Thank-you to Jodi for asking for some easel info in my blog.
2 kinds:
Wooden
I have a giant wooden easel that I was using in my cellar until Covid-19 forced me upstairs in my little 2nd floor loft! I bought this easel when I took classes from Helen Van Wyk back in 1993!! Still love it but there is no way I would ever get it up 2 flights of stairs. If you are going to go wooden - the bigger ones work better, easier to get the canvas supports to go up and down. Wood does expand and contract in various types of weather so sometimes the moving parts get stuck. Also my big easel was in the $200 - $300 range way back when. It has been a wonderful workhorse (easel means "donkey" in Dutch!). I have things hanging from it, things screwed into it, an old cabinet I use as my tabouret plopped on the front supports for my palette and medium. Tools hanging from everywhere! Really - it's a love.
Lots of my students have bought lovely, sturdy wooden table easels which they now use in our Zoom classes. Those I have seen look like they are of quality craftsmanship. In other words - don't go cheap.
Metal
These are great easels for setting up quick, moving about the house or carrying out on a hike if you want to paint pleine aire (outside). My advice - don't get one with lots of knobs and latches on it unless you have an advanced degree in Physics!!!! You can get a lovely, sturdy, fairly simple, adjustable easel at Jerry's Artarama. It's called Creative Mark Napoli easel. The easel runs from $43 to $60. I think the difference in price is what dependent on what color you choose! The legs are adjustable and it can hold a fair sized canvas. My Zoom easel currently has a 24 x 30 canvas on it with no problem. I have a low bookcase that I use for my tabouret to hold my palette and Gamsol (odorless medium). On this I rest the 2 front legs at their shortest length. The back leg is extended all the way to the floor in the corner of my long, narrow loft. Good support and easy to move around. I've had this since I lived in Framingham 26 years ago. It was a gift from my Beginning Art class at Keefe Tech. The price is certainly better than the $200 - $300 range. Hope this helps!
Happy Painting!
2 kinds:
Wooden
I have a giant wooden easel that I was using in my cellar until Covid-19 forced me upstairs in my little 2nd floor loft! I bought this easel when I took classes from Helen Van Wyk back in 1993!! Still love it but there is no way I would ever get it up 2 flights of stairs. If you are going to go wooden - the bigger ones work better, easier to get the canvas supports to go up and down. Wood does expand and contract in various types of weather so sometimes the moving parts get stuck. Also my big easel was in the $200 - $300 range way back when. It has been a wonderful workhorse (easel means "donkey" in Dutch!). I have things hanging from it, things screwed into it, an old cabinet I use as my tabouret plopped on the front supports for my palette and medium. Tools hanging from everywhere! Really - it's a love.
Lots of my students have bought lovely, sturdy wooden table easels which they now use in our Zoom classes. Those I have seen look like they are of quality craftsmanship. In other words - don't go cheap.
Metal
These are great easels for setting up quick, moving about the house or carrying out on a hike if you want to paint pleine aire (outside). My advice - don't get one with lots of knobs and latches on it unless you have an advanced degree in Physics!!!! You can get a lovely, sturdy, fairly simple, adjustable easel at Jerry's Artarama. It's called Creative Mark Napoli easel. The easel runs from $43 to $60. I think the difference in price is what dependent on what color you choose! The legs are adjustable and it can hold a fair sized canvas. My Zoom easel currently has a 24 x 30 canvas on it with no problem. I have a low bookcase that I use for my tabouret to hold my palette and Gamsol (odorless medium). On this I rest the 2 front legs at their shortest length. The back leg is extended all the way to the floor in the corner of my long, narrow loft. Good support and easy to move around. I've had this since I lived in Framingham 26 years ago. It was a gift from my Beginning Art class at Keefe Tech. The price is certainly better than the $200 - $300 range. Hope this helps!
Happy Painting!