I’m still looking for a replacement for my amazing A5 Plein air case which is falling apart. It only lasted a year or so with constant use so looking at options that are leather. I have my eye on the Kiki k sales as they use leather and the A5 continental organiser is the closest that I can find for an A5 size and will include holder for pens. The main issue is that most zippered journals have too many pockets and compartments but are also only designed for notebooks. Normally they don’t have the thickness required to fit a water pot or they put too much padding or pockets that take up space. I like pens that have built in pen loops and using leather is better than elastic which will wear away after a few years or stretch.
In my last post New A6 Plein air journal in leather set up I was able to convert a A6 penholder into a plain air kit with some velcro dots. I love that it is small and portable so I can take it everywhere. I’ve been using it more for my smaller cellulose sketch books like the Jackson’s sketch book or hanhuhmle travel notebook for quick ink and wash sketches. I’ve been practising sketching more to help improve my portraits and also hoping to get faster at painting which involves knowing what colours to use with which values.
I found my old makeup brush case and managed to again upcycle it with a few velcro dots. It fits my larger Seawhite watercolour travel journal that I’m currently trialling. It will also fit my hanhuhmle watercolour journals. It just fits the double oil holder which I use for water so I can use one for dirty wash and the second for a clean wash. It fits my art tool kit palette.
This case is vegan leather so will work for a year or two before it falls apart whilst I wait for sales for a leather one.
This is my original diary which is falling apart. It fits an A5 notebook and I can repurpose this for my normal journalling I’ve just been using up old notebooks that I have. This has the remainder of my rosemary and co brushes (picked up a seconds bundle recently so think I’m set for some time).
The fude calligraphy pen from temu – it’s terrible quality as the ink doesn’t come down to the nib unless you keep it printed down. I have already got my refund but every now and then I will use it. I have recently upgraded it to the sailor fude 55 New sailor fude 55 pen test sketches which is in the A6 kit. I usually use my twsbi eco broad nib for normal journaling that’s not visible here.
The smaller palette is from temu as well and trialling a limited 12 colour palette with 3 cool primaries, 3 warm primaries and 3 earth primaries. I spray painted the lid with white paint so that I could see the colours when mixing.
I’m glad to have this all set up in time for our Christmas travels. And having the extra kits means I can paint more in one sitting or allow the kids to paint whilst I paint.
Time to delete temu and unsubscribe from all those mailing lists so I can focus on painting instead of buying supplies…
Rachel Fong Art 