En plein air is my favourite way to paint. There’s something about being outside, observing the changing light and details of nature directly with my own eyes, that makes me truly immersed in the present moment and mindful of what I am doing, allowing me to feel joy. I think that feeling comes through in my paintings, too.
Before trying my first proper plein air session, I made a few attempts at building DIY pochade boxes. Unfortunately, none of them felt comfortable enough for me to really enjoy an hour or two of painting outdoors. Eventually, I decided it was worth investing in a proper pochade box and started researching my options.
I came across several pochade boxes that I saw plein air artists using on YouTube and social media, including:
What I wanted from a pochade box
I had a few requirements in mind:
- Lightweight to carry around comfortably
- Large enough to accommodate bigger paintings
- A grey-toned glass palette
- A reasonable price
After quite a lot of research, I eventually settled on the Papa Pavlo Art pochade box.
I couldn’t find many reviews of this brand or its pochade box, so buying it was a bit of a leap of faith. But there were several things that made it stand out to me.
Why I chose the Papa Pavlo Pochade box
Reasonable price with the grey glass palette
One thing I liked about the Papa Pavlo was that the price of the pochade box, including the grey glass palette, was reasonable compared to other brands. When I bought mine, it cost £208. At the time, this was slightly more affordable than some of the other popular pochade boxes, which require extra payment for upgrading the palette.
It can accommodate larger paintings
The box comes with an extension that allows you to work on paintings up to around 45 cm (18 inches). I liked having the option to paint larger without immediately needing to buy a completely different box.
Reversible lid
The reversible lid allows you to carry a wet painting securely without having to transfer it into a separate wet-painting carrier. This was particularly appealing to me because I usually paint just one painting per session.
It feels sturdy
Some lightweight pochade boxes can look quite delicate, even when they are perfectly well made. The Papa Pavlo feels solid and sturdy while still being relatively light, which gives me the impression that it should last a long time.
I’ve now been using it for several months, which feels like enough time to get a good sense of what I like and dislike about it.
Pros
The reversible lid is really useful
This is probably my favourite feature.
I usually paint one painting per session, so once I’m finished, I can simply close the lid and head home without having to move the wet painting into a separate container. It’s also handy when I want to take a quick photo of the finished painting before leaving.
That said, there is a downside to the reversible lid, which I’ll get to below.
It’s lightweight
The box weighs around 1 kg, so carrying it around while looking for a good painting spot isn’t difficult. For plein air painting, I find this makes a noticeable difference because I don’t necessarily want to settle for the first spot I find.
It accommodates a decent painting size
The largest canvas board I’ve used with it so far is 10 × 12 inches, and it fits comfortably.
I haven’t yet tested the full 18-inch capacity, so I can’t comment on how comfortable the box is to use at its maximum size.
It’s useful beyond plein air painting
Originally, I bought the pochade box specifically for painting outdoors. But after using it for a while, I realised it has become useful in other situations too.
I use it when painting self-portraits and when attending local art classes. Having a compact setup that holds my palette and painting surface together makes it convenient even when I’m not painting outdoors.
Cons
The reversible lid can make carrying it awkward
The same feature that I love can also be a bit inconvenient.
Because the painting surface faces outward when the lid is reversed, carrying the box in a backpack isn’t particularly practical. The box does have a handle, so I usually just carry it by hand.
There’s also a slightly funny psychological downside as well. Because the finished painting is facing outward, I sometimes feel a little self-conscious walking around with my painting on display after a session, and I also have to be very cautious not to damage or ruin the painting.
It’s not a major problem, but it’s definitely worth keeping in mind.
Setting it up takes some practice
The other thing I found slightly frustrating at first was the setup.
There are several screws around different parts of the box for opening it, reversing the lid, and extending the section that holds your painting surface. In total, you’re adjusting around six screws to get everything into position.
At first, I found this a little clunky and tedious, especially when I wasn’t familiar with how each screw works. However, after using the box regularly, I’ve become much more familiar with the process and can set it up much more smoothly and quickly.
I also found this YouTube review useful because it gives a good visual impression of what I’m talking about with the screws and setup.
Final thoughts
So far, I’m quite happy with the Papa Pavlo pochade box, and I don’t feel any need to buy a different one.
That said, there’s an important limitation to my review: I’ve never used another pochade box extensively, so I can’t really tell you how the Papa Pavlo compares in day-to-day use with something like a U.GO or Box N Paint system. This is simply my experience after several months of using this particular box.
Would I recommend it?
If you want something that you can easily throw into a backpack, carry around, and simply open and start painting, probably not. The reversible lid makes that less convenient, and the setup involves a few more adjustments than I’d ideally like.
But if you usually paint one painting at a time, don’t mind carrying the box by hand, and want a sturdy, relatively lightweight pochade box, I think it’s a very decent option.
Did you enjoy my review of the pochade box? Take a look at some of my plein air paintings available in my shop:
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