With summer well underway, a lot of folks take the opportunity to attend art classes, seminars and retreats.
It’s a great way to learn new techniques, get away from your regular routine and spend time with other like-minded souls. You can find art classes and retreats all across the country; from urban settings to rustic venues far off the beaten path.
Once you’ve made all your travel arrangements, it’s time to get yourself organized. Of course, you’re going to pack as light as possible, but you do need a certain amount of equipment. Regardless of the medium you’ll be using, you need a subset of your regular supplies – including supports for painting and a way to safely carry them.
Sure, it’s easy enough to pack all your paints and brushes into a compact carrier, but it’s a little more difficult to carry paper or canvases larger than 9″x12″. That’s where an art portfolio comes in handy.
These carrying cases come in many sizes; from small, briefcase-sized containers to cases that are large enough to hold a full sheet of watercolor paper. Using a dedicated art portfolio ensures your supports are safe from damage, and you can carry them along with your other supplies quite easily.
An art portfolio is a good investment you should consider adding to your equipment inventory. As your skills increase and you work your way up from small works to larger, more ambitious pieces, you may find you’ll need more than one size of portfolio.
For those of you who are painting substantially-sized pieces, here’s a carrier that’s large enough for your biggest paintings. Although it’s not the cheapest portfolio you’ll find, it certainly is a carrier you’ll use for many years. Save up your shekels and treat yourself to a quality carrier that’s sturdy and will be a lasting investment.
Prestige Carry-All Soft-Sided Art Portfolio
Prestige Carry-All Soft-Sided Art Portfolio 24″ x 36″ ASIN: B000HFS9NS
This art portfolio is packed with features that make it a quality piece of luggage.
The carrier, constructed with a wire frame to maintain its shape, is ideal for transporting watercolor papers without bending or damaging the corners.
Perfect for the artist on the go!
Exterior Features
The case is made from water-resistant black nylon and is lightweight and durable. It has rubber feet to protect the bottom from wear. Prestige uses sturdy nylon strapping stitched from the bottom up for a strap that supports the entire case. The strap is adjustable, so you’ll feel comfortable carrying it, regardless of your height. The handle is well-padded so that you can carry it comfortably for a long distance.
This portfolio also has a roomy, external pocket that’s about 18″ wide x 17″ high that closes with a Velcro flap. It expands up to three inches deep so that you can carry lots of extras.
Prestige has constructed this portfolio with a zipper that encloses the case on three sides. You can open the case to lie flat, so you can easily insert your work.
Interior Features
Inside, you’ll find a small, zippered pouch for storing the small stuff. Perfect for business cards, small writing pad, pens or other easily lost items.
The gusset expands to three inches in depth, so there’s plenty of room for all your work. You can carry tons of watercolor paper or several stretched canvases.
There’s also a diagonal elastic restraining strap to hold your paper supports in place. This strap is great for thin papers that could buckle when stored vertically.
The case maintains it shape with a wire frame for a semi-rigid, luggage-type carrier. This frame adds protection from damage to the corners of canvases or paper corners bending.
