The all new Studio Bongo

[Bongo]

I have a new space - about 9' x12' I've tried to organize it so as to have the most open space, while still being able to paint multiple large acrylic and oil paintings simultaneously.

18" x 24" gessoed panel on the wall ready to paint # 1& 2 are palette "tables" made from barstools. #3 is a 27" antiglare monitor mounted on an adjustable arm. The grey cabinet holds paints and supplies.

1. oil paint brushes 2. acrylic paint brushes 3. the second palette table 4. the monitor turned 90 degrees to use with -- 5. the peg board wall easel.

back wall - 1 an old (I think) dentist's side table I've had for years(and years) holds an assortment of supplies, built like a tank.

it has pull-out shelves that can significantly expand the work surface -supper heavy duty.

my prized Plein Air equipment. 1. homemade wet palette carrier 2. large (Russian) Yarka easel . 3. (Italian) Mabef half-box easel 4. (French) Jullian half-box easel. 5. paints, brushes, etc. for plein air..

2. that same supply cabinet. 1. curtain separating the adjoining storage area

inside that cabinet 1. acrylic paints 2. oil paints. -- inks, medium, and other supplies

on the other side of that curtain are finished paintings, 1. long white box holds two hundred 30"x40" figurative paintings - all acrylic on Yupo.

so far I'm liking it. Next is organizing the storage space, so I can extend the studio space.

 

[Triduana]

That's fantastic! Now I'm envious.

 

[Artyczar]

WOW! I'm so fascinated. This is amazing, wonderful, exciting, and a happy turn of events! Couldn't be more buzzed for you. Thank you for sharing all the pictures and details. I absolutely love that. I even wish there were more. I wish I could come up and help you with organizing your storage space because I'm that weird!

 

[Terri]

This is great! I think your use of the pegboard is genius. I don't use canvas, I paint with oil pastels and am generally on paper. I'm now trying to think of how to get paper to stay on pegboard!

Terrific use of space. I envy you that old dental/medical side cabinet - cleverly made, and I'm sure it holds a ton of stuff for you.

Wow! Great pictures, too. Just a brilliant setup.

 

[laika]

Wow, this looks like the bunker of an art prepper!
In my imagination, Studio Bongo was simply the Great Outdoors - a pop-up studio with an ever-changing location, so to speak

Edit: Is that a painting of Putin with a bowling ball in his hand? I love it!

 

[snoball]

WOW! Looks like a sweet setup! Congratulations.

 

[Bongo]

Thanks Kay!

Ayin, appreciate the kind words. When I'm ready to organize the "abyss" would like to hear any ideas or design options for the storage area....

Terri - I paint mostly on hardboard and put it up on the pegboard with standard pegboard pins --could you tape the paper to a piece of hardboard? Using space efficiently is a passion of mine. The old dentist(?) side table was a great find - it holds a ton and weighs a ton.

Laika - "art prepper bunker" - I like that. Doing Plein Air is sorta like having an ever-changing pop-up studio location. The Bowler is just a made-up face - wish I had thought of making it Putin. I do however have a painting of a young Kim Jung-un with a bee beard...

Thank Snoball - you're one of my art heroes.

 

[snoball]

Thank Snoball - you're one of my art heroes.

Why, thank you, Bongo!

 

[Hermes2020]

Mazel tov! What a fantastic studio space. I would very much like to know more about those reflector lights, because I need some good ones. Are they LED types? Do they have a colour temperature specification?

 

[Bongo]

Thanks Hermes -

the reflectors are 8.5 inch clamp on type.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08X4C6ZXY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

The bulbs are LED 23watt(150watt equivalent) 2500 lumens 5000kelvin. 85+CRI

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B12S1PRF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

[Marksmomagain]

I Love all this. How exciting bringing a new "habitat" on line! I have a half wall in pegboard, it's so handy.

Great job...!

 

[Bongo]

Thanks mark. If you can change around, update, etc. your studio space - it can be a great motivator.

 

[Terri]

Terri - I paint mostly on hardboard and put it up on the pegboard with standard pegboard pins --could you tape the paper to a piece of hardboard? Using space efficiently is a passion of mine. The old dentist(?) side table was a great find - it holds a ton and weighs a ton

I just now saw this reply - thank you! I'm giving it some thought. If I hung up a large piece of pegboard, and then inserted a line of the pins you mentioned, I could set up a long row of foam core and should be able to lean my paintings against them. I generally use heavy papers, 140 lb/300 gsm weights, and they *almost* can stand alone. Foam core is lightweight and sturdy, easy for me to move around.

Kind of liking the idea. Happy you shared your inspiration with us!

 

[Bongo]

this is a piece of foam core held up by two peg board brackets and a piece of painters tape to keep it from falling forward
paper held on by push pins.

you could also hold the foam core with double stickies

 

[Terri]

That's what I'm talking about! Those pegboard pins easily hold a lightweight piece of foam core. I usually avoid sticking push pins in finished work, just insert them and kind of wiggle the paper behind the plastic outer ring of the pin before pushing it in firmly. This method works from the top, too, and I can avoid pinholes when I want to.

You've convinced me it will work with this photo. This will be a lot cheaper than buying more expensive pieces of cork board (like a bulletin board), and also keep me from just putting a million pushpins straight into the drywall.

Thanks so much!!

 

[TamPaints]

I am very jealous of your plein air setup. I've wanted to get one for myself to start painting gouache outdoors. Any recommendations for what to look for in a plein air kit?

 

[Bongo]

My setup is overkill for gouache. There are a lot of pochade boxes out there. I would go on youtube and see what gouache painters are using. I would get the smallest and lightest that would do the job. Be sure to get a good sturdy tripod, especially the head, pochade boxes aren't that heavy but act as a lever and produce a lot of torque.

 

[CaliAnn]

What a great setup! I wish I had such a space!

 

[Bongo]

Thank you - I share the space with Abby, my studio mate.

she stays with me all day, if I drop a brush she snatches it and runs outside with it. She'll be 1 year old on June 26th

 

[Marksmomagain]

Awwwww ...