10 Steps To Packing Pastels for Flying

'Quiet Time'          5x7         pastel          ©Karen Margulis
sold

It's got to be lightweight, compact and comprehensive. I want to have everything I need to paint in my carry on bag.   That is what is important to me when I am flying with pastels. I prefer not to check my pastels due to potential rough handling but  I also want to be sure I can still paint even if my luggage is lost or delayed. 

I have found a great set up that fits my criteria....Stan Sperlak's Gogh Box. Regular blog readers have heard all about this box but I thought you might like to see what I put in the box and in my carry-on bag which is an Orvis Businessman's backpack.

Follow along as I load up my box!

Step one: I place the folding support board. This is foamcore and is folded in thirds. It will open larger with bulldog clips to keep it open.

 Step two: I place my pastel box. I am using a nice sturdy Great American Box. It is very lightweight wood and cardboard. I fit a combination of 60 Terry Ludwig and Great American pastels in the box. I secure the box with several rubber bands (actually headbands) just in case.

Step Three:  I place two narrow cardboard boxes that are filled with my Girault pastels and a few miscellaneous hard pastels and charcoal. When I set up to paint I will clip these open boxes to the sides of the Gogh Box. I use two layers of foam and rubber bands to secure the boxes....I shake and hear no movement so these pastels should stay intact.

Step Four: I use a small ditty bag for my clips and small bungees. I will use the bankers clips to hold my paper on my board when I paint. The bungee is to secure my backpack to the gook on my tripod for weight.

Step Five: I place the ditty bag on top of the big pastel box. I wedge my gray plastic viewfinder in between the pastel box and the side of the box....now the box cannot move around. It is wedged into the Gogh box.

Step Six: I roll up a small microfiber towel and wedge it int the side of the box. This towel has a loop so I can hook it onto my tripod and use it to wipe my hands. I do carry baby wipes but I can also use the towel to conserve wipes. The purple thing is a very small pad of paper that I will use for thumbnail sketches.

Step Seven:  I won't a;ways be painting so I will also carry a small 6x6 sketchbook. This sketchbook has recycled coffee bean paper which is a nice kraft paper color. I decided to use charcoal for my sketches. The pencils have a small carry case and all will go int my backpack.

 Step Eight: Packing paper! I gut a lot of paper ranging in size 4x4 up to 9x12 in Uart, Wallis and Pastelmat. I am loading an 8x10 and 5x7 Itoya portfolio book with papers and putting these into my backpack. The rest of the paper will go into my suitcase. You can also see a clear pouch in the photo. This holds watercolors, brushes, tape extra clips and rubber bands. Since these items aren't essential they will go in my suitcase.

Step Nine: I place the Gogh box in the backpack. Behind the box is a pocket and I slip my Itoya paper portfolios in this pocket along with my ipad. I can also fit my comfort items, snacks, sunglasses,chargers in the other pockets. This is a GREAT backpack!

Step Ten:  The two pouches with paper and miscellaneous supplies in my suitcase. The tripod does fit in an outer pocket of the backpack but it is a tight fit so I prefer to put it in my large purse (really a tote bag) which I will also carry on. In this tote I have my camera, jacket and a change of clothes (just in case of a lost bag)

Today's painting is on Pastelmat with Girault pastels.