In this video I’m showing you the first part of how I put together my plein air and studio watercolour setup — starting with the adapter board that lets me attach my painting board to a tripod. It’s a simple DIY job, but it makes a massive difference out in the field because it keeps everything solid, quick to set up, and easy to pack away when I’m painting from the campervan with Tanya. I go step by step through measuring up, cutting the 6mm MDF, and getting the whole thing ready so it plays nicely with a quick release plate. I keep the materials and tools straightforward: MDF, a Stanley knife, a tape measure, wood glue, and a bit of sanding to tidy the edges. I also use Velcro tape as part of the system because it’s fast and practical when you’re swapping bits around between plein air and home use. If you want to build the full setup, I’ve linked the follow-on videos where I make the paper holder board and the tripod table, and I also mention the tripods I use — but the main point is this adapter board will work on pretty much any tripod that takes a quick release plate.