out and “FLIP” into a rag. You might prefer a larger water container.

Final Touches Board

5. FINAL SETUP!

Final Board

6. OUTSIDE & READY TO JOURNAL

Final board outside

You might try this with any old board to see if you like it before making the folding board. I love mine. Let me know how this works for you!

* The Nalgene bottles will not leak. I also use them to carry ink for my fountain pens. Adventure’s Edge carries them.