How To Choose The Right Painting Easel

No matter if you are an experienced painter or just starting out, an art easel is an essential part of the painting experience that will help you take your creations to the next level. They are used to hold paper or a canvas while you paint or draw and can be used to position your art medium at an angle to help make it easier when creating your masterpiece.

There are many benefits to using an artist easel, such as allowing the artist to stand straight as they paint instead of hunched over, encouraging the full use of the arm when painting and allowing artists to step back and view their easel art from a distance. Many art easels also offer adjustments in angles and height, allowing you to paint comfortably and ensuring your medium doesn't run or puddle.

Let us help you choose the right easel for your next creative endeavour.

Quick Links

• Types Of Art Easels
• What Are Painting Easels Made From?
• The Best Easel For Painting: How To Choose An Easel
• How To Care For Your Easel

Types Of Art Easels

With many different types of easels to choose from, we can help you shop for the right easel for your project.

Standing Easels

When it comes to searching for the best beginner easel for those wanting to get started on a new painting hobby, don't shy away from standing easels. Although their appearance exudes professionality, they offer unparalleled stability and support when painting. As their name suggests, these easels stand tall providing height in your creations. There are a few different types of standing easels, including:

• A-frame/lyre Easels: Named because they look like an A when viewed head-on, these easels have three legs, two at the front and one at the back. Each leg comes to a point at the top of the easel in a triangle shape. Because of their design, these art easels are great for tucking into a corner and are well-suited for artists who might not have a huge space to paint in.
• H-Frame Easels: The defining feature of an H-frame easel is its sturdy base, making it ideal for artists who want to start easel painting on a large canvas. They are often large and heavy, and so are not easy to move but great for artists who might be using erratic painting techniques that would wobble a lesser frame. They are ideal for use in a permanent studio setting.
• Field Easels: Typically, lightweight and portable in their design, field easels are intended for artists painting outdoors. They are designed to be portable to make it easier when transporting your easel to your painting location. Field easels often feature tripod legs and rubber or studs on the feet to ensure it is planted firmly in the ground.

Table Easels

The smallest type of painting easel available, table easels are designed to rest on - you guessed it - a table. They are ideal for artists who like to paint smaller canvases as they allow you to sit as you work, and they are also very transportable. Some table easels even come with storage for painting supplies!

Drawing Boards

These types of easels are specifically designed to hold paper or a sketchbook for an artist to draw freely. Drawing boards offer a multipurpose design that is typically wider than traditional standing easels to provide more space when sketching.

Kid's Easels

Usually constructed from lightweight materials when compared to traditional easels, kids drawing easels are designed to be easily moved around a room while remaining enough to support any child's art creations. They often feature colourful designs as opposed to the neutral wood tone of standard art easels, which makes them the best art easel for inspiring creativity among children.

Be sure to check out our selection of kid's art and craft supplies for everything a child needs to get crafting!

Display Easels

Show off your finished piece with a display easel. While they are not strong enough for painting on, display easels are designed to make your art look as good as possible, and sometimes come with extra-special features to help you present your art as impressively as possible.

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What Are Painting Easels Made From?

Art easels can be made of a few different kinds of material, with each suiting different needs for artists. Common materials include:

• Wood: The most common types of woods used to make easels are beechwood, oak and bamboo. Bamboo easels are lightweight and flexible, oak easels are sturdy and strong and beechwood easels are an affordable choice for beginner artists.
• Metal: Aluminium or steel are the most common metals used to create easels. Aluminium is very light and ideal for transportable easels, while steel is stronger and heavier.
• Plastic: Easels made from plastic are usually used for display purposes or for children, as they are not strong or sturdy enough for professional painters.

The Best Easel For Painting: How To Choose An Easel

The location you choose to make your easel painting in will help determine what kind of artist easel you should choose. Check out the following examples of what easels are best suited where!

Adventurers Painting Outdoors

Painting 'plein air' is a wonderful way to let nature inspire your art, but you'll want an easel that is easy to transport and can withstand the outdoors. Easels made of aluminium or beechwood will be light enough for you to carry comfortably - try to choose easels especially made for outdoor painting, as they will have studs on the bottom of the legs you can dig into the ground for stability. You may like to bring some sort of outdoor umbrella or shade to protect you from any adverse weather.

Painting In Your Dedicated Studio

If you are lucky enough to have a dedicated studio for painting, it's a great opportunity to shell out for the best quality painting stand you can find. An oak H-frame painting easel gives you the strength and adjustability professional artists need, while also allowing you to step back and view your artwork from a distance to check things like ratio, colour balance and overall composition.

Using A Table As Your Base

If you decide to paint easel art at home on a bench or table, a tabletop easel will let you work comfortably while seated and will also prevent drips and spills from falling onto your workspace. If the table you are working on is small, consider a table easel with built-in storage so you can have your paints and tools within easy reach.

Recommended Easels From Spotlight

At Spotlight, we stock a fantastic selection of affordable easels for beginners and professional easels for the art enthusiast. Check out the popular easels below:

• Recommended easels for beginners include the Semco Pine Lyre Easel which is a simple and affordable. It is adjustable and can accommodate different-sized canvases.
• The Francheville Sketch Box Easel is a fantastic choice for sketching and painting like a pro at home. Providing a stable and organised workspace with a built-in storage drawer stable work surface.
• For kids, the Semco Kids Easel is the perfect choice for any aspiring little artist to start being creative.
• Looking for a tabletop easel? The Francheville Art And Craft Work Station is ideal for elevating your workstation and provides a smooth stable surface.

How to Care for Your Easel

A well-made easel should last you a very long time, but there are some small things you can do to keep your art easel clean and in good condition.

• Oil it: If your painting easel is made from wood, keeping it oiled will prevent it from drying and cracking over time. You can use home olive oil for this or linseed oil, but both oils act quite differently on wood so please research which one you would like to use carefully. You should also use a little machine oil on the knobs every few years to keep them lubricated.
• Clean it: If you love the look of a paint-splattered easel, you can skip this step! Otherwise cleaning off water-based paints like acrylic and watercolour is easy - just wipe it off quickly while the paint is wet. Wiping oil paint on the other hand can cause it to sink into your easel if it is made of wood. It's best to wait for oil paint to dry before carefully scraping it off a wooden easel.
• Store it: Easels should be stored in a dry, shaded area of your property to prevent warping, cracking or rusting due to moisture and heat. If your painting easel folds up, consider storing it in a cupboard or underneath a desk or bed.

Be sure to give your easel a thorough once-over every few years to tighten screws, check for cracks and clean out any dirt or dust accumulating in compact areas.

Find The Best Art Easel For Your Project At Spotlight!

Taking up a new hobby? Topping up your art supplies? Choosing the right painting easel can help make your project easier! Create your next easel art masterpiece on a Spotlight painting easel! You can purchase your easel online and choose from home delivery or click-and-collect options or simply head to your nearest Spotlight store and our team will help you find the right easel for your project.

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Find art paints, art paint brushes and everything else you need for painting on our online art supply page. If it's the inspiration you're after, don't forget to check out us painting projects for free ideas on what you can create when equipped with an easel and paint supplies!

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