How to make a pocket sized mixed media art box from a plastic first aid kit

After seeing the mini drawing kit on Instructables.com, I thought I'd give it a try and customize one for myself. I have never bought or used an Altoids can. (Yeh I know, PARISH THE THOUGHT) I did have a pocket sized first aid kit that I had bought at the dollar store, that was just begging to have something cool done to it. I thought about what modifications it would need for it to be useful to me "out in the field". I tend to prefer working in mixed media. I also wanted a way to hold the paper, like a tiny easle. I needed a kit with flexibility so that I could add or take away items when I moved on to different medias. I was an art major in college, so don't let my professors see the horrible craftsmanship on this thing. I just wanted to see if it could be done and will work on the craftsmanship late...I promise!

Step 1 Gathering Materials

First step think about what you want to put in your "art kit". What items are useful to you? What items are too big to fit but you can cut them down? What features would you need for your art kit? I needed durability, customizable features. I didn't want things like my glass bottle of India ink from Italy (My dad was stationed there), to break in my container. I will list the items I used.

Materials-
Two pencils (HB or #2 depending on which you call them) Mine used to be attached to a compass
Four Erasers (Pink Pearl, White Plastic, Kneaded, and Art Gum)
Pencil Sharpener
Ink bottle
View Finder - I found this cool necklace pendant that works great for this
A water bottle cap for either small amounts of water (for a wash) or to hold some ink
Some sand paper strips (If I just want a sharp edge on the pencil but don't need to sharpen yet)
Some extra colored paper ( I used scrap booking sheets, cut small)
A sawed down paint brush with tiny bristles (perfect for nice clean thin lines)
A tiny office clip for my "easle" on the back of case
Small pad of white paper for sketches
One of those Cute tiny Japanese soy sauce bottles for lunch boxes would be an awesome accessory to hold small amounts of water to rinse your brush out or to use as a wash.
A hot glue gun to glue the tiny office clip on the back for easle
Twist ties ( like from goodie bags or garbage sacks)
You could easily use ribbons for the item above for a nicer look

Comments

[truemirror]

luv it, thanks for sharing this! check out my paint box it might fit inside your sketch box.

[canida]

Nice kit, and a great reuse of twist-ties. Have you gotten the chance to use it in the field yet?

[TeachNdahood]

I've got quite a few ideas for some other kits, so haven't gotten around to it yet. The fourth of July is coming up and we will be going to a cook out that might last a while so I think I might give it a try there. Thanks for your interest.

[phoenyxashe]

Great idea... and since I'm always looking at ways to minimize my "portable studio" as my daughter calls it (I've got it down to a pencil case... okay a larger one, but still!), I'll have to give this a try. Not too thrilled with the zip ties, though... may try elastic and hot glue instead.

[TeachNdahood]

I thought about the elastic myself, if the hot glue doesn't work could always drill tiny holes and just "sew" the elastic into place. I'm not sure if the heat will melt the elastic parts. Let me know how that works out. I'm always interested in new ways to do things.