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Different Types of Easel

One of the most important pieces of equipment for an artist to have is an easel. There are many different types of easels that you can use too.  You'll find that the best easel for you depends on a variety of factors.

Single mast Easel

One of the first types of easels is the single-mast design.  This T-shaped easel is by far the most simple of all the easel types.  A single-mast easel is best suited for smaller canvases.  They're also very lightweight, so you won't have a difficult time moving these easels around at all.

One of the main benefits of this type of easel is that it's very lightweight. Therefore, you won't have any trouble moving the easel around.  Novice artists will also like the fact that this easel is also the least expensive easel type.

A-Frame Easel

Another type of easel that you can buy is an A-frame design.  This easel is so called this because the overall shape of the easel looks very similar to the letter A.  The posts of the easel are arranged in a triangular fashion and are also supported by a rear leg.

You'll find that A-frame easels are very sturdy, much more so than a single-mast easel.  These easels are mainly used to hold smaller to medium sized canvases.  Although an A-Frame easel is quite sturdy, this type of easel usually can't effectively support larger canvases.

H-Frame Easel

If you're looking for an easel that's very sturdy, then you should consider getting an H-frame easel.  These easels have a rectangular base that enables them to handle larger canvases with ease.  You'll usually have the ability to adjust the easel to suit your needs also.

H-frame easels are far from simple, as they're quite complex.  Since they're larger than other types, you'll have a more difficult time carrying this easel around.  However, most of these easels are designed to collapse to make for easier transport and storage your easel.

You'll also find that these easels are quite expensive too.  Also, you'll need to ensure that you have enough room available to handle these larger easels.  If you don't regularly paint with larger canvases, then one of these easels will likely be too much for your needs.

Tabeltop Easel

Another simple easel design that you may be interested in is the tabletop easel.  This type of easel is particularly useful if you don't have a lot of space in your studio or home to accommodate a larger easel.

You will also like that tabletop easels are incredibly lightweight and easy to move around.  Since they are also collapsible in many instances, these easels can also be stored with ease.

There is also a type of tabletop easel fitted with a box.  You can use the easel box for a convenient place to store some of your supplies.  The easel box is also specially designed to keep your canvas stable.

French Easel

Yet another type of easel is the French easel.  This is an even more versatile easel design.  In addition to the easel, there is also a sketchbox so that you can hold some of your painting supplies.  Also, it provides you with an easy way to carry your canvas.

Whenever you need to transport this type of easel, you'll appreciate the fact that it's designed to collapse easily.  When working with the easel, you can easily tilt its angle so you can work with the canvas either horizontally, vertically, or somewhere in between.

Still, there are easels designed specifically for displaying pieces of artwork or other objects.  It's not a good idea to use these easels for painting.  They aren't nearly as sturdy as the other designs, so you would likely experience a lot of wobbling while trying to paint with this easel.

Studio Easel

If you're quite serious about your artwork, then you may even want to get your hands on a studio easel.  This is the largest easel type and can accommodate very sizable canvases.

Since it is so big however, you'll need to make sure that you have plenty of space to store the easel and canvas.  You should also be aware that you likely won't be able to fold up this type of canvas very easily.

You also won't like the fact that these studio easels are very expensive.  However, you'll need a studio easel if you want to handle larger paintings.  Some of the largest designs of these easels can accommodate paintings that are over 100 inches tall.

Convertible Easel

If you want the best of both worlds, then you should consider getting a convertible easel.  With this type of easel, you can easily switch between a standard vertical design and a tabletop design.  This versatility is quite useful if you work with many different types of paint.

Convertible easels are slightly more sturdy than their A-frame counterparts. However, they still can't match the sturdiness of an H-frame easel.

Bench Easel

One of the final types of easels that you may be interested in is the bench easel. There would be no need to find a suitable place to sit, since a bench is also built into this type of easel.

Although the design of a bench easel may sound bulky, you'll find that that is certainly not the case.  Thanks to the ability to collapse quite easily, you can take bench easels anywhere you need to go.  This type of easel isn't useful for larger canvases though, since most are only large enough to hold paintings up to 30 inches tall or so.

Choosing an easel

Now that you know all about the different types of easels, you'll be in a much better position to choose the best easel for you.  However, there are plenty of other things that you need to consider before you run out and purchase your first easel.  Most importantly, you'll need to think about your intended use for an easel.

