Choosing a tripod for a plein air setup can be difficult. Requirements seem to be at cross purposes — it needs to be stable, yet light, portable, yet sturdy. Or you can find one at your painting location.
“The Gorge at Stickney Brook,” by Deborah Lazar, oil on linen, 14 x 18 in.
Deborah Lazar introduced her Facebook friends to “The Fallen Log Easel,” which is not available in stores. When the ground is uneven and wet, when the vantage point is beyond normal terrain, you use what you can. “I travel with polar fleece blankets for packing paintings when I have to, and they also make great cushions to sit on when I find myself sitting on a rock or, in this case, a log,” she says.
Lazar resorted to a similar solution in Belize 29 years ago.
Lazar reveals that she has a history of this kind of pochade box perspicacity, and a photo to prove it. While painting in Belize 29 years ago, she found that a big piece of driftwood made for the perfect tripod. “I remember it was pretty solid,” she says.
