Artists' easels come in a variety of sizes and materials. There are tripod easels, bi-fold easels, tabletop easels and sketchbox easels. Some are made of wood. Others are made of metal. Most easels are adjustable. Some are even portable. All artists' easels share the same purpose: to hold a canvas or art pad securely during the painting process. Artists paint with easels in their studios and "en plein air," or in the open air. Steps in easel painting include selecting the right easel, adjusting it properly and positioning the canvas.
Selecting an Easel
Most artists need more than one easel because one easel will not suit all of their needs. The first step in choosing an easel is to think about where, when and how you will use it. Large, full-sized easels are meant for studio work. The best ones are heavy and sturdy enough to hold large canvases. Some studio easels fold for transport such as lyre back models. These are good for students to take back and forth, but aren't as stable as the more permanent models. The serious studio painter should consider investing in a high-quality, hardwood easel with tilt adjustment.
Field easels are lightweight, portable and made of wood or metal. Some of them have built-in paintboxes. Others are simple, metal tripods with a ledge that folds into position to support a canvas. Most field easels are intended for use with small canvases.
Tabletop easels are useful for painting at home or outdoors and are the most portable of all. They are simple to set up at the kitchen or dining table and serve the primary purpose of raising and supporting the canvas.
Adjusting the Easel
All easels offer some option of adjustment, whether it be the angle of the canvas or the height of the painting ledge. Full-sized floor models are versatile in that they can accommodate the artist standing or sitting. Professional quality easels offer a wide range of tilt adjustments including a forward tilt up to 60 degrees.
Adjust your easel to a comfortable height and angle with the goals of reducing glare, eliminating drawing distortion and tilting the canvas just enough to enable you to mix and match paint to it under the same light.
Positioning the Canvas
Some easels such as bi-fold easels can tip over easier than others. Note: Tri-pod easels are less wobbly on uneven floors. Make sure your easel stand is fully extended and will support the size and weight of the canvas you are using. The easel should be vertically adjusted to tilt back slightly. Place the bottom of the canvas inside the lip of the bottom tray or ledge of the easel. Center the canvas horizontally against the easel frame and lower the top tray to fit over the top edge of the canvas. Holding onto the top of the canvas, tilt the frame forward to the appropriate angle and tighten the top tray to hold the canvas securely.
You may need to adjust your canvas as you are painting. If you are working on a large painting, it is a good idea to sit on an adjustable drawing stool.
Tips on Easel Painting
A taboret, or rolling artist's table, comes in handy for holding paints and extra brushes. Easel painting brings the canvas "up close" to the artist. Walk away from the easel frequently as you are working to gain a new perspective on your painting. Store your canvas on the easel between sessions. You can cover it if you prefer, but be sure to place it in an area where it will not be disturbed.
