WHICH EASEL IS BEST?
Choosing the right easel is an integral part of the painting process. The importance of having the correct easel is often overlooked but having a firm and steady easel can be as important to the finished painting as choosing the correct paint, canvas or brush. One of the first considerations when selecting an easel is the type of material it is constructed from. Timber is primarily used for the majority of easels although some easels are constructed from aluminium. Whatever material is used, the object is to create an easel that doesn’t move, shake or vibrate when in use.
North American Red Oak, or any oak for that matter is the finest material for constructing easels. It is an extremely hard wood, so glue and screws do not come loose once applied. The colour, grain and overall appearance of oak combined with its strength and hardness make it the ideal timber for easel manufacture.
The majority of easels on the market today are constructed from Beechwood. Beech is a softer wood than oak so screws have a tendency to loosen over time and cause the easel to shake and vibrate.
The new ‘Lyptus’ wood, a naturally occurring hybrid of Eucalyptus Grandis and Eucalyptus Urophylla (both Australian natives) is comparable to oak in strength and hardness. Lyptus wood has a straight grain and fine, even texture. As it is plantation grown, the trees are hand-pruned throughout their growth years leading to very uniform wood with few knots.
Aluminium is generally used for field easels. It is lightweight, strong and resistant to the elements.
There are many types of easels for different applications – painting, pastel work, indoor or outdoor use. Easels are designed in a variety of styles to accommodate many different ways artists work. There are five styles of easels, The Table Easel, the Tripod or Field easel, the Box or French Style Easel, the Lyre (A-Frame) Easel and the Studio (H-Frame) Easel. There are a number of variations to each of these that offer different tilt settings, storage options and size capabilities. S&S stocks a wide variety of easels for everyone from the beginner, student and hobbyist right through to the professional artist.
Table Easel - As the name suggests, is a small easel that fits onto a table top. Table top easels are generally scaled-down versions of a tripod, lyre, studio or box easel although there are some such as the Daler-Rowney Artsphere which have been specifically designed for table use. Ideal where space is an issue.
Lyre or A-Frame Easel - Triangular shaped easels with two front legs and a single rear leg that form the shape of an “A” when in use. The single rear leg is collapsible on most types of Lyre easels allowing for easy storage and for use in corners and tight spaces. Generally, A-frame easels do not tilt forward of the painting surface.
Generally easy to handle and fold up. They are lightweight, portable and single masted. They do not provide
