If I Had to Pick Only One Painting Easel……

I wish I could choose just one easel…… Like most oil painters I have more than one. I have at least 4 and each has its own sweet spots. Some are great for in the studio. Some work for when I’m traveling, and some work for both. I started out with a traditional French easel but found it clunky once I ventured outside to paint. So, I added other, smaller easels. A couple I got one as gifts!

Below I will talk about the pros and cons of some of these easels and how I got around some of the issues that I ended up having to deal with.

French Easel – My first easel. There are several manufacturers that make this kind of paint box and there is also a half French easel which is half the width. This cuts down on weight. For how I use mine, a full French easel is best. Mine is made by Richeson. While I haven’t compared all the different manufacturers, I would think they are all rather similar in size, how they set up, and durability.

I’ve had this easel the longest and use it quite a lot. I use it for both drawing and painting in my studio.

Here are some of the pros for this easel:

• It has 3 legs that spread making this a very stable easel.
• The maximum easel height is about 69 inches.
• The largest vertical size the easel can hold is 33 inches, though I’ve jerry-rigged it to hold a taller canvas.
• The legs are adjustable in height.
• The place where the canvas or drawing board sits can be tilted from completely flat to leaning toward you. The ability to lean the board area forward is especially helpful when I work in charcoal and don’t want the dust falling down my work. In this configuration I also put a strip of aluminum foil underneath my drawing board to catch the dust which I can then re-use or toss.
• The place where the canvas or drawing board sits can be raised quite high. Though I’m not tall, it’s very helpful to be able to raise this grooved bar as many of my canvases are small.
• I can easily clip a light to the top.
• The drawer can hold either painting supplies and/or pencils/charcoal in the separate compartments. And there is another compartment below the drawer which can hold additional items.
• When the drawer is extended I use the drawer as a base to hold my French Mistress painting palette. https://www.dickblick.com/products/french-companion-mistress/
• It will hold a wet canvas allowing you to transport a wet painting when the box is closed, though not one under 10 inches.
• It comes with a wooden palette.
• It can be folded up, and when folded up it doesn’t take a lot of space.
• While you can paint a small canvas with this easel, the top bar doesn’t come down far enough to hold a panel in place. I have a larger separate adjustable panel holder that I had made for me which I use with my small panels.

Here are some of the cons for this easel:

• While it’s great for my studio, I found it rather awkward and heavy to carry around when I was painting outdoors (en plein air).
• It was also awkward to carry around if I needed to take it to a class.
• While this isn’t a con but something to note, sometimes the screws will come loose and things feel a bit wobbly. I’ve found it VERY easy to take a Phillips-Head screwdriver and tighten up any loose screws.
• While the French Easel comes with its own wooden palette, if you are painting plein air at the end of a painting session you will need to find another place to store your leftover paint.
• The wooden palette is not a very comfortable palette to hold, though you could rest it on the open drawer as I do with my French Mistress palette. I’ve only used mine once and never again. I have other arm/hand palettes that are MUCH more comfortable.

French Mistress/Companion sitting on the drawer of my French Easel

When you open or close up the easel you will need some room and a bit of coordination to fold it all back up. You will find a way that works easily for you, hopefully.

All in all, this is a good all-purpose easel and the more I’ve used it the more I like it. I would not suggest it for plein air painting, though many people use it for that and like it. I like things that are smaller and easier to hike around with.

https://www.jerrysartarama.com/monet-french-easel

Here is a YouTube video showing the easel in use:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrzaZYjxe30

Weston Full French Easel

Pochade Boxes

A pochade box is a small, portable painting box that can be used in the studio, but more often used en plein air. The word ‘pochade’ means a quickly executed sketch or study. Because light in the field changes rather quickly, many landscape paintings are done as ‘studies’ even though they may be complete works unto themselves. I have 3 kinds of pochade boxes.

Before I bought my first pochade box I spoke with a lot of painters. When I was painting with a group of other painters, I would notice that some easels were more popular than others. So, I spoke with everyone I could about what they liked and didn’t like about their easels. How much did it weigh? How much did it cost? Did it live up to their expectations? It’s very helpful to see these easels in action and what’s good for one person may not fit with your needs. Pochade boxes come in all kinds of materials including aluminum. Consider all the options before buying.

