I was looking for the replacement leads for my mechanical pencil.
Just leads.
I knew I had put them somewhere sensible. Somewhere memorable. Somewhere safe. I just had no idea where that somewhere was.
I asked Vanessa.
“Have you seen my 0.5mm Uni leads? Little plastic case. White top?”
Vanessa has an almost supernatural ability to locate the things I misplace. She seems to carry an internal map of my chaos, but even she looked doubtful this time.
I checked the drawers. Lifted sketchbooks. Opened tins.
I briefly wondered whether they had migrated to the kitchen, victims of one of my “I’ll just put this here for a moment” decisions.
Nothing.
Amazon offered hope. £4.19 for 24. One click, and the problem would disappear.
But I didn’t want tomorrow’s leads. I wanted the ones I already owned.
A small stick of lost graphite was the moment it caught up with me. The moment I had to admit that my art materials storage “system” was not a system at all. It was more like a leaning tower of creative good intentions, a stack of brushes and a precariously balanced tear-off palette.
It’s hard to be creative when you can’t find a pencil.
The Francis Bacon Delusion
Francis Bacon Studio, 7 Reece Mews (Photo By Perry Ogden)
For years, I told myself chaos was part of the process. I loved the photographs of Francis Bacon’s studio at Reece Mews.
Paint smeared across the walls. Torn photographs underfoot. Tubes piled high in glorious disorder. If it worked for him, why not me?
Although, if I’m honest, I have no idea whether it did work for him. He may well have spent long afternoons searching for a tube of Cremnitz White.
So how does a naturally untidy artist create calm? How do you build order without losing spontaneity?
It’s not like I haven’t tried anything before. I’ve bought the wooden boxes. I’ve ordered the slim paint drawers everyone recommends online, and they work.
For me, week one, they’re always immaculate. I put everything back. Week two, they’re a bit more wedged shut. Week three, and I’ve crammed them so tightly that even with a generous amount of E-Z slide, they are never going to open again.
If you have to shove and pull, it just becomes frustrating.
You stop opening them.
And when you stop opening drawers, you start stacking things on top of them.
What would make putting something away so easy that even an exhausted, paint-covered me would actually do it?
Tool Storage for the Win!
2 metres of metal storage!
I wanted something big, with smooth-running multiple shallow drawers that could take some weight. A solid surface that I could use as a cutting station or for priming panels. With wheels, if I ever wanted to move it, if the room layout changed.
I also wanted it to lock, just in case curious visiting nieces ever went exploring for paint thinners! And finally, it had to be a neutral colour that would not affect the light or the overall feel of the space.
Metal tool storage was the way to go.
Several hours after it arrived, after I’d adjusted its position in the studio multiple times, and after the excitement of opening and closing drawers had waned, I was confident my collection of paint tubes, pens, and mediums would neatly fit into all the drawers.
I also liked the idea of keeping my current paints separate and out on top. I wanted to create a wall-mounted storage area above it, with long screws for clips to hold selected paint tubes. This would also allow me to store other bits like my favourite brushes.
I got some wood cut and painted it up. Plotting out where everything would go.
On the left, a magnetic metal tool storage holder is perfect for palette knives.
Then a little shelf for drying paintings and books I’m reading.
Light Meter, Colour Checker
There was enough room for things I use when I’m making demo tutorials. These are all measurement devices for either measuring light or colour accuracy.
A cutting board station and a place to hang an apron.
On top of the wooden worktop, I’ve put a piece of tempered glass with a value strip underneath, which I can use to mix colour strings. There will be a slight colour difference due to the glass, but it will get me in the ballpark. You can see this palette method in the Oil Portrait Lesson
Yes, it’s an investment, but in just one week it has already saved me time and taken a weight off my mind.
I can now find my pencils! I’ve got a black pen and urban sketching drawer. Acrylics, oils, water-mixable oils, a watercolour drawer, my mediums, my varnishes. Everything has its place.
If you have been putting off investing in something that feels less exciting than a fresh tube of paint, but would genuinely improve how your studio runs, it is worth reconsidering. I wish I’d purchased something like this years ago.
Have a great, creatively organised, chaotic week ahead!
Will
Fantastic! Most impressive. Thanks for sharing!
Absolutely beautiful! I found myself trying to read the labels on the paint tubes you left out – your favorites…
Thanks Diana, pleased you like it.
I’ve got to know. Did you ever find the replacement leads?
Ha, ha yes! replacement leads where found in a pencil case!
What an excellent storage and work station! Fab
Cheers Leslie
A well organized Painting Studio make painting sessions so much easier. Thank you for posting this!
So true Marie
Brilliant Will, but what we all want to know is where we can buy the storage unit??
Hey Alan, oh yeah, forgot that bit! It’s from a company called Pollor. They have a silver and a black version. This is to the black version: https://pollor.co.uk/product/pollor-72-steel-extra-large-garage-tool-box-storage-chest-black/
One other thing I forgot to mention is that it comes with the wheels on! some others I looked at you have to install the wheels yourself. Also on their site is a pop up that offers 5% discount if you sign up to their mailing list. It’s free next delivery aswell.
Cheers,
Will
Sam’s club has something similar for $600. I got two on sale, I use one for tool/art storage and the other as an outdoor kitchen… FYI
Great, thanks Charles, glad you’ve been finding yours helpfu.
