Heilmann sketch box

Since I’m all packed and ready to go tomorrow, I thought I’d add a post to let you know about two new sketch boxes from John Heilman that I saw at IAPS. If you don’t know about the Heilman boxes, they are definitely the top of the line for transporting pastels. I use the backpack box for all plein air work and classes outside the studio. But it’s pretty heavy.  Now, Mr. Heilmann has come up with two new “sketch” boxes that each weigh under 2lbs empty. The one shown in the picture is the single sketch box. It has one compartment for pastels and the other side acts like an easel. There is a metal handle that holds the box up for painting. You can also get the box with two compartments for pastel with holes drilled to fit on a tripod (sketch box double).  The boxes run $150 (single) and $180 (double). They are beautifully made. I would probably buy the double and use one side for hard and Girault and the other for soft. If you use small pieces, you could get a lot of pastels in with less weight for transporting on planes.  For complete information, see: www.heilmandesigns.com.

The other new product that I got a sample of is the “cube” from Caran d’ache. These are long square pastels that look similar to NuPastel. They seem softer than NuPastels, but are still on the hard side. The colors are lovely, but they are also expensive.  Will try out the two I got a little more when I get home and let you know what I think.