What's in your art chest?

[Ransom]

I have a plethora of places where I keep my creative works supplies. Besides boxes of supplies and tools in the attic and garage, I have overflowing baskets above and beneath my worktable, a fishing tackle box, a small antique Chinese box, some antique spice boxes and this (the only thing I have a picture of):

Woodworking tools, wood (lots), sewing and embroidery accoutrement (LOTS), paints (watercolour, gouache and acrylic), a plethora of brushes, coloured pencils, Rapidograph pens, pastels and found items, such as silver beads, ribbon and shark teeth I used to collect when I used to dive in a shark tank.

Oooo, I LOVE that one! Is that another Ebay find?

[Red-Handed Jill]

It was a Christmas gift from Jack a couple of years ago. He saw me salivating over it in an antique shop and surprised me with it.

[Lady Cassandra Seahawke]

If'n the Antique shop twas on Ventura Blvd it twas the same I had me eye on (yep it twas around Christmas time and twas gone just before ...). LOL. OH Well, if'n I had to lose the chance at it glad it twas to another pirate. IT twas a beauty.

Mayhap I find some other where I be at now.

[Red-Handed Jill]

It was on 4th Street in San Mateo, just south of San Francisco so definitely not the same box...

[Fernandina Pirate]

What great ideas and those be some beautiful pieces. Many, many years ago I took an old wooden wine box and made a few alterations to it to hold my oils and brushes. I haven't worked in oils for about 30 years now.

Of late, I've been playing with photography. It's a much quicker medium with very little clean up. To relax I enjoy working with wood and I can never resist restoring an old piece back to it's original glory. I also do jewelry pieces in precious and semi-precious stones when the mood hits.

[LadyBarbossa]

Pencils mostly. But love using charcoal. It's awesome.

If I want to color them, I'll scan them in and color using adobe photoshop. Tedious and time consuming considering I don't have a Tablet and pricy prorams. But it works.

I've used colored pencils before to draw and color. But last time I did that was 2003 and that was two Transformer style pictures. ehh.

~Lady B

Edited October 24, 2008 by LadyBarbossa

[Salty]

errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

right, pottery bits and bobs in a bucket ( all handy like that way) the rest of my tools of the trade dont fit in a chest so I went the route of no return.... and built a garden shed

[callenish gunner]

yes salty it is like going over to the darkside ....unfortunately my entire house and a large storage building has become my "art chest" ...artwork and supplies in virtually every nook & cranny that isn't filled with swords knives or flintlocks ....but sometimes they are forced to share space

[Lady Cassandra Seahawke]

Near SF ey? Dang nab it, that means thar were two of em out there 'nd I missed both of them. LOL

Oh well such is life.

Ah, Ransom thar be no need to be jealous. Me shop is being shared with my brother as he needed a place to put some of his woodworking tools and I said yes. Then he needed to store a few other things and like a dope I said yes. So half is now filled with his stuff, but, at least it is quiet place to go to.

HUMmmm... When I was in high school (so many years ago) I was the only girl that took shop and loved it. Now in me shop my brother has all manner of saws and neat other items to play with. So if'n said bro doesn't use his stuff I just may have to put it to good use m'self.

[Red Cat Jenny]

Ransom why is everything you have so cool?

Hmm There are bits everywhere at times..I recently reorganized (bows to the wee zip lock gods) and decided I need to stay away from the craft shop for a while LOL..um..yeah I didn't know I had quite that much...

Not that its a rediculous amount or that I don't dig into it often..but..I have a habit of picking up things at times not realizing I have a few packages of that already.

Still I was happy separating it into such things as natural materials, fancy stuff, metal parts, real beads, glass beads, pearls, different colors and then "other"

My chests would include...

Various plunder sent me by you good piratey folks (the niece and nephew had a blast with the plastic coins the other day..it was Arr matey treasure!! all over the house heehee)

Beads...you name it..I got it

natural stone and wood and shell beads as well

Swarovski beads (shiiiny)

small bells of different colors (Mardi GRAS)

tin Native American cones I learned how to make when I was 12 from soda cans (thanks for the tools dad!)