Hi Will, Really enjoy your way of telling this story. Sounds familiar, when I put a newly purchased art supply down then days later can’t remember where I left it. I too have organized my art supplies with IKEA bookcases that you can make into little cupboards or drawers with inserts you can buy. I then labeled the doors and drawers so I can find everything quickly. For larger items i think your storage unit idea would work perfectly. Thank You
Great stuff Wendy, yes, looking forward to getting the label machine out next!
Fabulous set up! Well done
Thanks Anna
I think that’s just wonderful
Cheers Jennifer
Awesome! I would love to have one of these, but the cost, maybe someday. I did however, commandeer our front door cupboard by removing the junk that wound up in there instead of the coats it was intended for. I turned it into an art supply cupboard. Perfect because I frequently do art at the dining room table and I love the accessibility of it and often will open the doors to admire my art supplies and gather inspiration. I think I am rather brilliant, (just ignore the overloaded coat hooks and the basket of shoes at the door though). I love your knife magnet for your palette knives, I’m stealing that idea.
Nice idea to have it by the dining room Robin, and yes the magnetic strip is so handy.
Will
Will , welcome to the wonderful world of neat, tidy and knowing where it all starts , you nailed a proper set up especially for your many mediums , kudos, this is not an easy task looks fantastic … I’m not invested , I do have everything where I need it and to find it
Glad those leads were found , tee
Thanks Kim, glad you enjoyed it.
The magnetic knife strip for the palette knives is brilliant! Cheers!
Cheers Kristen, yes, so handy.
This is wonderful! I had a similar workshop wooden drawer cabinet and gave it to my daughter when I moved to a small rental. But I dream of again owning a home big enough to house a studio. Thank you for the inspiration; and it will have wheels!
Cheers Linda, pleased you enjoyed the article.
Your studio looks great , Will . The Francis Bacon studio is now located in Dublin at the Hugh Lane Gallery in all its messy glory . Personally, I don’t know how he or any other artist could work in such appalling conditions- so deeply depressing !
However , I must admit that I have had very many experiences of the kind you described: missing pencils , missing paints and ‘special erasers ‘ .
Good luck with your new system.
Patrick Halloran.
Hey Patrick, yes, it’s fantastic that it’s been relocated to Dublin. I feel like I could have helped them to rearrange it!
Will, bravo for your decisive fix to something I can certainly relate to on many levels…. But –
Let’s see what things look like in a few weeks
If you are anything like me, expect piles to reappear like magic. Hopefully manageable sized.
Entropy. It’s not just for physicists -artists too
Ha, ha, very true Mark!
That is a fantastic looking cabinet. And it’s big! I can’t find anything like it here in the U.S. It’s great for holding watercolor paper or canvas panels too, along with extra paint tubs. I am jealous. And it looks fab in your space as well. The best I will be able to do is the magnetic bar for the palette knives. Another great idea.
Hey Janice, yes the magnetic bars can be super helpful. I hope you can incorporate it into your studio.
Will
Wow Will that looks so clear and neat! Unfortunately I don’t have the space just a very messy big desk surface which I’m constantly tidying – therefore not staying tidy! I loved the video of Francis Bacon thank you!
Cheers Amanda.
Also thank you for your interesting emails and views of your lovely art work
This is brilliant! Investing in your studio can reinforce the idea that you are serious about your art. Thanks, Will!
Congrats Will. Brilliant idea! The best is the resting and peace of mind for Vanessa.
Thanks Marivone, yes, it’s working so well for both of us.
I cannot express how grateful and appreciative I am for all you share. I still have to get off my butt and really dive into anything art, but I still love reading your newsletters, etc. They always spark something in me and get me interested in starting.
thank you so much, you are great, and love this post, so many cool ideas!
Thanks Addie, so pleased you enjoy the articles, thanks for following along.
OMG, Will. This is SO organised. It’s like Monty Don’s garden shed – and I’m quite sure he has a crowd of little gnomes doing his tidying up! I am very impressed and particularly love the way you’ve hung up your paint tubes. That is sheer genius. I am going to try that one for myself. My paints are currently all chucked in one large plastic box and are not looking pristine.
Glad you enjoyed it Thelma, happy tidying!
Yes Will, we all want to see an unedited pic of your new studio in a few weeks time! Love your work, always so inspiring.
I keep trying to steal the Craftsman storage carts that I bought for my husband 30 years ago. He can’t find anything, either, but I look seriously at the hardware stores for one (or two) I can use just like you did Will. I keep buying plastic cases with dividers hoping a set of paint tubes will fit. For travel I tried a case of thin boxes that were made to hold photos. That almost worked. I have multiple kinds of short drawers under my table that were made for sewing. I don’t have a light under my L-shaped table so it’s difficult to see anything. I don’t have any way to keep papers and canvases nice.
It would be great to use my table for painting! It is big enough to have 3 stations for WC, Acrylic and Oil. But – Oh no- brushes are a mess. How did you store the brushes? Can’t wait to see your one-month-in photos.
Thanks, Will. You do have a way with words that honestly explain things and give me a chuckle. Keep it up, please.
Thanks Rachel, brushes tend to be in pots, with a few larger ones hanging on the backboard of the unit.
Still laughing at reading your wonderful account of trying to keep a tidy studio. I use a spare bedroom and an old wardrobe…which has mystifyingly become the magic cupboard…. Stuff goes in there and disappears!