It can be hard to find space to create sometimes, especially if you live in a small space. However, if creating is an important endeavour to you, whether you're an aspiring artist or simply a passionate hobbyist, working with your space is a must, so here's some hacks I've developed over the past year of working from a tiny space.
A Sketch Easel is great for portability and storage
If you're stuck for space but still want the ease of an easel, a sketch easel is perfect; just fold it up and put it away when you're done! Sketch easels are intended for portability, so they're also great for saving storage space when they're not in use. Alternatively, if you have a desk, you can use a desktop easel, many of which have built in storage such as this one.
This small trolley is great for moving around art supplies and a small desktop easel!
Have an "Art Cart" for both storage and drying
Having a small trolley, depending on the size of your space, can be handy for not only organising your supplies, but also for drying your paintings. Simply lay smaller paintings over the shelves, and you can dry several paintings at once. If you want to bring it a step further, simply put a desktop easel on the top shelf, and voila: you've got yourself an all-in-one art studio.
Keep your art supplies organised with beautiful containers!
Use old instant coffee containers to stay organised
Staying organised is a must if you only have a small space, and using old containers is a cheap (and sometimes funky!) alternative to buying storage accessories. I personally use these Nescafe Azera containers, because they're perfect for holding brushes, turps, water, or whatever you might need, plus they come in beautiful designs and I'm addicted to the coffee!
Take the time to tidy your space
This is probably the most important one on this list; even if you organise a beautiful tiny art studio, if you don't tidy it regularly, it can turn into an absolute mess. I'd recommend doing a small tidy after every session or so, to keep everything as neat as it can be.
Make sure everything has its place
If you're struggling to find things in your studio, perhaps it's time to rethink your setup! Organise things in such a way so that everything has its own space. This can be a fun process; don't be afraid to use sticky notes, stickers, labels, and get creative. Just make sure it's easy to tell where everything goes!
Use a storage box as a handy table
A cheap storage box with a lid doubles up brilliantly as a table; you can use this to keep your palette, brushes and whatever else you need on, and store things you won't need as you're painting inside, such as extra canvases, sketch pads, and so on.
Brush rolls are a beautiful and convenient way to keep your favourites handy!
Use a brush roll to keep your most-used beauties handy
If you're not a fan of keeping your brushes in old containers and would rather a more portable alternative, brush rolls are your best bet. They're convenient, can hold a variety of supplies should you need it (including palette knives!) and also they're pretty beautiful. It's lovely to open up the roll and see your favourite brushes laying there, just waiting to be used.
Although organising a space for your creative process can be difficult, it's incredibly fulfilling and time saving once you have; not having to dig out the paints from packed drawers and find a spot to paint makes making art hassle free. I hope it helps your creative juices flow!