There is no way you could stay inside on a sunny, 81° March day in CT. So the "Take-It Easel" made it into the back of the car, along with assorted supplies (bug spray for ticks, hat, water, canvas, umbrella, wipes, lunch, paint & brushes, paper towels, folding chair.)
I also took my small Open Box M field easel that clips on to a folding tripod, in case I decided to just go with a smaller canvas. I bought the maple Take-It Easel (www.takeiteasel.com) years ago, during an Albert Handel workshop, and haven't gotten much use out of it, painting small paintings. Today I really enjoyed it, painting a larger painting--once I again figured out how to set it up. Fortunately I had brought along a 2' x 2' board, which I could rest on the arms, and put my big glass palette on top of. No, I wasn't "hiking in" to an undisclosed location! Just painting right next to my car in Middlebury, by the pond in front of Fenn's Farm. It really was glorious today, being outside and I plan to return in the next few days to finish the painting.
Pluses for the the Take-It Easel (on right): can take really BIG canvases (the brochure says 48" and up, with the extension rod) and because it's maple, and not plastic, it can probably handle tons of weight. The fittings are all brass, and this one was made in Massachusetts. Since I love handmade wooden things, I think it's pretty beautiful. I just googled the easel and can't believe it, but you can still purchase one from the man who made mine, Tobin Nadeau, in VT: 802.999.7123. Set-up time: about 5 minutes, maybe more with uneven terrain or wind. A small learning curve figuring out how to extend the legs, and how to use the wooden dowels to rest the canvas on--once you get it, no big deal.
Pluses for Open Box M easel (www.openboxm.com): takes 1 (one) minute to set up, very light weight, can schlepp in a backpack. Takes awhile to get used to which way the panel/canvas holders work, but the size and weight are a definite plus. Also made in the USA out of wood. Weight: 1.25 lb.s. I bought the small one (8" x 10"), and if doing over, might have gotten the next size up, just to get the extra mixing area. I can actually fit a much larger panel on mine--16" horizontally. It comes with an extra mixing board that hooks on to the outside of the easel, but I like having it all on one surface. I went to a glass store and got them to cut a piece of glass to just fit inside the easel for easy cleanup. The Open Box M brass clips that you can order to hang things on can get lost in a hurry. I generally hang the turps on one of the knobs, and put my paper towels on the handle of the tripod that adjusts the angle. Still working on the poor-man's answer to brush rests!
Whatever you get, be sure to figure out a way to weight the easel/tripod down so that wind doesn't affect you. Today I took a velcro strap and strapped my painting bag to the easel and had no problems.
Today I also used my Guerilla Shadebuddy umbrella (Amazon: about $70), one that you stomp the pole into the ground, and I was very happy to have it--makes such a difference. It's about 4.5 feet long folded up, and has a sharp pointed stake with a foot pedal that makes it super easy to stick in the ground. Unfortunately, a big drawback is flying -- I would be surprised if the airlines allow it. I only had to chase it down once today when the wind kicked up. For trips I guess I'll have to invest in one that clamps to the easel, but if you've ever had an easel sail off with your painting and all your paint, you might be a little umbrella shy. Best to be under the shade of a tree or building, but sometimes there just isn't a choice.
I didn't use one today, but the RayMar plastic wet carrying boxes are really great. (808) 809-3314--and they sell nice linen Gatorboard panels to fit inside. Also, PanelPak (www.panelpak.com) makes a great 2-panel carrier that fits neatly in your carrying bag. I will probably use one or the other, depending on what size panel I pick tomorrow when I paint down on the shore, if the weather holds--sailboats!!
For prepainting inspiration, videos by Colley Whisson from Australia, were a good warm up. Each segment is about 10 minutes long. You can see some of his work on YouTube if you just search on his name. Also we now have access to Morgan Samuel Price videos locally, who gives a very thorough walkthrough of how to set up and paint "plein air" using a limited palette. If you're not ready for the great outdoors, try her basic drawing and composition videos. Excellent.
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