If you frequently find yourself painting in the park, you'll obviously need an easel design that's easy for you to transport.  However, if you spend most of your time in a studio, then a larger easel may be just what you need.  It should go without saying, but you will also need to think about the best size easel to get.  This will largely be determined by the types of canvases that you usually paint on.  If you like working on larger canvases, then you'll obviously need a larger easel to accommodate them.  However, not everyone should get the largest easel that they can find.  You need to make sure that you have enough room in your home or studio for an easel.  If you don't intend to setup the easel in a permanent location, then you'll still need someone for the easel to go during storage.

One of the next things you should consider when trying to pick out an easel is whether or not it has storage space.  Some easels are fitted with trays and cups for you to put some of your supplies.  Obviously, this will be much more convenient for you to use.  When trying to pick out the best easel for you to buy, you may also want to think about how much the easel weighs.  This may not be very important if you're just going to set the easel up in a permanent location and leave it there.  However, if you'll be moving it around on a constant basis, then you'll want your easels to weigh as little as possible so that you can move them around with ease.  If you don't want your easel to stay in the same spot, then it's important that you look for an easel design that folds or collapses.  This will significantly lessen the amount of space required to store the easel.  Without this capability, you may have a hard time storing the easel fully assembled.  It's important that aspiring artists pay attention to the type of floor where the easel will be located.  Not every floor is perfectly level.  If yours isn't, then you'll need to get an easel that will stay stable on it.  An easel that is equipped with rubber on the feet will be considerably more stable.  You'll find that easels with three legs are much better suited for use on these types of floors.  However, designs with a flat base will provide much more stability overall, especially when you're working with larger canvases.  Many artists like to change their easel position depending where they are on the painting.  Doing so will help reduce glare or even enable you to reach a certain part of the painting more easily.  Therefore, you may want to look for an easel that allows you to tilt it forward slightly whenever the need arises.  As you should already know, if you don't want to setup the easel permanently, then you'll need to make sure that it's easy to move around.  Look for an easel design that is equipped with caster wheels so you can simply roll it along.  Some easels are even designed to fold down compactly into an easel carrying case.

Easel materials

One of the most important decisions that you'll need to make when it comes to purchasing an easel is the type of material that the easel is made of.  Two of your most common choices include wood and metal.  However, there are even newer easel designs that are made from plastic.  Each type of easel material offers its own set of advantages and disadvantages for easel construction.

Plastic easels

Plastic easels are the newest on the scene.  Plastic, or acrylic, easel designs are a great option if you're just starting out and not trying to spend a lot of money on easels initially.  Although you'll undoubtedly like the money savings, you may not like the fact that plastic easel designs aren't all that sturdy.  You wouldn't want to use a larger canvas with these easels.  Metal easels are very sturdy and will last for a long time, even when subjected to constant abuse.  Metal easels also weigh less than their a wooden easel, so you can move them around much more easily.  Metal also isn't porous like wood, so you can keep your easel looking good for a longer period of time.

Wooden easel

By far the most traditional material used to make easels is wood.  Wooden easels are very sturdy, so there won't be much wobbling while you're trying to paint. There are also many more design options to choose from than metal.  When it comes to wooden easels, you'll also need to think about whether to get oak or beech.  Oak is a very hard wood, so it should last for plenty of years.  Many people also like the fact that oak is a very beautiful type of wood.  The main problem with easels made from beech is that the wood is softer, so they may not last as long.

Canvas size and easel choice

After deciding on the best type of easel material to get, you should start thinking about the types of canvases that you will normally use on your easel.  If you use the larger varieties, then you need an easel with support bars that extend.  You'll want to keep your larger canvas as stable as possible on your easel.  It's also important to note that easels are rated based on the maximum size canvas that they can accommodate.  Make sure that you check before you buy an easel.  While painting, you may want to adjust the easel height at some point.  Therefore, it would be much more convenient for you to use an easel that gives you the ability to adjust the overall height.  This can be done using knobs placed on the side of the easel.  Some easel designs are even equipped with telescoping legs.  If there are telescoping legs, make sure that there are locking levers or threaded collars on the easel to keep them in place.  Some people use easels for reasons other than creating artwork.  An easel is useful for displaying other objects as well.  You may find an easel that's been made specifically for making presentations or displaying documents of some sort.  If you choose a standard easel, then it's important that you be aware that it's basically a large piece of furniture in the room.  If you plan to keep the easel in a permanent location, you likely want it to look as attractive as possible.  You can find easels featuring an elegant design.  Although they'll be more expensive, these easels certainly wouldn't be an eyesore in your room.