My needs were as follows:

1. It had to be easily portable
2. It had to have a built in wet canvas holder as I didn’t want to be dependent on having carry a wet canvas box in addition to my gear (though I’ve also used clean pizza boxes to hold wet canvases)
3. It had have a large enough palette to be able to mix a good amount of paint
4. It had to be able to accommodate a canvas up to 20″ in height
5. It had to have enough depth to add a glass palette that would cleanly fit it the box

My most used pochade box is from Artwork Essentials and called an EASyL Versa.

http://artworkessentials.com

PROS:

• Most of the EASyL palettes can hold 2 wet canvas panels in the back of the lid. It can hold 3 sizes of wet canvas.
• This size has an added benefit of holding larger canvases and having a larger mixing area. Both were very important to me as this was an easel I would take when painting outdoors and also when I went to class. The Versa is the largest of their pochade boxes at 12 x 16.  
• Another added benefit of this easel is that I can close the lid and not worry about my paints getting ruined. In other words, I didn’t have to clean my palette if the weather quickly changed.
• The set comes with a tripod, 2 quick release plates, a couple of hooks to hold your OMS container, and a brush holder. I traded my brush holder for a side tray.
• I added a narrower panel support tray which gives me the option of using the wider tray when painting on a gallery wrapped canvas or the narrower tray when painting on a panel. Because I mostly paint on panels or canvas taped to a board, I use the narrower tray almost always.
• One of the best features of this box is the panel position isn’t fixed on this box. I can raise the painting panel to a height that’s comfortable for me while having the palette at a comfortable level as well.
• While the height of the canvas is limited, the width isn’t.
• The palette area is deep enough that I was able to insert a glass palette.
• There is a removable piece of wood that separates your paint from the palette area which allows you to store your brushes and some tubes in the box itself without fear of wet paint getting all over your equipment.

• The area that holds your canvas will go from flat to vertical to closed.
• The easel can be easily adjusted for watercolor and pastel work.

CONS:

• While it isn’t the lightest in this category, it isn’t so heavy to be a deal breaker.
• If you paint larger than 16” in height you will need to find a way to clamp the canvas to the supporting back. Like most painters, I jerry-rig when necessary.
• I added a glass palette which adds a bit of additional weight to the box.

My second Easy L pochade box is one they don’t sell any more. I wanted an easel that was lightweight and could easily fit in a backpack. At the time, what I bought was a good option. What Artwork Essentials sells now are much better options. The one that is most like mine is the Slimline Classic Mini.

Slimline Classic

PROS:

• It’s lightweight and thin.
• The smaller size should easily fit in a backpack
• It can hold a wide range of canvas sizes, including as small as 4” which is an improvement over mine.
• Depending on which of the 3 Slimline boxes you get, it can handle up to 20” in height, which is a huge improvement. On my older box I’m limited to 10 inches in height.
• The interior of the box is a full rectangle which should allow the placement of a glass palette
• CONS:
• It doesn’t have a wet panel holder on the back.
• It may or may not be deep enough for a glass palette. I haven’t seen the new ones so can’t tell for sure.
• You can’t store brushes in the palette area as there is no way to separate the wet paint from the mixing area.

My smallest traveling pochade box is what’s called a Thumb Box by Guerrila Painters https://guerrillapainter.com/.

The Guerrilla Box comes in many sizes. Mine is a 5 x 7 and will hold a 5 x 7 panel horizontally and that is also how up to 2 wet canvases are carried. Below I’m showing it clipped to paint vertically. It’s super cute, but not the most practical – at least for me. It is small. Definitely a plus if you want to travel light and want to paint from your car or as unobtrusively as possible (hence the name, Guerilla Painter).

PROS:

• Super small
• Super lightweight
• Has a small amount of storage under the palette
• Can carry 2 wet/dry 5 x 7 canvases panels.
• Can buy add-on accessories if you want to paint up to 8 x 10.
• The area that holds your canvas will go from flat to vertical to closed.
• Has accessories specifically for the thumb box. I added a side tray that folds on top of the painting palette area without touching the paint.

CONS:

• The palette area is very small and takes getting used to. If you are using a 3 color palette plus white it is OK, but any more than 4 colors makes for an extremely crowded space.
• There is no height adjustment for the canvas. This means that if you are tall you will be restricted to the height your tripod will extend. It might not be comfortable for mixing paint as the whole box will be fairly tall. Conversely, if you are shorter, the mixing area may be at a comfortable level but the eye level of the painting may be too low.
• My thumb box has a hole in the storage area, presumably for your thumb, so it will need something slipped in place to cover the bottom or things can fall out. I put in a thin piece of cardboard.
• If you paint larger than 5 x 7 you will need a way to carry your wet canvas(es).

