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Best Easels For Painting
Whether you prefer to work indoors or outdoors, having an easel while painting gives your hands more freedom of movement, and also helps you create art that is more accurate. But with so many options on the market, it might be hard to choose the best one for your needs. To help you with picking, this article reviews 10 of the best easels for painting.
Some artists prefer painting in their studio, while others like doing it plein air. No matter your preferred location for working, an easel is something that is worth investing in. The best easels for painting will help you view your painting at the right angle, avoiding the negative effects of perspectives, give your hands more freedom of movement, and help you maintain a good posture.
Whether you are new to using easels, or have been aiding your painting process with them already, here are 10 of the best easels for painting in the market right now!
But, before that..
Types of Easels for Painting
- A-frame easel: Also known as a lyre easel, this type of easel is best for beginners and people who don’t have a lot of space.
- H-frame easel: Artists of all experience types can use a H-frame easel. This type of easel tends to be stable and sturdy, allowing you to work on large canvases.
- Large easel: This type of easel is very heavy and can support very large canvases. Best for professional artists.
- Convertible/ Hybrid easel: This type of easel can convert from a standing easel to tabletop easel, and will be useful for artists who prefer having both.
- Single mast easel: This type of easel is best for beginners and students who want something simple and affordable. It is not super sturdy, but gets the job done.
- Tabletop easel: Small and portable, this type of easel is meant to be placed on a tabletop and used. It is great for small canvases, and even comes with storage space!
- Plein air easel: Meant to be used outdoors, this type of easel has tripod legs and can be carried around easily. It is also known as the French easel.
- Display easel: Meant only to display your art, these types of easels often have different designs. You cannot use them for painting, however.
- Bench easel: This type of easel comes with a bench attached for you to sit and paint on. It is usually collapsible, so you can carry it around easily as well.
Best Easels For Painting
10 Best Easels for Painting
#1 U.S. Art Supply Wooden Easel (E-135)
Type: H-frame
Max. canvas height: 48”
Dimensions: 22” x 22” x 67.5”
Weight: 15.23 lbs
This wooden easel is made using fine quality aged beechwood, complete with an oil finish, and retains its natural wood color. It is sturdy and adjustable, allowing you to fit both small and large canvases. The stable base has wheels that make transportation easy. However, when you work, the wheels lock in place, so the easel won’t keep moving away! It also folds flat, so you can store it easily. You can angle the easel any way you want, from completely flat to over 90°. The storage compartment makes storing your paints and brushes super convenient.
U.S. Art Supply Malibu Heavy Duty Easel: This H-frame easel has almost similar features to the E-135, but is more suitable for professional artists. It accommodates a max. canvas height of 90”!
#2 Meeden Large Painter’s Easel
Type: A-frame
Max. canvas height: 48”
Dimensions: 26” x 35” x 63”
Weight: 16.5 lbs
Made using solid beech wood, this easel has three adjustment settings, so you can tilt your canvas any way you want – even vertically, which makes it easier for you to reach the top parts of your canvas. Another advantage is that this angle also causes pastel dust to fall away from the surface.
You can easily work with canvases up to 48” in height with this easel. The storage ledge makes for convenient storage of your paints and brushes. It is also easy to fold and transport, so you can use it indoors or outdoors. You also get the added guarantee of a 3-year warranty!
Type: A-frame
Max. canvas height: 52”
Dimensions: 31.5” x 39.5” x 89”
Weight: 6.61 lbs
The Mont Marte tripod style easel is made using seasoned beech wood and is lightweight, portable, and affordable, making it great for both indoor and outdoor usage. It folds away completely, so you can even carry it in your backpack! You can use canvases of up to 52” in height, and tilt the easel to the angle you want to paint at. The storage ledge makes for a great place to keep your paints and brushes near you while you work. This sturdy and durable easel is ideal for beginners and intermediates.
#4 Louise Maelys Tabletop Easel
Type: Tabletop
Max. canvas height: 20”
Dimensions: 4” x 10” x 3.5”
Weight: 3 lbs
If you are looking for a pocket-friendly easel to work on smaller pieces, the Louise Maelys tabletop easel is a great choice! It is made out of premium quality beechwood and superior brass hardware, so it is resistant to rust. The easel is lightweight and portable, and looks just like a briefcase! It comes complete with a leather handle and a lock, so you can carry it wherever you go.
You can tilt the easel from 0-90°, and keep your things anywhere in its four storage compartments. The bottom comes with an anti-slip rubber mat, so the easel will stay firmly in place. It can accommodate canvases of up to 20” in height, so it is ideal for kids and people who work on small pieces.
Type: A-frame
Max. canvas height: 55.1”
Dimensions: 25.5” x 4.4” x 3.7”
Weight: 3.1 lbs
Made using lightweight aluminum alloy, the T-sign easel is portable and affordable! It also accommodates large canvases weighing up to 25 pounds. Its adjustable angle feet fitted with rubber make it easy to use on uneven ground, and the reinforced hinges make it more stable. It easily folds completely, so you can carry it around on your painting adventures.
Type: Tabletop
Max. canvas height: 40”
Dimensions: 18” x 18.25” x 27.25”
Weight: 11 lbs
This tabletop easel is made using eco-friendly lyptus hardwood, which is stronger and more durable than oak. It is also affordable and can fit canvases of up to 40” in height. While it does not lay flat for storage, you can tilt it a little bit to make it comfortable to paint. It is easy to adjust, comes with a wide base, and holds your canvas securely in place.
Type: H-frame
Max. canvas height: 93”
Dimensions: 24” x 24” x 46”
Weight: 28.66 lbs
Constructed using German beechwood, this easel can fit some of the largest canvases ever (of up to 93”) with its maximum load capacity being 66 pounds! The easel has a very stable structure with wheels, so you can easily move it around! It comes with a double layer adjustable tray, so you can store all your painting supplies in one place. You can also adjust its angle according to your needs.
The easel is also completely foldable, making it easy to carry around. Its excellent features, along with the lifetime guarantee, makes this one of the best easels for painting!
#8 Creative Mark Cezanne Easel
Type: Plein air
Max. canvas height: 33”
Dimensions: 25” x 14” x 8”
Weight: 11 lbs
This French easel is handmade using elm wood, comes with a linen strap that is adjustable, and can be folded into a box, making it easy to carry it around outdoors. You can tilt the easel to the angle you want, meaning you can sit or stand while you paint, according to whichever is convenient for you. The divided storage compartment makes it easy to place your art supplies.
The fact that it supports large canvases is a huge bonus for plein air artists! It is affordable and lightweight, too.
#9 Daler Rowney Simply Table Easel
Type: Tabletop
Max. canvas height: 22”
Dimensions: 26.5” x 12” x 3”
Weight: 3.75 lbs
This tabletop easel is super affordable and is ideal for beginner artists and students who prefer to paint sitting down. It is sturdy and very compact. It folds flat, so it won’t take up much storage space. The easel is fully tiltable, so you can adjust it and get your desired angle. Since it can only accommodate a maximum canvas height of 22”, it is ideal for smaller projects.
#10 Kuyal Art Supplies Box Easel
Type: Tabletop
Max. canvas height: 31”
Dimensions: 15.25” x 10.75” x 6.25”
Weight: 6.6 lbs
This product is a storage box that doubles up as an easel, so it is super sturdy, allows for various angle adjustments, and also lets you store all your art supplies inside it. It can fit a medium size canvas of up to 31”. It has several locking clasps and a handle, and is lightweight, making it portable, too.
And that is a wrap on the 10 best easels for painting!
