u.Go easel review. Part two - modifications. Learn oil painting with Vlad Duchev

[@openstudiod]

Hello, my friends! Before going to the line of competitions, I decided to share with you the modifications of the u.Go easel. I'm planning on taking this easel with me and giving it a try. I will let you know at the end of the summer how this easel will perform. Also, I will disappear for several weeks due to the competition and will be in and out during the summer or the Plein air season due to a lot of Plein air competitions... But I think I won't be able to not to come back to you :) Please let me know if the comments in you would like to see the Coastal Plein Air Competition. See ya!!!

[@NewWaveArtVideo]

Hi Vlad - I wanted to attach my comments to your 'Part One Review' to your 'Part Two Review' as well. The grey finish you put on the u.go Pochade looks sharp! I do like it. Please note that the metal we use is stainless steel and will not rust or corrode. Please see my comments to your 'Part One Review' here...This is Kyle, one of the two brothers who started New Wave. We appreciate your open and honest review of the u.go Plein Air Pochade Box. There are a number of items you referenced in your review that we would like to clarify for your audience. We hope that this is okay. My brother and I designed this product about 4 years ago. I wear many hats being that we are a small shop here in Pennsylvania, but design is one of my favorite hats, as I'm sure you can understand. In regard to packaging, we chose a direction that was simple and clean, as we believe all the cost should go into the product and not necessarily the packaging. Our goal was to create a Pochade Box that was well made, but did not break the bank... packaging can really drive up cost. You had mentioned that the wood had a "bubble" on the underside. We would ask that if any customer receives a box with this type of defect, to immediately contact us, as this is unacceptable and not the norm. We take customer service and product quality very seriously... this is a business that has taken 10 years to build and this is everything to us. In regard to the Panel Holders, please know that these holders/teeth, are best for holding 1/8" panels. We recently introduced a Canvas Holder which is exactly what you were referencing you would like for thicker material (it holds up to 7/8" material). Regarding the depth of the palette, this is the deepest we could design the palette, and still have room for the tripod mount (while still designing an ultra thin/compact light box). The routes in the lid are meant to accept higher paint dabs when the lid is shut... the notch outs on the lid "spines" are also meant to accept higher paint dabs. We have not received negative feedback regarding this clearance when in use. The slight palette jiggle you referenced is due to a tiny tolerance... if the palette is too large (even by a hair), then the removable side wall will not fit. It is nearly impossible to perfectly size the palette so that there is 0% jiggle. We opted to make the palette slightly smaller so that it fits. It is important to note that we have never received any complaints regarding this. Regarding the craftsmanship, please know that every square inch of the u.go Pochade is sanded and finished by hand. This is a very time consuming/intricate product, which requires an enormous amount of attention to detail. While machines are used for routing, a machine can only do so much. I would also like to let your viewers know that the finish we use on the u.go Pochades is the same finish we use for all of our New Wave Artist Palettes. The boxes are fully sealed, then top coated with a proprietary finish that is resistant to standard artist solvents and mediums. It is extremely durable. You could actually use every square inch of the u.go Pochade as a palette and wipe your paint clean with artist solvents... this would not affect the finish. While some may see this as over kill, it provides a superior finished product. We produce 90% of our products in-house, and Quality Control and attention to detail is of utmost priority. While we are a small shop, and while we do sweat the details, we are not perfect. If you feel as though anything is out of the ordinary with a product, we ask that you please contact us and we will make it right. I hope all of this helps. Thanks Vlad! -Kyle

[@acaccholi]

Kyle I also posted my thoughts on the review of your pochade box, however it was apparently denied for some reason!

[@openstudiod]

Hey Kyle, thank you for your message. Im at the Plein air competition right now testing your easel. Please send me your email or phone number through my website. I will contact you. Thank you!

[@NewWaveArtVideo]

@@openstudiod Hi Vlad - my email and phone number was provided through your website. Please reach out when able. Thanks, -Kyle

[@edlewandowski8682]

Vlad- Absolutely! Please post your travels to Gloucester. All your videos are very enlightening, but I particularly enjoy when you share your competition painting experiences. For those of us who are just getting started with plein air painting and entering events, your v-logs provide some insights into how things happen and why. Thanks for sharing your time and talents!

[@bonzejustice4029]

Thank you Vlad for sharing your honest experiences regarding the easels you have used or plan to use. I'm currently in the process of information gathering for a plein air setup and your videos have been very helpful. I haven't pulled the trigger yet because I've been holding off hoping you'll have a prototype of your own design for sale soon ;) I know circumstance have changed drastically in the recent weeks so I completely expect it may be a while before you have any news to share on that front. Speaking of the changed circumstances... I know we've never met, but I'm known within my circle of friends and associates to be a very good judge of character upon first meeting and even casual observation and I vehemently disagree with the person who asserts that you are a self promoter. It is absolutely apparent to me that you are an honest, humble, caring human being whose heart is bleeding for the suffering of innocents in Ukraine. As I said, I don't know you personally, but I would bet my life that you're anything but an honest man doing everything you can to help alleviate the pain and suffering of so many innocent people trapped in the web of one sociopath's warped ideas of I don't even know what. I stand by you in standing with Ukraine. I hope you don't take that person's comment to heart; that person is not very perceptive. P.S. I really love your work and I so appreciate your sharing your knowledge--as I'm sure so many others do. Thank you again Vlad

[@openstudiod]

Thank you Bonze Justice for kind words and your support… it really means a lot to me!