A Framed Easels

I have a couple of A-Framed easels. One I won and the other was given to me be a person who was moving. If I’m painting a very large canvas, which is rare for me, I will use them. In general, I use them to hold finished work to show clients or at art shows. There are some lovely fancier ones such as this Mabef easel which folds and has a carrying strap for easy travel, to the more traditional.

More traditional A Frame easel

PROS:

• Very lightweight
• Folds Flat
• Small footprint
• Can handle large canvases

CONS:

• On my easel the canvas needs to be stabilized somewhat as the place where the canvas rests is not that wide and can be wobbly. But mine is very old and probably not the best made.
• In a wind, the canvas can easily blow off unless strapped in some way.
• You will need some way to accommodate a palette. I use a very lightweight hand held palette when using these easels to paint. You can also set up a taboret/narrow table and have your palette rest on that.

In summary, there are lots of easels and there is no one solution. But after choosing your first easel, no doubt, you will get a second. All will become friends. And if one doesn’t work out then you can re-sell it.

Plains, Trains, and Automobiles: Part 3 – Clothes

On a recent 3 week painting trip to Scotland and France I had to pack painting gear as well as clothes for 2 climates: Cool and potentially rainy Scotland, and hot and dry southern France. Everything was casual, but clothes are always tricky. Will I be going out? Do I want to look chic/cool, or just put together enough to get by without offending anyone?

In Scotland my hosts had clothes I could borrow which really, really helped. I didn’t need to pack Wellies but brought waterproof hiking shoes instead, which also doubled as my sneakers. I could have borrowed a raincoat if I needed it. But I found some resale shops (never underestimate the amazing finds in resale shops!) so I bought a raincoat with the thought it was inexpensive enough that I could leave it behind if space got tight. Plus, I needed one to replace a worn out one. I also borrowed a fleece. What I brought were 6 T-shirts – 3 long and 3 short, which I could layer when I was cold, a vest, a cotton cardigan sweater, a large flannel shirt that I use as a painting smock, socks (wool and cotton) and 3 pair of shoes. One I wore on the plane (clogs), 2 were packed (hiking shoes and super light Toms). I also brought 1 pair of jeans, 2 pair of shorts, and one summer weight dress shirt. I was able to do laundry and I wore shirts for a couple of days before feeling like they needed to be washed. On the plane I wore leggings with a long-sleeved top and a cami for extra warmth, and a scarf. This also doubled as my ‘going out to dinner’ outfit, and I could use the leggings for stretching and working out, or if the weather was really cold, as another layer under jeans.

What I found was that I wore all the clothes except the dressier blouse. Everything else got a lot of wear. I did manage to buy a couple of things along the way…Nothing I needed, but hard to pass up. And this brings up purchases that seem like they are ‘must haves’.

I admit I really like books. But damn…..weight wise they are expensive. I only bought a couple, and I’m glad I did, but the cost was my luggage was that much heavier. I was limited on my checked bag to 50 lbs. (40 lbs on certain smaller carriers). Any thing over that costs a lot of money, about $100. My painting gear already had significant weight and with cloths and supplies I was close to the limit. So that terrific ‘deal’ might cost very little until the extra weight fee is added on top of it.

So to sum up about clothes: 1) The less you pack and carry, the faster you can move around and the less likely you are to lose or forget something. 2) think in layers. 3) You can find amazing things in resale shops. 3) Think about what you REALLY need instead of what you would like to have ‘just in case’. Anything you pack should have more than one use or function. As long as you are warm/cool and dry, you will probably have enough. 4) Borrow what you can at your destinations.

For a good website with more pointers on packing and traveling light, OneBag is really helpful.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: Traveling with Clothes and Painting Gear: Part 1-Easels

After 3 solid weeks of traveling to Scotland and France with my painting buddies, I want to offer some suggestions on painting boxes. In another post I’ll talk about clothes.

GEAR

I have several sizes of easels that I considered taking….a Guerrilla 5 x 7 Pocket Box, a ‘Kevin Mcpherson’ ProChade box easel by Artwork Essentials, and a Versa 11 x 14 easel, also from Artwork Essentials. From my point of view, here are the pros and cons of each:

Guerrilla 5 x 7 Pocket Box 

Pros:

* It’s really small and really light….While it is a box, this takes up minimal space.

* It’s extremely light. It weighs in at 1 lb.

* It holds wet panels. My configuration only holds one wet panel, but that is because I have a fold out side tray to hold my brushes which takes up wet canvas space when the box is closed. The side tray can can double as a larger mixing area, and I’ve used it as such (most recently when I left my palette mixing area in the freezer and forgot to take it with me.)

* There is a small amount of storage inside the box for limited paints and/or short brushes.

