Setting up your Home Art Studio

Posted by Robert Shure on March 27, 2020

Dear Caproni Collection customers and fans,

First of all, we hope everyone is staying well and safe and finding ways to be inspired and find joy in these trying times.

We wanted to share this post on Instagram by artist Nathalie Miebach. She posted a picture of a letter she wrote to her art studio – as though it were animate – promising she would be back soon. She wrote:

Dear Studio,

I am here to grab all my tools, some materials and works in progress. I will have to leave you for a while to work from home. Please take care of my sculptures left behind. Knowing I will be back in this space making art, makes this insanity a bit more bearable. I will miss you.

The Artist

As many of you have relationships with your studios that go beyond a simple use of space, we thought you could relate. Many people in the world have been encouraged to stay home as much as possible, so we’d like to offer a few tips on setting up your studio at home.

Are you short on supplies? Worried about using certain materials in your home? Having trouble getting inspired? Read on for some advice.

Make your own easel:

We love this article that shows how just about anyone can make an easel with cardboard and a few tools. Got a few extra delivery boxes hanging around? This might be the perfect use for them!

Everyday objects as sculpture tools:

If you don’t have any tools at home you can utilize everyday objects. Some examples are a credit card, a pair of bamboo chopsticks (which could be filed down to be more flat or pointed), plastic utensils such as a serrated butter knife, pens, pencils, paper clips, push pins, and the wire from a binder clip (as a loop tool). If you want more inspiration, check out this video about making your own wire tool.

Home art safety considerations:

If you have small children or pets, you will want to store art supplies out of reach. You’ll also need to consider ventilation. For some, working in acrylics or watercolors is a better option than oil paints, as well as considering oil-based clay such as plasteline rather than pottery clay, since it does not create dust. If you want to go really in-depth into learning about art safety, we found this guide on the Mt. Holyoke College website to be comprehensive. If it’s nice out, don’t forget the option of working on decks, porches, and backyards.

Find inspiration!

Be inspired by artwork created by our fans in the Cast Drawings and Paintings of Our Sculptures page!

Many museums are closed around the world, such as the Louvre Museum in Paris, but they have some enriching virtual tours online. You can find the Louvre’s tours here. This article lists many more museums you can poke around virtually. If you’re tired of looking at screens, consider looking to nature for inspiration. Take a closer look at your pets, go for a nature hike, walk along a quiet street and examine the architecture, or simply look up at the sky. If you have a chance to slow down, take it!

You can also have a small piece of a museum in your own home to draw inspiration from. You might have a collection of casts, but if you would like to add to it, we have a selection of different feet for sale at 50% off! This surplus of feet will be available at the sale price while supplies last. Sale pieces come in Flat White patina and without hooks. Enter the codes below at checkout! {Discounts cannot be combined at checkout; to purchase more than one item, place separate orders if you're in the U.S. If you're international, call or email us to make the purchases.}