Everything You Need to Know about Buying an Easel
What do you want to get out of an Easel?
Each Easel offers different benefits to different artists. They provide stability and make it easier to move freely when painting. The more sturdier the easel, the more it enables artists to be loose and energetic when painting. Whereas, if you are working on a smaller surface with finer, delicate brushstrokes than a lightweight easel could be an ideal option.
An easel also helps protect your work from a lot of damage, especially from collecting dust. Not only does it help protect the work, it also helps protect the artist. You can adjust the height and angle of an easel to suit your needs whist painting. This helps your posture, as well as being able to view your work from a vertical angle. You can also see how your work is progressing from varying distances and angles, allowing you to analyse your work.
Where to use your Easel?
This all depends on the environment in which you chose to paint. For example, you will need something more compact and portable like a Sketching Easel if you are wanting to paint outdoor. If you are wanting to paint in a studio, you will have space for a more sturdier and bigger easel, like a Studio Easel.
Choosing your Easel
There are so many easels to choose from, so it is important to consider where you work and how you work. Find out more about some of Loxley’s best easels below.
Display Easels
Display Easels are a popular way for artists to showcase their finished work. They are very useful for taking to a show or an art exhibition as they are lightweight and portable.
Gwent – ‘A’ Shape Display Easel
A superb quality exhibition display easel made from seasoned beech wood that is beautifully finished with a lacquered surface. The easel height is 260 mm, with a maximum picture height of 225 mm, the dimensions at the base of the easel when it is set up for display are 188 mm W, and 185 mm D, and the easel dimensions when folded for storage are 280 mm H, 190 mm W, 45 mm D. The easel weight is 280g.
Dorset – ‘H’ Frame Display Easel
This exhibition quality display easel is made from seasoned beech wood with lacquered finish and features an adjustable to picture support clamp. The easel height is 435 mm and the maximum picture height is 310 mm, the dimensions at the base of the easel are 190mm W, and 190 mm D, and the easel dimensions for storage are 280 mm H, 190 mm W, 45 mm D. The easel weight is 380g.
Westminster – Metal Display Easel
The Westminster display easel is a high quality gothic style easel made from steel with an antique lacquered finish and brass picture supports. The easel height is 315 mm, with the ideal maximum picture height at 200 mm, the dimensions at the base of the easel when it is set up for display are 145 mm W, 125 mm D, and the easel dimensions when folded for storage are 330 mm H, 160 mm W, 38 mm D. The easel weight is 910g.
Sketching Easel
Sketching Easels are either made from aluminium or wood. They are ideal for both indoor and outdoor use and are portable making them ideal for travelling.
Paris – Sketch Box Easel
The Paris full size sketch box easel for painting outside is a more robust version of the French style easel designed for painting en plein air. The easel has a carrying handle and shoulder strap, extendable legs that fold out and a slide out, metal lined drawer with adjustable dividers and a wooden painting palette. The three legs of the easel have telescopic ends which can be individually adjusted so that the easel is stable on uneven ground. Allows The wood used for the easel is seasoned beech wood and the fittings are brass plated. The painting support can be used horizontally or vertically and fixed at any angle in between. The easel height when fully extended is 1800 mm, with a maximum picture height with easel extended of 850 mm, the dimensions at the base when easel is set up for painting are 770 mm W, 1020 mm D, and the easel dimensions when folded for storage are 570 mm H, 440 mm W, 162 mm D. The easel weight is 5.2kg.
The St James – Metal Easel
The St James easel is a strong metal sketching easel which has been developed for extra stability when sketching outdoors. Its variable working angle makes it suitable for watercolour and oil painting. The main body of the easel is finished in black with chrome finished easel mast and telescopic legs. The easel height when fully extended is 2020 mm, with a maximum picture height when the easel is extended of 750 mm, the dimensions at the base when the easel is set up for painting are 830 mm W and 720 mm D. The dimensions when folded for storage are 890 mm H, 180 mm W, 100 mm D and the weight of the easel is 2.3kg
BUCKINGHAM – Easel Box
Developed by Loxley in co-junction with acrylic Artist Robert Dutton, this large sketch box easel evolved for improved user experience and functionality. With slide out compartments, multiple colours and tools can be accessed quickly whilst painting or sketching. Telescopic legs with quick-lock thumb push, allow use on a table top or floor standing. Strong carry handle and shoulder strap; a great choice for artists who need a good size work station/storage easel with mobility. Internally there is lower storage of 300 x 390 x 30mm, plus 2 sliding trays each at 280 x 210 x 30mm. Height fully extended: 1700 mm. Maximum canvas height: 800 mm. Floor space with legs fully extended are 800mm W, 960mm D . Folded for storage: 500 x 530 x 132mm. The easel weight is 6.1kg.
Armagh – Lightweight Sketching Easel
The Armagh is a strong aluminium sketching easel which offers great stability when painting outdoors and it folds down for ease when traveling and storing. The legs are telescopic and the easel has a black finish and PVC carrying case. The easel height when fully extended is 1790 mm, with a maximum picture height of 1370 mm, the dimensions at the base of the easel when easel is set up for painting are 670 mm W, 1100 mm D, and the dimensions when folded for storage are 680 mm H, 95 mm W, 70 mm D. The easel weight is 1.3kg.
