Tripod Setup Troubleshooting

Artist Stuart Loughridge demonstrates how to set up a tripod on location in, perhaps, some inclement weather. His tripod is strapped to his backpack, which holds his sketch kit for his walk to his chosen location. He mentions that he does not recommend this kit, nor the tripod, for the city because it may look suspicious. However, in a park, nature reserve, or out camping or hiking, it works well. He has his rain jacket in the bottom along with food and water and other incidentals that he needs.

To set up a tripod you will start to extend the lower legs to the full extent and then adjust the upper legs to the correct height. You want the flat part of the tripod toward your body so that one leg is straight back along with the lever to adjust the head of the tripod. Next, set up your board by locking it in the tripod head and tightening it down.

Stuart keeps his sketch kit in a Ziploc bag with anything else he may need while he sketches. If you are somewhere windy, you will want to be careful while opening your sketch kit. He enacts a wind simulator to show how papers can blow away quickly if you don’t keep your hands down on them from the start. This is why he recommends having everything you need Velcroed down and attached in your sketch kit.

Next, he clips his kit to his board with large clips; then, he can pull out the paper he’s chosen to draw on and clip it to some mat board and onto the zipper of his day planner kit. This way, the wind cannot blow it away so easily. Stuart keeps a carabiner on his backpack as well so that he can clip it to the tripod, giving it a weighted bottom.

Try not to hunch over your paper while you work—instead, adjust the height of the tripod to keep upright to avoid a sore back.