Lets talk about tripods. I took a workshop with Richard McKinley a few years back. He was using a Manfrotto quick release carbon fiber tripod with a Heilman box and Heilman aluminum easel. I looked at these Manfrotto tripods but decided they were too expensive for my budget. Manfrotto has aluminum (less expensive but heavier) tripods. The point of buying the carbon fiber tripod is to keep the weight down. So I went to Amazon and bought carbon fiber tripod that was not Manfrotto. I’ve had it for 1.5 years. I use it every week and it is holding up nicely. I have to admit when I first brought it to my plein air group, I was warned to be careful about putting the legs in beach sand. The sand can get into the tubes (legs) of the tripod and mess it up. Some artists put plastic bags around the three bases of the tripod. I never did that, I just clean the sand off the bases before I fold it up. As I told you last month the idea is to keep the amount of weight down so that you can carry all of your gear at once. So I carry two things to a painting site, a bag/backback with Heilman box and a few sundry items and my tripod in its carrying case. I’m using a bag these days but when I find the right backpack I’ll make the switch. My bag holds a board with paper that goes on my easel, a sketch book with pencils, drinking water, a couple of brushes, some sheets of paper towels, masking tape, sunglasses in a case, 90% alcohol in a small bottle and a small container for using the alcohol when I’m working on my underpainting and carrot sticks for snacking. The heaviest thing is the heilman box with the pastels inside. My Heilman aluminum easel fits in the carrying case for the tripod. If there is a camera store on your island, you could go in and ask about tripods and check them out. Don't waste your time in Best Buy. When I was looking they had three tripods in stock and no one there who knew anything about them. In a camera store, they can show you the differences in weight and how the the quick-release apparatus works. If you have a pastel box with the screw hole adapter on the bottom, bring it filled with pastels to see how it feels on the various tripods. My tripod can hold up to 30 lbs.
The best thing you can do on all this equipment stuff is to talk with someone who has it. They can tell you the pluses and minuses about their choice.
Last month I posted a pic of Christine Ahia’s set up. In talking with her, she says that she wishes it was taller. I looked the easel up, it comes from Jerry’s Artarama. Its called a Feather Pro 190. Today it was listed for $39.99. Notice in the picture below that the artist is sitting and she is pretty low. You might want to listen to Christine on this. She likes it but it doesn’t go high enough.