Suede

Faux fur

Suede, leather, hemp, jute and raffia lacing

Cotton twine

Tiny, medium and big shells

fishnetting

metal parts of all kinds

nylon and cotton thread

a whole sewing box

beading, carpet, leather and regular needles

feathers

felt

foam

Water color paint

fancy paper used for cardmaking but handy for lots of stuff

construction paper

glitter

glitter glue

glitter markers

mettalic markers

sharpies etc

2 bottles of India ink, pen and nibs

inkpad and some cool stampers

glue gun

pliers

wire cutters

craft wire

fabric and glass paints

clear glass shiny balls

bottles

different decorative small chain and scraps

buttons

shell buttons which I covet

ribbon bits of all sorts

yards of linen

craft foam

Elmers glue gel

oh and these glue dots which are so cool - they work great! I was skeptical, now I am converted!

hmm

brocade ribbon which I hope to trim my coat with when its done - heh I bought yards of the stuff

sealing wax

sand

I know Im missing some..but you get the idea...and I need to get busy got a few things in the fire..

[Ransom]

Hey, Cat, are you sure we're not twins, separated at birth!

List two:

Keys of every sort and age

shells

feathers

charms

ribbon

buttons—old and new

Jewelry working tools — chain nose, round nose, and fat nosed pliers, wire cutters, Drummel tool, etc.

tons of jewelry bits and bobs — some vintage some new.

Beads and findings — vintage and new

paper punches

misc sizzers with decorative edges

heating tool

soldering gun & solder

small wood blanks in different shapes

You have to understand, I've been collecting this stuff for a long, long time.

[Lady Cassandra Seahawke]

If I got into specifics of materials it would take way too long to list everything. I basically listed items I am using for the sketchbook art.

[Morgan Dreadlocke]

A company I used ta work fer tossed out an old blueprint/topo map cabinet. The thing is huge an heavy. Has 10 drawers an inch deep by 36x24". Thinkin' about leavin' out every other drawer an building up the drawer sides to 2". 30 square feet of tool and supply storage - HELL YES!

[Red Cat Jenny]

Heh Ransom..I have wondered that

ooh I forgot my glue gun !

I would love to have a chart cabinet. Not for crafts stuff but for charts just since you metioned something like that

[Lady Cassandra Seahawke]

ohhh, cabinet sounds cool!

[Pew]

Check on eBay - they often have wooden carpenter's chests that are perfect for this sort of thing. They can even have layers of sliding trays inside. I have one like that and I got it for a REALLY reasonable price.

Here's a couple of pics of it:

Gotta love eBay!

I'm addicted!

I've been pouring through antique shoppes here on the shore. i have yet to find a ....errr... find like that... :)

[Crows Nest Vintage]

good watercolor pencils, sharpeners, decent paint brushes. Acrylic sealers for the watecolors pencils since I illustrate with the watercolor pencils on the theater scenery they give me, the wood is in little bits and pieces, but they are unusual shapes.

Edited November 13, 2008 by Crows Nest Vintage

[Ransom]

If I got into specifics of materials it would take way too long to list everything. I basically listed items I am using for the sketchbook art.

So am I. This is my third sketchbook round, and I've used all of that stuff at one point or another. Still am.

[Red-Handed Jill]

I'm addicted!

I've been pouring through antique shoppes here on the shore. i have yet to find a ....errr... find like that... :)

I've had pretty good luck buying wooden boxes through eBay. Besides that one, I got one map box bound in brass, two medium boxes that Jack and I use for toiletries when we go on black powder rendezvous, an antique explosives box, a small box bound in brass for a friend and a sailor's ditty box for Jack. I've seen larger boxes similar to mine on eBay - sometimes it seems they show up in waves. Seriously - check out eBay.

Here's one that's about to end soon.

And another.

Edited November 2, 2008 by Red-Handed Jill

[Capn Bob]

Okay...this is going to be...different.

Favorite medium? Most likely obsidian, altho Flint Ridge flint is good too. Glass I will work with no hesitation. But there's just something about obsidian. Yes, I am...a flintknapper!

