My top 3 studio tools.

Favourite tools in the studio

I was asked this month to participate in a feature for Artwork Archive‘s blog which is looking at the variety of essential tools for artists.. so here are my top 3!

1. A heavy duty ‘mechanics tool chest’ on industrial castors is brilliantly suited to house to all those heavy and messy tubes of oil paint. I sit my palette on top and I can wheel the whole thing around the studio to where I need it.

2. Brush bucket. This is made of thick stainless steel with a nice copper handle and a flexible brush holder. it has a removable ‘false bottom’ with holes in it so the paint sediment sinks underneath and keeps the solvent clean. I can paint a whole series before needing to clean out the sludge at the bottom! I use low odour thinners but the bucket also has a lid which keeps the smell down and stops evaporation in between uses.

3. Dog food dishes! (made of foil) are perfect for mixing oil paint in as they can take solvents and are wide enough to get a 3 inch brush in. They stack neatly so don’t take up much space. In the picture below I’m mixing several batches of colours in them, and there is a stack of clean ones on the shelf above me.