To easel or not to easel, is the question today.  
When I got back into creating, I purchased a small desktop easel to hold my small canvases.  It was good enough; I didn't know if I was going to continue the creative journey when everything when back to "normal" so I went with a cheap and cheerful option which suited me at the time.   Within a few months, I realised the cheap and cheerful just wasn't cutting it, so ordered in a desktop easel which was so much better with larger canvases.  I soon learnt I much preferred standing to paint than sitting. 

A few more months later during one of the breaks in lockdown, my gorgeous hubby came home with a studio easel for me.  I love it and use it every day I am in the studio.  It is sturdy, holds large canvasses and is now covered in paint, I think the paint gives it character.

I found as my circumstances changed and also my painting style I needed a few different easels.  My larger desktop easel is still on hand for when I am sitting at my desk and creating, my studio easel is a must and I have a few portable easels I use for open studios and displays.  I have also been using the portable tripod to take to my art classes. 

The tripod easel I have been taking to various classes is great, yet it is bulky to leave in the boot of the car. I had been eyeing off on Amazon a tripod easel with a shelf etc. (pictured).  So last week I ordered it, and it arrived 2 days later. I was pleased to see it fits in a small bag and is so light and versatile. I can now use it at my art classes, along with en plein air excursions and also painting demonstrations.

You don't need to be like me and have multiple easels, pick one that suits your needs, ask yourself, will I be painting on paper or canvas?  Will I be creating large or small pieces? Do I need to incorporate storage?  Does it need to be portable?   Can I leave it up or do I need to pack it away?  Do I like working on an easel or on the table? What type of medium will I be using?

Once you have answered these simple questions you will have a better understanding of your easel requirements.    You can check out some of my favourite tools and a couple of easels. 

How do you like to work?  Leave a comment below.
  

A few years ago, I did a course on using a limited palette.  I found it to be a stretch initially using just a few colours and black and white.  
So what is a limited palette? Imagine you're baking biscuits, but you only have a few ingredients in your pantry. A limited palette in art is like that, it's when you choose to work with only a small set of colours instead of having every colour available, just like having only a few ingredients for your biscuits.
So, instead of using every colour in your art supplies kit, you might pick just three or four main colours, like red, blue, yellow, and maybe white.  I also like to have black or Payne's Grey.  With these colours, you can mix and blend them together to create all sorts of new and exciting colours.
Working with a limited palette is a fun challenge. It helps you focus on learning how colours work together and how to mix them just right to get the shades you want. Plus, it can make your artwork look really harmonious and cohesive because all the colours are related to each other, just like all the ingredients in your biscuits work together to make them taste great!
One of the main reasons I love to work with a limited palette, it makes me stretch myself with blending colours to get just what I need and want for a particular piece.
The photo of a work in progress in this post is using a limited palette of cobalt blue, Payne's grey, cadmium yellow and burnt sienna with white for adjusting tones.  Mixing colour with a limited palette is one of my favourite ways to paint.  

If you are just starting out, you can start with a few colours and mix your colours without buying every tube on the shelf!

So, think of a limited palette as your artistic recipe. You might not have every colour in the world, but with a little mixing and experimenting, you can create something really special!

​You can find some of my favourite tools here 
If you have favourite colours you use in a limited palette, why not share them in the comments below.

I am an all or nothing type of person.  When I start a new hobby or project I seem to swamp myself with he must haves and a few might grabs. I can't help myself.  
​There are a few essential items to have in your kit if you are planning to start creating. 

Instead of starting on canvases there is the option to start in sketchbooks/journals or pads. Not only is it cost effective, as someone that is starting our you are more likely to experiment and have fun than worry about wasting a canvas.
  
A few quality pencils starting with a HB and then a range from 2H to 6B is a terrific starting point and often can be purchased in packs. A kneadable eraser and a rubber eraser are also ideal to have on hand.  

For those wanting to explore painting a basic brush set is indispensable. Include a variety of sizes and types such as  filbert, round, flat to give you different brush strokes. A couple of palette knives are also a worth while investment.  You can buy packs of brushes with a few palette knives to give you a reasonable variety of tools. 

Choose your medium, do you want to use watercolour, acrylics or gouache?  Start with a basic colour palette of your chosen paint, this will inspire your to mix your colours and experiment.  You can always upgrade the quality and colour range as you become more comfortable. 

You don't have to spend big on palettes and cups.  I use recycled food jars for my water cups and a plastic palette.  I also use a perfect for me size cardboard and tape greaseproof paper to it.  This is perfect for acrylic paints and for watercolour I have an old plate.  One tip I do have is try and work on a whit palette so you don't change the look of the colour you are mixing by the distraction of another colour or a pattern. The photo above is of my mixing palette using the greaseproof paper. 

Finally, learning resources are something to tap into.  I run over 80 classes a year if you live near my studio or use the internet and check out some of the great resources on Youtube.

There you have it, you can get creating on a small budget and enjoy the process.  I have put together, my favourite tools as a starting point, if you are not sure where to start.

Do you have your favourite tools you would like to share?  Leave a comment below.