"Painting standing up?" Topic

My painting room and workshop are in my basement, which is currently flooded after the heaviest rain to hit this region for a decade. However I just had to paint a unit of Union Cav for our Convention on Saturday….

In view of the electrical hazards, and the fact that all my chairs are upstairs drying off, I was reduced to painting at my work bench standing up, with a jury rigged light and without my usual magnifier lamp. Standing in a couple of inches of water wasn't an issue, after 22 years in the navy, but I thought a 3 hour painting session standing would be…

But actually, leaning on the bench, it wasn't too bad, and it stopped me from lingering on unnecessary detail, which, without the magnifier, I couldn't see anyway!

Does anyone paint standing up as a matter of course?

Yes, been doing it for years. My bench cum wargames table is 920mm off the floor and a perfect height for me. Many moons ago I stopped painting seated because of back problems and now do almost all work standing. About all I do seated is when a job involves using the computer – which is a fair bit of the time.

Can't say I'd ever be likely to get used to standing in 2 inches of water though – and I'd be a bit worried if that was a common practice an any navy. Aren't you supposed to keep the water OUTSIDE ?

I've been doing it for the last couple of years. Not that I don't have a chair but it doesn't slide close enough to the table to be really comfortable and it's one less step to start painting.

Aren't you supposed to keep the water OUTSIDE ?

Sea water – yes. Most of the time…

Fire fighting water – not so much…

Often paint standing up nowadays either because I tell myself I'm just going to briefly "touch up" a few things, which turns into lots of things and an extended session, or, because the available chair, like all horizontal surfaces nearby has other projects on it.

I have done, for the reasons given by RD.

Although it's possibly a genuine concern for WW1 re-enactors, this is the first time I've heard of anyone in this hobby being exposed to the risk of contracting trench foot.

It's better for the body to stand up, as we sit down far too much…a healthy painting stance

Did it exclusively for two months a few years ago when my back problem was more serious.

I used the top of the fridge/freezer as a painting bench.

Actually fairly comfortable when you get used to it.