Prepare
What I Use
I have several different easels that I use for different situations.
French Easel by Jullian
This is my primary easel that I use for most of my paintings. In the past, I used the telescoping legs, but I found I preferred just using it on top of a table. I’ve removed the legs. These easels are designed to move around to different locations and have a drawer but I rarely use it because it never leaves my studio. I use this to paint on panels up to 24x24”.
I prefer painting sitting down at a heavy table.
https://www.dickblick.com/products/blick-french-easel-by-jullian
RICHESON TABLETOP EASEL
This is a larger tabletop easel that I use when I’m working on paintings larger than 24x24”. It’s well made, but I prefer the french easel for smaller paintings.
Blick Studio Sketchbox Table Easel
I use this easel when I’m painting from my studio up north. I had been transporting my easel back and forth to different locations, but then decided it was easier just to have another easel. The main difference between this and the french easel is that it is ONLY a tabletop easel and doesn’t have any legs.
https://www.dickblick.com/products/blick-studio-sketchbox-table-easel/
Best Santa Fe II Easel
This is a monster easel capable of holding very large paintings. I used it to paint a 5 foot by 9 foot painting. It’s incredibly hefty and well made. It has a ratchet crank to easily raise and lower your work. I love it, but I don’t get to use it that often as most of my work is 24x24” and smaller.
FAQs
DO I EVEN NEED AN EASEL?
No! I encourage you try working in many different ways to find the method that works best for you. I’ve detailed some alternatives below.
WhY DOES YOUR EASEL SPIN in your videos?
If you’ve seen any of my videos on social media, you might have seen it spin. This isn’t part of the easel. It’s just sitting on top of a $14 lazy susan that I bought off of Amazon.
Alternatives
WORK FLAT
Some artists enjoy working on a flat surface like a table, countertop or desk. When I do my initial drawing or if I’m working on a part of the painting that has a lot of detail, I will often move my panel from the easel to the table. It can be a great solution when working small. The only downside for me is that it’s often useful to physically step back and consider your painting from a distance. This is obviously not as easy to do when it’s flat on a table.
DRAFTING TABLE
Drafting tables are tables whose surface is angled rather than flat.
WORK ON THE WALL
Attaching your work to a wall while painting is a good option, too. It’s often a great solution when working large. My studio was converted from a bedroom, so my walls are not setup for this. If you have the ability to change your walls and are okay with the inevitable mess, then you might find this option works best for you. The only problem I’ve found when working on a wall is that your painting is often stuck in one spot and it can be awkward to get your brush, arm and body into the right position at times. You can alleviate this problem by being able to move your painting up and down. Some artists have built ingenious peg systems that allow them to do so easily.
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