i call this my "ARTIST on the GO" case. essentially it always remains packed and with the exception of swapping a few things in and out of it depending on my mood or what i am working on it essentially is always "READY TO GO!"
it is a small vintage suitcase from the 70's...i love it, it has personality. the uglier the better!
everything in my case is also airport security/flight approved. i have traveled across the globe with these supplies and have yet to have anything confiscated, however, twice i have been asked to "prove" i was an artist going through security having to actually show the journals i work in on the plane. it always ends well and the conversation is fun!
right now inside my ARTIST on the GO bag is the following...
i have been traveling lately with my collage journal. many of you email me to do videos for the collage journal, but the true purpose of the journal for me is to be able to create on the fly with whatever scraps you can find and a glue stick. keeping it simple.
under the journal is where i keep "the color".
you can fit 10-1 oz. golden fluid acrylics in a quart size baggie. when i go through security instead of carrying on shampoo and toothpaste, i check those items and place my baggie of paint in the bin. usually no one even looks twice...at least i haven't noticed.
i always travel with a brush roll filled with pens, water soluble graphite pencils, charcoal pencils, waterbrushes, regular brushes and a scissor. the brush roll serves several purposes.
- it allows me to see and access all my tools in a cramped airplane seat without them rolling off my tray table.
- the canvas flap gives me a place to wipe my brushes as i paint.
- it is extremely flexible depending on the space i have to work in.
NOTE: people always ask me how i get scissors on the plane, but the TSA allows up to a 4" sharp on the plane. the cutterbee scissors are the perfect traveling scissor for that!
i always bring my travel palette of winsor & newton watercolors...perfectly sized and easy to paint within a small space.
a black stazon + a few new or favorite stamps at the time...this changes and sometimes i buy a stamp to play with on the road.
masking tapes...I LOVE MASKING TAPE!
i also have in there now some gelatos, because they are super easy to create with on the go,
bubble wrap because it is FUN to brush some paint onto and stamp,
and a glue stick...i try to find a super-sized one for my travel bag because it is always deceiving how little glue is truly in a normal sized glue stick.
in the front zipper pocket i keep any scraps i have cut/collected from magazines, bits of travel maps, brochures, business cards, anything collage worthy really. i also have a few stencils tucked in there as well, they are thin and perfect for travel.
so why the case and not a bag you may ask? great question!
the case is flat so i can open it up on my tray table, access everything without digging around in the bottom of a bag and i can actually close it up and work on top of it on the plane without needing a whole lot of room. sometimes i get lucky and i have an empty seat(s) next to me and i can really spread out!
i will admit i always get weird looks, probing questions and a million compliments when i create on the plane. as an only child i secretly like that attention, kinda reaffirms my joy for creating. often times the flight attendants will even bring me an extra cup of water or napkins if they see me dipping into my water cup while i am painting. it REALLY helps pass the time too. it is like creating your own personal in-flight studio 30,000 feet up in the air!
i know many of you have emailed over the past several months about my travel supplies and i hope that answers all your questions...if not feel free to post some of your questions here.
over the past couple of weeks i have been collecting/searching out similiar style cases and putting together "ARTIST on the GO" cases preassembled. these of course are all one of a kind kits because of the vintage cases and i have already sold the ones i put in the shop the other day, but am continuing to be on the lookout and will be adding more of them to the shop next week and as i find the cool cases.