* It can be used in your lap or with a tripod.

* Because it’s light in weight, if you use a tripod, you can use a lighter one.

* You can customize the box. For example, I added the foldout Palette Extension kit, the rubber foot mounts, and the universal tripod mount set. 

* The panel size is limited to 5 x 7 allowing you to have a very consistent size in your body of work and you won’t have to carry a variety of panel sizes with you

Cons:

* It’s really small. If you need room to spread out or are a messy painter, this could be a real challenge.

* Storage inside the box is very limited.

* It’s set up to paint in landscape (horizontal) mode. (With clips I can easily paint in portrait mode.)

* The panel size is limited to 5 x 7. Because the format is limited, you may be frustrated when you want to paint larger.

* On your lap, the box can be a bit awkward, but it is doable.

* Sometime the panels move a bit back and forth while painting. I solve this with clips that I keep in the storage area under the mixing area or keep 2 panels in the painting area for a tighter fit and take out the second panel when I fold it all up.

* You will have to add anything that isn’t part of the basic box, for example the tripod mounting set. However these cost very little and are super easy to install.

Kevin Mcpherson Easly L ProChade Box by Artwork Essentials:

PROS:

* It’s extremely light. This weighs in 1.8 lbs.

*It’s very thin so it doesn’t create bulk.

* You can buy a full set up – easel, tripod, etc…from Easy L

* Because the easel is lighter, the tripod will be as well. Easy L’s is 2.7 lbs. (I also use this tripod for my 5 x 7 Pocket Box as well).

* There is a side table that come with it that slides in to place on the left side. I use it to hold my medium cup. I also added some wood at the top and bottom to hold my brushes in place and keep them from slipping. Or you can use the brush holder which comes with it.

 Cons:

* There is no place to hold a wet canvas. In fact, there is no storage of any kind.

* If you hang your turp jar, it can be slightly tricky as the lip of the box is not very tall. I’ve found the safest place is from the brass knob on the right side. If you are left handed this might not be comfortable for you.

* You are limited in vertical size to 10 inches maximum and 6 inches minimum. In other words, a 5 x 7 panel won’t work in landscape mode as the spring clip that holds the panel in place is fixed at 6” when it’s at rest.

* You have to use panels. I often cut linen from a roll and then tape it to cardboard to save on weight. However, you can tape your linen/canvas to a standard panel and have that as your backboard.

Easy L Versa by Artwork Essentials

* This has a really good sized working area.

* It has a wet canvas carrier built in which can hold 2 panels at a time as long as they are the same size.

* It has 3 different size options for holding wet canvases.

* By changing the brass resting shelf you can paint on panels or 1” deep canvases.

* It will hold a canvas up to 20” in height.

* It’s very sturdy. I’ve had mine for about 10 years. I’ve dropped it and it’s still working really well.

* Side trays mount easily and are very sturdy as they are made out of brass.

* Side trays can store inside the palette, along with you brushes.

* It is designed for oil, watercolor, or pastel painting.

Cons:

* It’s definitely heavier than the other two easels. It weighs in at 4.8 lbs. I added a glass palette that adds additional weight.

* The knobs can be awkward inside a backpack, as can the wet canvas carrier edges, as they sometime catch on things.

*If you have panels stored you will need to remove them to adjust the height of the panel/canvas resting tray as they are secured with screws which loosen from the back.

Practically Speaking:

I was really torn as to which easel to bring with me on a 3 week trip. I’ve traveled with each of the easels and had good success with all of them, but those trips were about both painting and vacationing. This was all about painting as we were painting 2 – 3 paintings per day. I had to be able to move about, but I also needed to be comfortable with my set up.

Because I didn’t want to be limited by size I brought the Easy L Versa. After traveling on several planes, navigating train stations that only had stairs, and lots of them, I’m not sure I made the right choice.

I only painted small paintings. Nothing I painted was larger than 10” in height so probably I could have used the Kevin Mcpherson ProChade Box and been quite happy. I might have made due with the Guerrilla box, but being limited to just 5″ x 7″ for so long still seems like a stretch.

Every easel has pros and cons. Some of the women traveling with us had Strada easels. Others had a Coulter system. Though it opens and closes really fast, Coulter’s take-up a bunch of space and is weighty. The Strada weighs in at just over 4 lbs. without the sides, and with sides would weigh similar to the Versa, but it is a very elegant looking easel. However, neither hold tubes of paint or wet canvases. In truth, there is no perfect solution. But for future trips I will take either the ProChade or Guerrilla 5 x 7 Pocket Box.