Studio Easel
Studio Easels are designed for indoor use and are more stable and heavy duty then other easels. They are also made for longevity and provide comfort and support while you paint.
Warwickshire – College Easel
The Warwickshire easel is often referred to as the ‘Donkey’ easel due to the way it is sat upon. It is a great easel for colleges and schools as well as private studios. The easel support can be set at three different painting angles and for storage the easel can be folded compactly with two wheels which make it easy to transport around. The easel is made from seasoned beech wood with quality fittings. The maximum easel height when it is set up for painting is 1680mm with a seat height from the floor of 465mm, and the canvas height of 700 mm. When the easel is set up it takes up a floor area of 770 x 136mm when folded for storage it measures 975 x 380 x 150mm. The easel weight is 8.5 kg.
Stirling – Studio ‘H’ Frame Easel
The Stirling Easel is solid, robust and more at home in larger studios or for artists wishing to paint on a bigger scale. It is made from seasoned beech wood and its features include adjustable canvas height and painting angle, large storage tray within the lower canvas support and quality fittings. The easel height when fully extended is 2270 mm, with a maximum picture height with easel extended of 2000 mm, the dimensions at the base of the easel when the easel is set up for painting are 550 mm W, 615 mm D, when folded for storage are 1600 mm H, 560 mm W, 230mm D. The easel weight is 8.9kg.
Hampshire – ‘A’ Frame Studio Easel
The Hampshire is a solid studio Lyre ‘A’ frame easel is made from seasoned beech wood and is a great asset to any studio. The lower canvas support is fully adjustable with the use of a secure ratchet mechanism as well as the upper canvas support being adjusted separately. The back support leg folds in to take up less room when the easel is being transported or stored away. The easel height when fully extended is 2300 mm, with the maximum picture height with easel fully extended of 1300 mm, the dimensions at the base of the easel when easel is set up for painting are 660mm W, 850 mm D, and when folded for storage 1750 mm H, 660 mm W, 150 mm D. The easel weight is 4.6kg.
Sussex – Studio ‘H’ Frame Easel
The Sussex is a well-designed ‘H’ frame easel ideal for studio and college use. The lower canvas rest features a shelf to hold brushes and tubes of paint etc. The painting angle and height is fully adjustable and the easel can be folded for ease of storage. The easel height when fully extended is 2475 mm, with a maximum picture height of 1360 mm, the dimensions at the base of the easel when it is set up for painting are 510 mm W, 600 mm D, and when folded for storage are 2020 mm H, 520 mm W, 200 mm D. The easel weight is 6.85kg.
Table Easel
Table Easels are easy to set up and easy to put away again. They are very useful if you do not have a permanent space for painting as you can just move it around to suit your needs. There are a few models that have a small storage area, which is great if you need to pack your things up quickly.
Chatsworth Earl – Box easel
The Chatsworth Earl is a popular table top easel box, made from high quality hardwood and features dovetail joints, brass coloured hardware and a leather carrying handle. Internally the Chatsworth features ample storage space, foam cushioned base and adjustable divisions. The easel height when fully extended is 740 mm, with a maximum picture height of 600 mm, the dimensions at the base of the easel when the easel is set up for painting are 270 mm W, 390 mm D, and the dimensions when folded for storage are 390 mm H, 270 mm W, 95 mm D. The easel weight is 1.4kg.
Wentworth – Table easel
This sturdy table easel is made from seasoned beech wood with brass plated hardware and a leather carrying handle. The lower canvas support can be brought down below the table height offering a very versatile painting position. There is a drawer which slides out the side being very convenient for storing paints and brushes. The easel height from a table top when fully extended is 630 mm, with the maximum picture height with easel extended at 880 mm, the dimensions at the base of the easel when easel is set up for painting are 420 mm W, 360 mm D, and when folded for storage are 360 mm H, 420 mm W, 120 mm D. The easel weight is 3kg.
Avon – Table Easel With Drawer
This handy desktop easel with a drawer makes an ideal compact work station for all artists and calligraphers. The easel is made from seasoned beech wood with brass coloured hardware. The easel height when fully extended is 265 mm, with a maximum picture height of 245 mm, the dimensions at the base of the box easel are 335 mm W, 260 mm D, and when folded for storage are 73 mm H, 335 mm W, 260 mm D. The easel weight is 1.35kg.
Yorkshire – Large Table Easel
The Yorkshire is a strong traditional H-frame table easel made from seasoned beech wood that allows the artist to work closer to their painting. The painting angle is fully adjustable, and it has an upper and lower canvas support. The easel height when fully extended is 870 mm, and the maximum picture height is 810 mm, the dimensions at the base of the easel when the easel is set up for painting are 420 mm W, 490 mm D, with the easel dimensions when folded for storage at 985 mm H, 425 mm W, 100 mm D. The easel weight is 2.7kg.
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