The Best Non-Art Art Tools

Here are some of the best non-art art tools that I've come across:

• a carpenter's level to make sure your easel or work surface is in fact level 

• wooden carpenter shims to stabilize wobbly table legs or easels

• 2-tier chrome metal shoe racks - attach two sets, turn up on short side, and use for vertical canvas storage.  These fit beneath drafting/watercolor tables.  use other sets for wet canvas drying racks.

• rolling kitchen type three shelf cart for supplies, move where you need it

• tape several small coffee cans into a honeycomb configuration and use to store/sort colored pencils

• small glass condiment cups for mediums, large wash batches

• old cookie sheet to cover your palette 

• cake/pie spatula or frosting spatula to spread gesso thinly and evenly

• freezer paper, taped to work surfaces, then remove when dirty or at end of day

• adhesive shelf liner to protect work tables, remove when dirty

• box fans, one for each window, to bring in fresh air, exhaust bad air

• baby oil to remove oil paint from your skin 

• latex exam gloves so you don't have to use the baby oil

• Murphy's oil soap if you get paint where it shouldn't be - works best if paint is wet, can also use in the washing machine but spot treat instead of pour in

• make your own palette using a large sheet of glass, backed with a medium gray piece mat board, and tape edges with duct tape 

• razor blade paint scrapers to clean palette

 

What non-art art tools have you found to be most useful?

 

Comments

[sue smith]

Thank you all for these great ideas! I'm sure there will be plenty of artists collecting coffee cans, looking at Ikea and the thrift shops for old baby strollers! I'll be at the Ikea store...

[kristin]

Wooden boxes are great for storing paints..think wine crates, silverware boxes, tea boxes (you may have to remove the innards) Any type that is shallow and hinged. I use square suitcase-style baskets to store drawing supplies. They are light weight and stack easily. I purchased a baby stroller (it was a bit musty so most likely wouldn't be recycled for a baby and only cost $5)It was put to good use at a challenging plein air paintout to carry the easel and paints. It got plenty of comments, but the drink holder was priceless..saved my back and made for smiles.
Have several old wooden tool chests that are also great in the studio for odd supplies. Used an Expedit sofa table from Ikea that has a glass top for a palette table in front of my easel..Put grey paper under the glass and added casters to the bottom so that it rolls easily..

[Wrenaissance Art]

Blow dryer for watercolor painting in rainy or humid weather or for really big wash areas when you're in a hurry.
Old coffee cans for re-using turps or white spirit. Pour your used solvent into coffee can; cover with plastic lid and let paint grounds settle out. Next day, slowly and carefully pour clear solvent into solvent jar to re-use, leaving grounds at bottom of coffee can.

[Sherry]

Coffee cans are fine to hold colored pencils, but I made something similar from a bunch of toilet paper cores. I glued them to a piece of foam core, spray painted the whole thing, and use it to keep pens, pencils, and scissors neat and close-by.

[sue smith]

Great ideas! Keep 'em coming

[Jackie Garner]

1. White bathroom tiles make ideal palettes for acrylics, & don't shatter like glass all over the studio floor if you drop them.(I'm speaking from experience on that one!)
2. A cook book stand is great for holding a sketchbook open,upright and available.
3. I made a mahl stick from a bamboo cane, small piece of fabric & a champagne cork.
4. A chrome magazine rack makes a perfect tabletop browser for small unframed works & matches my gridwall display screens.

[vivien]

some of those ideas I use but some great new ones, in the comments as well.

Nutcrackers (cheapie) is one of my useful tools for opening stiff paint caps.

A fabulous and not-expensive set of plastic drawers that click lock closed, have a carrying handle - about 18 inches high and a foot wide, 3 drawers, each divided into 3 sub compartments from a hardware/diy shop. Designed for screws and nails? Perfect for pastels:

-drawers divided into light/medium/dark
for:

blues

reds

yellows

greens

browns

black/white

It would have cost at least 4 times the price in art shop labelled as 'art ...'

[Jo-Ann Sanborn]

Fun list, and so helpful. My contribution is using a clear, over-the-door hanging shoe storage bag for my paint tube supply. The paints go into the pockets according to hue around a traditional color wheel system, with the neutrals and earth colors in their own pockets below.

[Michael Fraley]

Love your list. Here are some ideas from mine:

= window that opens (all hail proper ventilation)

= old spoons from the Salvation Army or Goodwill instead of the plastic throw away stuff - just tape the handles so you don't accidentally eat with them!

= old pickle jars to store different kinds of binders, glues, chemicals, solvents, etc.

= old glass shelving for paint making / pigment mixing surfaces.

= metal trash can (with lid)if you're afraid your oil painting rags will spontaneously combust.

[Fi]

Great list, there's a few new ideas in there for me to try out.

My additions are a fridge egg tray or icecube tray as a palette for watercolours or inks, a bowl scraper as a large brush for oils or acrylics, and a clothes airer as a portable drying rack.