It’s almost that time of year, emphasis on **ALMOST**. Right now it’s still a bit chilly and often windy to sit outside and paint, so I’ve been painting in the car. Here’s a quick look of what I have with me. Also there’s a jug of water and a recycled bottle or two of water and a bag of old tshirts torn up to use as rags.

This is what I use when painting in the car: my roll of brushes, palette, paper, sketchbook (right now it’s a hand*book with watercolor paper, often it’s a Strathmore sketchbook), and a cup with a smaller cup which both fit in the car’s cup holder. I can use a drawing board or the corrugated plastic to hold paper using clips.

Here’s the pack and a shot of the tripod which lives in a side water bottle pocket. A water bottle lives in the pocket on the other side. Another one can live next to the guerilla box inside the pack if needed. The roll of brushes and the palette fit nicely on top of the box.

Here’s almost everything that’s inside the pack and the box. In the rearmost section of the pack are a couple pieces of corrugated plastic that protect some sheets of paper torn to various sizes. There are some spare clips and whatnot in one of the top pockets. Sometimes the damp rags and waterbowls live in a front pocket that seems waterproof lined rather than plushy. Sometimes the brush roll lives in the box.

Not seen: a great folding chair that is very light and which can be strung from the pack with a strap system made for camera tripods, easy on, easy off.

What I like about this pack – it’s light and has a pocket large enough for the tripod and a clipping strap that helps secure it. It’s not over-engineered inside with too many pockets and divisions so the main compartment is big enough for the pochade box with the palette and brushes on top of it. (I took those with me when shopping!) The back compartment is big enough to hold paper sizes that are reasonable to travel with. I’m pretty short and it’s not too big and I can comfortably use it, with or without the waist belt. What I like about it everytime I use it – it has a strong handle on top and one midway on the front so it’s easy to pick up and move around, even fully loaded. I do try to keep out frivolous things and sometimes rearrange it for a particular place.