Making your own easel

Just because you want to get an easel doesn't mean that you actually have to go out and buy an easel though.  Some people make their own easels at home.  This is a great option if you're trying to save money.  Just make sure that you're pretty handy with a set of tools.  In addition to saving money, there are a few other reasons why you may want to consider building your own easel.  For one, it shouldn't be that hard to make an easel.  You'll just need to have a few essential tools handy and the knowledge to use them correctly.  Obviously, you'll also need some type of material to make them.  You wouldn't have to come up with your own schematics if you want to build your own easel.  There are plans available on the internet for you to use.  Fortunately for you, many easel designs are free, so you don't have to worry about an added expense.

Another reason why you should consider building your own easel is because you can construct it exactly how you want it.  You can use the best materials to ensure that it lasts for many years to come.  You may be taking a chance on the level of quality when you buy a ready-made easel design.  There are also plenty of easel accessories that you'll need while painting.  Having an easel equipped with traps, cups, or compartments will be very useful.  If you build your own easel, you can construct as much storage space as you need.  The best thing about building your own easel is that you can come up with your own design.  You certainly wouldn't be limited to constructing a simple wooden easel. If you have the expertise, you could produce a high-quality design that you'd be quite proud to display to the world.

Buying an easel

If building your own easel isn't for you, then you'll need to find somewhere to purchase one.  Of course, you could go down to a local store and find one to buy. However, you'll also have the option of going online to get one.  There are plenty of reasons why you may want to start your search online.  First of all, it's the most convenient option at your disposal.  If you get an easel online, you can order it at anytime of the day you want, even in the middle of the night.  You wouldn't have to worry about leaving the comfort of your home.  Another reason that you may want to get your easel online is because you'll have a wide selection to choose from.  There are dozens if not hundreds of places you can buy an easel from online.  Depending on where you live, you may not have a lot of stores nearby for you to visit.  Even if there are a couple of suitable stores, they may not have a wide range of easels in stock for you to choose from.  You would certainly have many more options online.  By ordering easels online, you also get to compare them more easily.  You can take a quick look at various products and see how they compare to each other.  This certainly isn't an easy task when shopping offline, since you would have to visit a number of different stores.  You'll also find that it's often more cost-effective to get your easel from an online supplier.  Brick and mortar stores have a lot of overhead such as rent, utilities, and employee salaries.  All of these expenses are reflected in their prices.  Online stores can operate at a much lower budget.  Therefore, they'll often provide you with the best prices for a new easel.  By shopping online, you can also compare prices from many different stores so you could find the best price possible. Plenty of stores will offer deals and discounts at various times also. 

One of the final benefits of shopping for easels online is that you can see what other users thought about the particular product before you bought it.  This is particularly useful if you've never bought one before and don't know exactly what to get.  You can learn from other more experienced artists so you could make a better decision buying easels.  Buying an easel online isn't without its disadvantages though.  First and foremost, you won't be able to put your hands on the easel before you bought it.  It's often best to do so in order to see if all the pieces function as they should.  By seeing the easel in person, you would get a much better idea of how it really looks.  Another disadvantage of going online to get an easel is that you won't be able to get it immediately.  Whenever you go to a brick and mortar store, you'll be able to take home your purchase immediately.  This certainly isn't the case when you order online, since it may be days or even a few weeks before you get it.  You may also be required to pay for the easel to be shipped to your home.   Larger easels can be relatively heavy, so the shipping costs may not be something you're looking forward to paying for.  You can help negate this problem by looking for a company that offers free shipping with your purchase.  If you have made the decision to buy an easel online, it's important that you don't go with the first company that you come across.  You'll need to choose the best supplier to get one from.