And there's more types of obsidian than just the basic black. There's Silver Sheen, which is black with elements of silver color streaked thru...there's Tiger Stripe, which is brown with black stripes (the which, when thin enuff, you can see thru), there's even a green obsidian, altho I've never seen it.

Tools? Things like copper boppers and Ishi Sticks, not to mention the standard pressure flakers. Abrading stones, to grind down your platforms. Notchers, which is just a small pressure flaker, to put the notches into your point. Leather or rubber pads for the hand.

Other items in the box? Leather work gloves...which usually come off at some time, and a good box of bandaids. Because the Obsidian Spirit demands the occasional sacrifice, and if you are a flintknapper, you should be prepared to bleed.

Sadly, I do not have any pictures of my work. Even the largest is just a few inches in length, and my camera just can't handle it. I'll see what I can do.

As a side note, I am considering returning to scrimshaw next year. I've found a source of fossil ivory, some sailmakers needles (I've used steel phonograph needles in the past), and I'm sure to find some good illustrations of ships on the net. Have to have something to do over the long dreary winter. Flintknapping is decidedly not an indoor activity

[Lady Cassandra Seahawke]

one item that some think is a bit unusual is a big iron three legged kettle (think huge cauldron). The kettle is approximately 3 feet around, and approximately 2 1/2 feet deep. The legs are curved tripod attached to an iron circle base that the kettle sits into. The base unit is another 2 feet tall.

I use it for firing/torching silver pieces (ie fine silver clay) I also use it to embed (via incense) positive blessings for those pieces I send to my friends.

Edited November 4, 2008 by Lady Cassandra Seahawke

[William Brand]

My art chest is filled with obsession, frustration and other mixed media.

[Patrick Hand]

WoW... it's so cool that there are so many Pyrates with so many different forms of art...... dang cool....

Okay...this is going to be...different.

Favorite medium? Most likely obsidian,

Dang... I use to flake obsidian.... cut myself a few times (well a lot of times... those little flakes are sharp)....... Hey... if we ever went to hell in a hand basket... I could make a cutting tool.....

What's in your art chest?... looking at the definitions of what is art and kinda re-thinking it...... heck, when I posted, I was just talkin' about what I use fer drawin' cartoons... kinda funny, that it is only about 6 things that I usually use for cartooning....

But after reading other Pyrates post... and alla the stuff... heck... I wanted to post that my entire RV ain't nothing but art storage..... but that would be nothing more than a bad attempt at oneupmanship... and well heck... it don't look as cool as Red Handed Jill's art chest....(not that her other ches.... nah... I better not say that....... )

Anyway... I think this thread has morphed not into what you have to make art... but into something even better... what art do you make.....cool....

[Crows Nest Vintage]

My instructor chided me and asked me to purchase a certain kind of thicker paper from the college book store, but the paper is extremely large. The instructor also likes to slice the paper into many smaller workable pieces. You should see him work, he's kind of a younger crocodile dundee meets Indiana Jones kind of character. He is Professor Greenwalt

He said this type of fabric mixed in paper is durable. We had to work in charcoal and Gesso. I work with watercolor pencils and Prismacolor pencils. I illustrate on wood. So I guess it would be a new concept to work on parchment or rag type paper. For now I have Canson watercolor paper. I did illustrate in pen and ink, But pencils are my first love. Pencils need workable fixatives, and/or acrylic spray coating to protect the final illustration.

Would it be a good idea for some artists to make their own books with this type of sturdy paper and then scan what they have to make cds,

Most copy shops like copy doctor will do this. Then send cds to some members that can reprint, and book pages to others who work with the tactile types of mediums, wood, paper, metal?

Once they Mail the artwork on its way it is in trust with the postal system. Perhaps a scan of the work they have completed, in case of postal incidents?

With the mad ness that ensues at Spring semesters approach, I will stand in the wings and work on some things, Once I get some projects accomplished I will check back in. I never do well under pressure or deadlines. Plus I need a lot more paper supplies Ezpecially soft mood music, and White Zinfandel

Edited November 8, 2008 by Crows Nest Vintage

[Patrick Hand]

Ezpecially soft mood music, and White Zinfandel tongue.gif

Aaargh... but loud boistrious sea shantys anna couple a bottles a rum always works fer me.......