Altoids Tin Pocket-Sized Watercolor Box

Step 7 Done!

We're done.

That wasn't so complicated, wasn't it?

The nice thing is that we saved money and have better quality paints (and/or more of it) than if we would have bought ready-made boxes. This kit is also smaller than the ones available on th market.

How to use
- Take out a sheet of watercolor paper
- Use a waterbrush (I have a Bienfang watercolor brush (the one with no ink in it, just water)
- Paint!

This is my complete portable watercolor kit:
- My pocket-size Altoids color box
- My pocket-size Moleskine watercolor notebook (the small one)
- Waterbrush (you can also use a pocket-sized brush or a cut-down regular brush with a separate supply of water - I prefer the all-in one option)
- 4H pencil (the older the smaller!)
- Micron pens (or any other waterproof, archival quality ink pen) (this is optional, depending on your painting style)
- A few facial tissues will be useful to clean up when you're done (or pick up excess water on the your paintings).

Enjoy!

Comments

[jesebsp]

i recently took a water color class and thought about doing this. i have a lot of tins. i cover them with polymer clay. takes up less room than the tray i have (same one you show in this instruction).

[Wolfgang8810]

When mixing the colors how do you avoid contaminating the other colors with only one brush? Or is it not really a concern?

[mason0190]

Cut the brush in half and you can keep it in the tin : D

[ellsswhere]

Nice idea but its a warterbrush... the stem of the brush is filled with water, cutting it in half is not a good idea. yaknow I have run out of water before when carrying a larger sketchbook, we need an instructable which shows some easy method of carrying more water, like a bladder in another altoid tin.

[jpmartineau]

I've cut mine and it probably keeps 2/3 of the water it used to do. I always have a water bottle on me, so it's not an issue.

[ellsswhere]

really? how did you seal the severed end... glue or tape? My only concern would be having a brush that is too short to hold comfortably, how does it feel in your hand? Also I carry a bottle with me most of the time as well I just hate contaminating my water, and its awkward trying to fill it when you get to the bottom of the bottle. by the by just made my box with sculpey, works perfectly thanks

[jpmartineau]

I chopped the handle about an inch from the end, removed about another inch or two, and reinserted the end inside the handle, so it "caps" it from the interior. I it with 10 minute epoxy. It holds well in my hand, but your mileage may vary.