The art student shopping for art materials when embarking upon a fine art course will soon discover that there is vast array of artist easels available on the market, including studio easels, table easels, French easels and pochade boxes, some of which can be quite costly. Before thinking about the budget, the student must first find the best easel to suit his or her needs.
Types of Easels
Although there are many different designs of easels, basically there are really two types of easels:
Table easels as the name suggests sits on a raised surface and provides an angled support where the painting rests. The artist may complete the painting whilst sitting at a table or desk, rather like a draughtsman. Pochade boxes are small carry boxes with an angled lid, rather like a laptop. The ultimate gadget for the mobile artist or the plein air painter, the pochade box provides storage for the art materials and a slotted compartment where the wet painting may be stored without fear of it getting ruined during transit.
The other type of easel is free standing. These are suitable for the artist who prefers to stand and paint. French easels are lightweight for mobility and fold compactly. Studio easels provide more stability. The tripod or A-frame studio easel is a popular choice for art students for it keeps the painting steady during the painting process and its ratchet mechanism enables flexibility in the painting’s height and angle adjustment. The art student who wishes to undertake a series of large works, exceeding four feet on any side may find the H-frame studio easel most suitable. The H-frame easel, for its ultimate is sturdiness is designed to be a permanent fixture within the studio for its size and weight.
How to Save Money on Artist Easels
With the above in mind, the student can avoid buying a large easel when small works are planned. Keeping to a recommended brand, such as ProArt or Winsor & Newton, is also likely to yield a reliable easel when it comes to quality and durability.
Paying for unnecessary gadgets, such as an attachable palette or painting compartments can be avoided when using an artbox or free standing trolly with the easel, which can be purchased cheaply from a DIY store. Easels with a high finish are also unnecessary when bearing in mind that the easel will eventually be covered in paint anyway. What is most important is that the height and angle adjuster works properly and that the easel meets the student’s needs.
Second Hand Artist Easels
Purchasing a second hand easel is a great option for saving money. Checking out the classified ads, Ebay or used easels from the college shop could pay dividends. The following advice on buying a second hand easel will ensure a good purchase:
- Look out for signs of woodworm.
- Look out for any signs of damp. Water stains or a musty smell will give this away.
- When purchasing a tripod easel, check that the ratchet mechanism works properly. Does the butterfly screw on the height adjuster tighten firmly? Does the painting-rest slip sideways or downwards if a little pressure is exerted on it, even when tightened?
- Similarly check the angled support does not slip backwards if any pressure is exerted on the upper part of the easel.
- Check that the folding mechanism works properly.
- Look out for any screw mechanisms that do not tighten, indicating worn out threads.
- If purchasing a French easel, check that the height adjusters on each leg work properly or are not broken. Check that the storage box does not harbour any hidden damage.
- Take care not to purchase a display easel which is designed for office use only and is too spindly for the artist.
- A paint-splattered easel is not a problem, but can be used as a bargaining point.
Do not be put off by the age of the easel. A good brand should last a lifetime if properly looked after. An old easel can easily be spruced up with a little sandpaper and the application of a little oil on the wood. Dried thick oil paint can be chipped off with a palette knife.
Cheap Studio Easels for Students
The art student can easily save money on art materials and costly easels by finding one that meets his or her needs. This will avoid paying for unnecessary gadgets such as an attachable palette or a high finish. Second hand easels can be found on Ebay or classifieds, but the quality must be checked out first. This means looking out for signs or damage or a defective ratchet mechanism. An old easel can easily be spruced up with a little sanding down and the application of oil. A good easel could last a lifetime if it is kept in a dry cool place.
Rachel Shirley - I have written and illustrated several art instruction books entitled Oil Paintings from your Garden and Oil Paintings from the Landscape ...
