Hi Subscriber,

I have a confession to make. I think I'm addicted to plein air painting equipment. It's a never-ending search for the perfect setup, and has been since I began twenty-five years ago.

Over the years I've bought or made about a dozen setups. Some as simple as a small cardboard box, held in my hand and some as elaborate as a Soltek, which is designed by Jim Wilcox of Jackson, Wyoming.

I have an Open Box M, which is a favorite as far as the box goes, but the tripod for it is too big and heavy. So far I haven't looked for another tripod that would suit it, but maybe I will.

I've also had a Strada micro box, which was sturdy, but I didn't like how far down the palette was, making it feel like I had to get past the rim of the box to get to the paint.

I still have a PaintBox and also a Box'nPaint. Like I said, I might be addicted. This cartoon from years ago, could be me - except I do actually paint.

I've been using my Ugo pochade box and the tripod that goes with it, for both oil and gouache. It's a great setup for oil.

My backpack with everything in it weighs about sixteen pounds, which isn't terrible, but I wanted something lighter for gouache. Especially since I've decided to make it my go-to kit for plein air painting this summer.

The paint and brushes and everything for gouache, are so much lighter than oil that I figured I ought to have a super lightweight set up also. Something that didn't feel cumbersome for a little paining.

I've been on the lookout for a few years, never quite being willing to part with the money for what I could find. Until a couple weeks ago.

Here you see the Ugo pochade with my gouache stuff laid out on it. It's sturdy and doable, but not great, as far as being lightweight and simple.

When I saw this Meeden watercolor setup, including the tripod, I decided to give it a try. The price was right and I figured I could use it in the studio if it was too flimsy for outdoors.

It's much less sturdy but everything, including the tripod, fits in a bag and weighs about seven pounds. It takes about two minutes to set up, if that long. If it's too windy I can hang a bag full of stones or sand or anything heavy from the tripod.

So far I've used it a couple times and liked it a lot! It's so simple and quick to set up. I've replaced the rubber cup with a plastic cup that fits in the hole and hangs lower than what you see here. I have lots of mixing space and plenty of space for the two brushes I use.

It pretty minimal, which I love. Gouache seems minimal to me also. Now that my summer has slowed down a bit, I'm hoping for lots of painting with this setup!

Stay tuned for new pieces from the great outdoors. I hope you're having a great summer,

Ginny