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Sunday, August 26, 2012

Studio Tour...How I Store my Pastel Paper

'Desert Fire'           5x7       pastel           ©Karen Margulis
purchase painting $45 with paypal HERE
The Great Studio Clean-Up continues.  Today's project included the paper and shipping corner. I am fortunate to have a great space for storing paper. I have a nice little corner with room for the rolling baker's rack that I got at a thrift store for $20. I am able to store full sheets of paper on this rack.

I haven't keep this area neat and organized.  In the frenzy of creating I would throw scraps of paper on the shelves (I don't throw any paper away)  Paper was piled up and all mixed up. It had gotten so bad that I couldn't tell what I had any more. I am so happy with the way my little area is now that I gave it a make-over. Have a look!


My Paper Corner
  • The paper rack is now organized and each type of paper has it own shelf. I took any paper that was 8x10 or smaller and put them by size on a smaller in & out style shelf. Now I always have paper ready to go!
  • All small scraps of pastel paper is now kept in a big clear box. When I have free time I will cut the scrapes into usable standard sizes and put them on the small shelf by size.
  • I made room for my canvas and panels for oil and acrylic painting. 
  • The bottom shelf on my unit now holds a variety of Clear Bags. I use these bags for shipping.
Next to the Paper Corner  is a shelf dedicated to my shipping and framing supplies 

My Shipping Corner
  •  The prize of my shipping and paper corner is my paper cutter. Every artist who works on paper should invest in one! (mine was $7 at the thrift store)
  • The top shelf holds the in & out box with small pre-cut pastel paper. The box next to it hold scraps of wrapping paper used for gift wrapping sold paintings.
  • I have a roll of glassine paper but the basket on the shelf holds the smaller scrap pieces. No paper goes to waste!
  • I keep all of my notecards, business cards and literature for collectors together in drawers. I plan to keep this area stocked.
  • Foamcore....I use a lot of foam core. I ship my painting in foamcore sandwiches (as well as for painting supports). I put scraps in a garbage can to be used for who know what. (can't throw them out!)
  • The bottom shelf holds my framing supplies. 
  • Note my window which has beautiful north light. 
It feels great to be organized for a change!  Next on the list is to clean my outer studio....yes I have two studio areas. Stay tuned for more on that.  Today's painting is a small pastel that I uncovered in a pile of scraps! You never know what treasure are in your piles of scraps!

3 comments:

juliefordoliver.blogspot.com said...

You are making me feel guilty about the state of my messy studio.
You have given me some ideas and maybe...just maybe the inspiration to get organized myself.
Love the landscape.

Karen said...

Thanks Julie! It is long overdue but I am glad that I am getting it done. It feels great!

Vanessa said...

Thanks for giving us a peak into your studio to see how you organise everything. Some cool ideas even for those of us without a studio.