Portable Easels Reviewed
So you want to paint in the great outdoors and you don't know which of the many portable easels is the best one for you.
Too much choice? Confused? Read on...
Portable easels give you the freedom and flexibility to produce your work on a relatively steady surface, something that's much more difficult if you're just standing or if your pad or canvas is resting on your knee.
Always assuming you can find somewhere comfortable to sit!
Before choosing one of the many easels available, there's a good few points which you should consider first. To keep things as simple as possible I've listed these as bullet points. Most will be self-explanatory. Some may get you to re-think your requirements.
For instance, do you intend to work more with watercolor paints, oil paints or acrylic painting? Maybe pastels or some other drawing technique?
You might feel that as you only paint in oils, you need a French easel.
However, if you're never likely to be painting bigger than say 14 inches x 10 inches, a smaller, lighter watercolor easel with attachments for your materials may be the better bet. Think about it.
Whatever you choose is likely to have an element of compromise to get the best overall item. So look at these...
Most portable easels designed to take watercolor paper are constructed from aluminium for lightness, durability and strength. They look very similar to a photographic tripod.
Some are made from Beechwood. This has a more traditional feel, but is still quite light to carry and is used for much the same reasons as aluminium.
Although most often associated with watercolor paintng , don't discount their possibilities for use with other painting mediums.
A 'French' sketchbox type of wooden easel is slightly bigger but folds down to a box which can hold art supplies and in many cases, the wet canvas that you've just painted.
The photo at the top of the page is an example of a French Easel that can be carried on your back.
Remember though, any weights quoted by manufacturers are for empty portable easels. Therefore, the weight will increase with your materials inside.
However, if you're used to carrying a backpack for walking, the weight of these portable easels should present no problem to you.
A similar type of easel known as a 'Horse' or 'Donkey' incorporates a short bench which you sit astride to paint.
A bit bigger again than the French Box Easel. Many versions come with wheels, so you can pull it behind you.
Although it's still portable enough to take on holiday, you'll be lucky to persuade airlines that it'll fit in the overhead locker on the plane as hand luggage!
If it's to be used indoors away from home or a location that's easily accessible, then fine.
I hope you're now thinking about weight of portable easels and how important this is for you!
The aluminium easels weigh as little as 2 pounds and you can find French easels weighing only about 10 pounds. Horses come in at around 25 pounds upwards.
By the way, if you want something truly portable for oils or acrylics that needs no assembly or dismantling, don't overlook the traditional Pochade Box. Look at the benefits...
It's a wooden box without legs which not only carries all your art materials, but when the lid is opened, becomes a miniature and very portable easel to hold a canvas panel or board.
An inner lid in the box doubles as a palette. The canvas panel fits into slots or a similar device to hold it securely whilst you're painting.
When you've finished, the wet painting folds away in the box, secure and out of harm's way. Some boxes have slots for two paintings.
Typically about 3 inches deep when shut, the overall size of the Pochade Box determines the size of your painting panel - anything from 7 x 5 inches to about 16 x 12 inches.
If you need to sit with this resting on your knee, you'll also need an old towel or cloth to keep paint off your clothes.
You can get them with a neck strap that supports the box whilst you stand up to paint with it.
Consider the Pochade Box option in conjunction with a lightweight folding chair for painting trips where you prefer to sit down and paint. It's also more discreet than an easel if you're nervous about onlookers peering over your shoulder.
Let's look at some more general points...
Many aluminium portable easels come with a canvas cover. Look out for ones which also have built in pockets for your materials if you don't fancy carrying an extra bag. For obvious reasons these covers should be waterproof.
Will the folded easel fit comfortably in the car? If you're taking the family or other artists and a picnic as well on your painting trip, you want to avoid an easel which you have to put on the rear seat because it won't go lengthwise in the trunk.
Anyway, once you've reached your painting spot, how easy/quick is it to assemble and adjust your easel?
You should be looking at a few seconds - no longer than a minute.
And how quick is it to fold up at the end of your session - especially if you're hit by a sudden rain squall?
Is it easy to change the angle of your paper or canvas. It should go from flat to vertical with no fuss - and stay there!
Is this adjustment device a separate function from the leg adjustment? If you're moving from vertical to flat, you don't want to be growing three extra hands to stop the legs moving at the same time! I speak from experience. I bought one of those...
How easily can you adjust the legs to compensate for uneven
ground. With any so called portable easel, it's always
uneven ground.
Does it have rubber caps on the feet to stop it slipping on shiny floors. This is also important if you're painting indoors where you don't want the embarrassment of damaging a floor surface.
How big are your paintings likely to be? Will your easel accomodate them without keeling over?
What attachments will that easel accommodate? Hanging Water Pot, tray for art materials or palette, umbrella, paper towel roll, etc. etc.
Does your painting style mean these really need to be attached to the easel? Could they be placed on an old blanket on the floor or a table next to you?
Worried about your lightweight easel taking off in the wind with your half-finished masterpiece? Think about a rock bag. It's basically a strong nylon bag which attaches to the bottom of all three legs in which you put stones to weigh the easel down.
Of course, you can get the same effect with a piece of thick string attached to the middle of the easel, dropped down and tied round a suitable rock...
Hopefully, this has given you some things to think about when looking at the range of portable easels. And don't forget, in many instances, it might also be the solution for you when painting indoors as well.
Think about portable easels as an alternative to cluttering up the dining room table for days on end. Together with a small cupboard on castors to put your art supplies in, such a combination could give you a mobile studio in your own home.
Whatever you choose, enjoy your painting - especially outdoors!
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