17 October, 2013

CRAIG YOUNG PALETTE BOX

AKA BILLING MUNRO

Yesterday, my Craig Young Palette Box arrived and I quickly filled it with paints and had a play around. I canI couldn't help making comparisons between this and my James Fletcher Watson Studio Palette made by the "Little Brass Box Company" here in the North West UK. I always thought that the Craig Young equipment was the Holy Grail, but having seen one in the flesh now, I have to say it isn't up to the same standard as the LBBC stuff.Why? Well when you hold the LBBC palette in your hand, you are immediately impressed with the whole thing - it just OOZES quality. The outer surfaces hold a rich, deep paint which wouldn't look out of place on the bodywork of a Rolls Royce, lol.  The metalwork is beautifully formed and everything fits together so perfectly. Inside, the paint-wells, are sharp and even, with tidy sealing between compartments. The whole interior is coated in a semi-matte enamel which looks gorgeous, but I must say does stain slightly.  John Hurtley who owns the business and makes all the palettes offers a variety of extras and options. In fact, he even made an inner-tray that I designed myself and delivered it very quickly too!

The appearance of the Craig Young Palette Box is quite disappointing. It just doesn't have the same wow-factor as the LBBC - it seems cheaper - almost like a "fake". This may seem quite harsh, but I'm just giving you my own feelings what's in front of me. No doubt there's thousands of happy CY owners out there who love their palettes.The lid of the Palette Box is only held closed by one central catch and it fails to keep the lid securely closed. The interior is coated in a glossy enamel which I do prefer to the matte or satin coatings. The brasswork which forms the paint pans is not as well formed as the LBBC and the sealing between pans (solder) is quite roughly done by comparison.  
  
I'm very happy (and fortunate) to be the owner of both a Craig Young palette and a John Hurtley palette. I use the LBBC at home and keep the CY at our holiday home. They will both no doubt last a lifetime - and so they should considering the investment required. If you are considering a similar investment, my personal recommendation would be to go to the Little Brass Box Company. The website is not the best in the world, but the workmanship of John Hurtley is absolutely spot on!






Above pic shows the
custom made insert.
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Our Own Art-Club!

Each Friday we go to the local Art-Club in Horwich. It's a thriving club with a broad range of people of all ages and skill-levels. Apart from the regular painting sessions, we have many professional artists visiting us to demonstrate their skills and to run workshops.

But sometimes, it's nice when just a few friends get together mid-week too, and so here we are in Simon's "studio", benefitting from the skill and experience of his father, Brian Waddington. It looks a bit cramped in there, but we were just huddled together to fit in the photo frame :-)



And you can drink beer in this club! :-)