A studio tip. Keeping things at hand.

My paint brush holder.

Paint brush holder or pen, pencil, Exact-O knife and scissor holder or cooking utensil holder or screw driver and wrench holder, the list can keep going but I'm sure you get the idea.

I use old coffee cups to keep these types of things in.  I can buy these cups with bears, or trees or whatever I want on them for decoration.  I think they look better then some generic plain container or a tin can.  Have I ever mentioned I hate plastic?  Plastic has got to be the ugliest thing in the world.  I love ceramic, clay, cement, rock, wood, glass, etc.

To keep the items upright, I fill the vessel with dried beans.  The beans could be marbles, sand or whatever else you can think of.  I use beans and I like the multi-colored beans.  With a paint brush covered in oil paint, I can stick one in and I know it won't fall out or touch something unwanted - like a clean brush.  I also know it won't roll across the pallet and get stuck in another pile of paint  - I know, you know, what I mean - fellow artists. 

The secret is the beans.  What makes it look good is the cup.  A win / win.  If things ever get really dire, I can always make bean soup and I'll have something to eat it out of.  I'll just need a spoon.

Speaking of spoons......I've got spoons in my studio too.  Want to see them? - LOL

Until then, cheers,

Larry