[@bonzejustice4029]

@@openstudiod I feel it's important to recognize the humanity in each other as I can see you do :)

[@kathykramer2644]

Yes, I would like to see the Coastal Plein Air and other competitions. The locations are fun to see. Thank you Vlad, really enjoy your review, painting and tutorial videos. I like the plein air easel modifications -- so helpful. I'm painting in Arizona.

[@teresagrigsby-rose8761]

Any of you that don't like the Ugo, send it my way! One man's trash is another man's (or woman's) treasure! 😁

[@openstudiod]

Guys, I’m going to cut the final review of u.Go easel soon. But even before this final episode I can tell you that this easel is, I mean u.Go easel, is now my favorite so far. Even my old trusty Daytriper is now resting, I just don’t use it because u.Go is much faster, easier and secure to use if you work on not large canvases. I’m at Competition right now, working on a large format using daytriper upright with u.go easel as my mixing pallet. So, if some of you are in the market of looking for a good easel - I definitely recommend u.Go easel! And I will explain why in my next or final review episode of this easel. Happy painting!

[@JTL447]

Hi Vlad, would you happen to remember what brand/paint color name you used for that neutral grey on the palette? I love the finished look!

[@nattyw495]

💙💛🌍🌎🌏🇺🇦🇨🇦🇺🇲🙏✌🛐thank you for review.....on youhonest thoughts of this plien air box....im praying every day for ukraine my grandmother dad and mom fled during stalins time of taking over ukraine i felt a virtual gut kick when ruasia did its horric war again.....

[@ayospider1366]

Hey vlad thanks for making all these videos. I would definitely be interested in watching a video about the plein air event.

[@victoria7473]

Thank you Vlad for your honest review. I looked at one of these also but went a different route- looking forward to hear your opinions on function. I'd love it if you shared your Coastal competition experience!

[@NewWaveArtVideo]

Hi Victoria - We are sorry to hear this. We have many customers who love the u.go Pochade setup for many different reasons. Our website contains a wealth of information and the owners are only a phone call away if you ever want to talk through any of our products and how they compare to other products in the market. The majority of the reviews (through our retail partners, youtube, social media) are positive. Perhaps one of the other u.go plein air setups we introduce in the near future will be better suited for you. Stay tuned. -Kyle

[@elizabethnaughton7722]

Hey Vlad, is there a reason you decided to keep the metal piece on? I believe you mentioned you were going to try to cut it down on the first video to reduce the weight. I like the neutral gray. I’d love to see the video of the coastal competition - thank you!

[@openstudiod]

Hi Elizabeth, the reason I decided to keep it because the piece is very light and there is the reason behind the design to keep it. After trying the easel I found it very good. I’m actually going to my second competition and I’m taking it with me as my main easel.

[@jamminjordo1123]

Hi Vlad! I am sure most everyone here would love to see any and all plein air content that you can find time to record. Also, what tripod do you recommend for plein air? Thank you!

[@junkgirltoo5005]

I don’t like the painting of the box. Looks cheap then. But that’s just me. I love mine-the smallest one. I’ve made it suit me with some hacks and

[@Tat2TankT]

Yeah I’d love to see the video of contest like seeing different artist set ups to n love your mods to the u.go easel I think you should design n build your own I think it would be better than the others god bless Ukraine 🇺🇦

[@elisabethseeger5837]

Love to have you record if you can

[@openstudiod]

Elizabeth, If you are asking - I will do it :) just for you! Thank you for all your support!

[@steph8782]

I got one of these and I've never been happy with it, the brush holder is a crime I ended up returning it. Only easel I love is the Strada easel, built like a tank that one, I even dropped it off a moving vehicle onto asphalt and it wasn't damaged.

[@teresagrigsby-rose8761]

What do you Not like about the U Go?

[@openstudiod]

Steph, to be honest… I will become an ambassador for u.Go easels and I will explain why in my next episode of final review of u.go easel. I just retire my daytriper and replaced it with u.go easel. You may ask why… I definitely will explain it in my next episode. Strata is a good concept, but with some issues. That is why you don’t see it at a lot of pro competitions. I would give u.go another chance, and buy one directly from their site, this way I believe you will get the latest updated model. These guys are real, listening and making changes right away. Just get the latest model.

[@junkgirltoo5005]

@@openstudiod. Love my small one. I may get the next size up someday. I can set up my gear in seconds with this. I use it for winter painting that I necessarily have to do quicker and smaller panels. Less colors needed. Even fits into a “belly bag” I have. With a small jar of turps and a pill sorter paint keeper and 2 brushes, 5 x 7 panels-I’m ready to go. Paper towels in my pocket.