Friday Finds: Paintouts everywhere

A little warm weather, some budding trees and paintouts are popping up everywhere. Here are possibilities for next three weekends:

1. Sketchcrawl No. 31 is Saturday, April 16. Go anywhere. Paint. Submit jpg of artwork to http://www.sketchcrawl.com/2011/04/ww-sketchcrawl-31/. It's that easy.
2. Wildflower artist Betty Wagoner will lead a T.C. Steele Art Trek Saturday, April 23, at the T.C. Steele State Historic Site, which is located between Bloomington and Nashville. Bring a sketchbook and your choice of drawing medium. Betty says it's an easy two-hour walk that will allow you to see the beauty that inspired T.C. Steele a hundred years ago.
3. The Bloomington Watercolor Society will paint together at McCormick's Creek arched stone bridge on Saturday, April 30, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you want to go in a group, e-mail nancy.davismetz@gmail.com.

Get your paintout bag packed so you'll be ready to go when the muse calls. Here's a handy checklist:

Traveling light:

• sketchbook
• paint (in weekly pillbox container for portability)
• palette
• pencil
• kneaded eraser
• 2 brushes (1 flat/1 round)
• water and container
• tissue pack

Painting add-ons

• paper/painting board/tape OR watercolor block
• easel
• spray bottle
• digital camera
• small trash bag

Comfort add-ons

• lawn chair or camp stool
• lunch
• drinking water
• hat with brim
• insect repellent
• sunscreen
• handiwipes
• cell phone