Artist impression

[carson_reb]

I'm interested in developing an impression as a battlefield sketch artist. My quandry, though, is trying to find a sutler or supplier of period art supplies. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Thank you.

[Isabella_Grey]

As a modern day artist, I have seen more than my fair share of period mediums in second hand shops and the like. If you are going to be sketching, then charcoal sticks from any art shot inside an oil cloth or other such period wrap works really well. I've found that most modern supplies are great, you just have to find the right period container to house them in. Once again, thift stores, yard sales, and flea markets have been the best at finding those containers.

[carson_reb]

Okay, thank you for the feedback. What would you suggest as far as a portfolio or a satchel to carry my drawing paper and pencils/charcoal in?

[Joanna]

The Workwoman's Guide (1840) http://books.google.com/books?vid=0zXTJUDurSAzYjJe&id=JCsBAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA181&lpg=PA181&dq=The+Workwoman%27s+Guide,+1838#v=onepage&q&f=false has decriptions of several types of portfolios (pg 215) and drawings of them in the back (page 359 - the last page of the book).

[Isabella_Grey]

I use an old tarred large haversack. But I've seen some fabric ones as well. Most people I know can't afford the fancy portfolios, so we just use what we can.

[Spinster]

The various period correct portfolios in the Workwomans Guide are easily assembled with cardstock and silk, or heavy paper. There's really no need to go to great expense to have a correct one, just a bit of time.

The possession of military items (like a tarred haversack) would have raised questions about a civilian during the period. Theft, spying, are accusations to be avoided. Far better to carry a correct item than to have some elaborate story of how a military item was acquired.

This is especially true for women---gender roles and expectations were such that a woman would not have 'put on the things of a man' in anything other than the most unusual of circumstances.

[WoundedZouave]

Of the artists impressions I've seen at events, everything they produce looks nothing like what real sketch artists did during the war. They had a different way of drawing back then, more detailed, less shortcuts and very literal in form. There's a great scene in the novel "Time and Again" that illustrates the different forms and perspectives of people back then.

If it was me I would not create any drawings original to me. Rather, I'd draw exact copies of the known sketchwork done at the time (varied for whatever event your at). That way you're not just being a reenactor drawing pictures of other reenactors who don't look much like 19th century people anyway.

[10Tenn]

Try this site-lot's of good stuff , easy people to work with-

http://www.pattonsmith.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=2&Itemid=4