How to choose which company to buy your easel from

Here are some of the things that you should look for in a good easel company.  First, you only want to do business with a company that's been proven to be reputable.  You may be wondering how you can tell this.  It's easy enough by researching reviews of the supplier you're considering getting your easel from.  If there are quite a few complaints, you may need to keep searching.  Obviously, you'll want to look for a company that offers easels at affordable prices.  However, it's important that you not sacrifice quality just to pay less for the easel.  You can often find specials and deals online to help lower the price even more.  It's also important for you to take shipping into account.  Easels can be quite heavy and command higher shipping costs.  Finding a company that offers free shipping is the best option.  If you can't though, try to find the best shipping deal possible.  When trying to find a potential supplier to get your new easel from, it's best that you first make out a budget.  The prices can vary dramatically between designs depending on a wide range of factors such as size and other features.  You don't want to end up spending more money that you can really afford.  This will also help narrow down your choices initially.  Some people buy an easel online and find out that there's something wrong with it once they get their hands on it.  If this happens to you, you would obviously want it replaced or repaired at not expense to you.  Therefore, make sure that you find out the company's policies before you buy from them.  It's especially important that you learn about the type of warranty that the easel is backed by.  If something does go wrong with one of your easels within the specified period of time, you'll want to get the situation fixed with little hassle.

Easels for children

You should also know that easels aren't just for adults or artists.  Kids love to draw as well.  An easel would make a great gift for a younger member of your household.

One reason you should consider getting your smaller child an easel is because it helps with their learning and development.  By painting and drawing at such a young age, they'll start working on their fine and gross motor skills.

Drawing is also an excellent way for your children to express themselves and communicate.  If they haven't learned to write well yet, then drawing and writing on their easel will really help out.

Children can be quite active, and having an easel is a great way for them to burn excess energy.  If you get the right type of easel for them, they can do many different things on it too.

Choosing an easel for a child

Picking out an easel for a small children differs slightly from picking out a standard easel.

For example, you will need to take safety features of potential easels into account.  You certainly wouldn't want your young one to get hurt while trying to draw on any of their easels.  Although the easel should be adjustable, it should be designed not to pinch your child.  All of the accessories that come with the unit should also be safe for children to use.

It's really important that your child be able to adjust the easel.  Your child will eventually get taller.  Therefore, he or she will eventually need to adjust the height of the easel in order to keep using it with ease.

You should also be aware that there are a range of surfaces that an easel can provide your child with.  Some of them include dry erase boards, chalkboards, and magnetic boards.  Some even have pieces of paper for your child to write on.

It may also be a good idea to buy an easel for your child that supports different canvas sizes too.  Your child may wish to take part in different projects that require different types of drawing materials, so the easel will need to accommodate them.

Most easels have only one side to draw or write on.  However, if you have more than one child, you may want to consider getting a double easel.  This way, multiple children could use the easel at the same time, although on different sides.

You should already be aware that kids can be quite messy.  Therefore, you'll want an easel that provides for easy cleanup.  All of the trays and individual pieces of the design should be able to be removed with ease so that you can clean the easels more easily.

You probably don't want paint to end up covering the floor in your child's room either.  That certainly wouldn't be what you bought the easel for.  Some children's easels help to ensure that paint stays where it belongs and not on your floor or carpet.

Another thing that you need to pay attention to when it comes to buying an easel for your smaller child is how easy it is to assemble.  Your child probably won't be able to assemble it initially, so you'll have to do it.  However, on subsequent uses, it should be relatively easy for your child to setup by himself.

One other thing to look at when buying your little one an easel is whether it provides storage space.  Having easels with trays, cups, or drawers on the unit will make it much easier to store supplies such as paint, brushes, and other accessories that your child will end up using.

It's also a good idea to see whether the easel can fold or collapse easily.  When it's time to put the easel away, you want to be able to store it with little trouble.  An easel that folds or collapses would certainly cause you much less hassle when it comes to storing it.

As you should already know, there are different types of materials that can be used to construct an easel.  When buying one for your child, you probably won't want to get a standard wooden easel although they'll make an excellent choice.

Parents tend to prefer plastic easels for their little ones.  The main reason is because these easels are incredibly lightweight.  However, you need to ensure that the easel is very sturdy and durable.  This is even more important if your child is relatively rough with his or her toys.  You want the easel to be able to withstand any abuse for as long as possible.

As you can see, there are plenty of things to consider whether buying an easel for your child or for an aspiring artist.  Make sure that you take your time when buying one.  In most cases, buying an easel is a relatively significant investment so you'll need to choose wisely.