Here is my paint kit

Here is my painting equipment. I have a Gloucester easel, a paintbox and a backpack. This is my usual setup, but I have a pochade (pronounced pochade ) box as well, which I rarely use.

I make no attempt to keep this kit light and I have 200 ml. tubes of every color I use. I list those in an early post on my palette. I can carry all of this equipment at once easily, and for quite a ways from my car. The backpack and easel go on my back. I have fitted the easel with an inexpensive gun sling that works far better than the thin nylon straps that come on the things. A gun sling has an upholstered pad that makes it more comfortable to carry. I bind up the easel with a bungee cord. I carry the paintbox in one hand and whatever I am painting on in the other.

Here's what else is in my paint box, which you see open on my easel, A wooden palette, a tuna fish can for thinner, a olive jar top for my medium, a palette knife or two, and a collapsible mahl stick. I also keep the pegs for my easel in a little compartment in the box. I built my own box, but if you buy one, remove the brass restraints so you can open it out flat. This makes a big workspace. My box open, is nearly the size of a card table.

Here's whats in my backpack. There are two large compartments, one holds my paper towel roll and also my used paper towels. The front compartment contains a quart can of mineral spirits, and a jar of alkyd medium, thinned by a third with mineral spirits. I also carry a brush wallet filled with the various brushes I use. Next there is a tub of GOOP which is a mechanics hand cleaner available at Wall mart or any auto supply store. GOOP takes paint off your hands outside without water, it works great. Get the kind without pumice though, otherwise you will be left with grit on your hands. I stock a couple of bungee cords for windy tie downs and whatever else. There is also room for a can of soda, (usually Moxie), and my IPod player. In the third and smallest pocket I have a small digital camera.

I count off the number of items as I pack them, but if you haven't done a lot of traveling to location you might make a check list and tape it to your box. A couple of swipes of wide transparent tape will keep it there. I have a big Grateful Dead skeleton and roses emblem on my box preserved under transparent tape and it has lasted for years. Tomorrow I will show you the latest outdoor painting I have made