If you're on holiday and want to spend some time making art whilst you're on this break, here are some tips to follow.
Pack portable, lightweight art supplies
It's best to pack portable, lightweight art supplies. For example, if you normally paint on large canvases, you might want to pack a couple of small ones or try painting on some blank postcards instead. Likewise, if you want to bring a sketchbook, it's best to opt for one that's A5 or A6, as you can easily fit this size into a handbag or backpack. You should also ensure you pack short, thin paintbrushes and use a small paint set with a lid, instead of packing individual tubes of paint.
This will enable you to take your art supplies with you when you're exploring the area and feel like spontaneously painting a small picture of a scenic spot that you find or when you want to sketch whilst sitting in a cosy café that you discover. You won't be forced to only use your supplies in your hotel, which could be the case if you brought along large canvases or several big tubes of paint that are too heavy to carry around. Furthermore, your supplies will take up less space in your suitcase, which will leave you with more room for any souvenirs you buy during the trip.
Ensure you can easily transport the finished artwork when you return home
If you think you'll probably produce a few paintings or drawings whilst you're away, you should ensure that you pack the things you'll need to transport the artwork when your holiday ends. For example, if you use some A5 sheets of paper to paint, you should pack some A5 cellophane pockets and A5 stiff card envelopes to put the paintings in. The cellophane will protect the paintings if any of your toiletries in your suitcase leak, whilst the stiff card envelopes will ensure the paintings don't get creased if you pack your heavy boots or lots of clothing on top of them. You might also want to pack a hairdryer so that you can speed up the drying of any wet paintings and ensure that they are dry to the touch before you pack them away.
If you'll be using charcoal or soft pencils that smudge easily, you should also pack a miniature bottle of fixative spray, so the drawings you make with them won't smudge or transfer carbon or charcoal onto your clothes inside your suitcase.
You might love looking at art, and you may even enjoy making art of your own. You might not know as much about art history as you would like to, though. It can be a bit overwhelming to try to learn about the history of art, but it can be a lot of fun, too.
We are here to share a little bit of what we have learned about art history with you and other art enthusiasts. You can use our website for information about art history and to find out how to purchase and display older art in your own home, too.