If you’re an artist planning to take it seriously and be a professional, then you surely need to invest your money into buying the perfect easel to help you work. Choosing the right easel takes a lot of considerations, so you can’t just buy any easel stand you find in the store. You have to clearly know what you need according to the style of working or painting that you have.
Here is a simple and quick guide on choosing the best type of easel for you.
First, if you want to buy an easel, answer these questions:
What medium do you work with? For example, charcoal, watercolor, oil paint, acrylic, or others.
How much space do you have in your place? Is it spacious? Is it small?
Do you prefer to work indoors or outdoors?
Once you have the answers to those questions, then it is time to learn about the types of easels for your considerations.
1. A-Frame / Lyra Easels
A-frame easels, also called as lyra easels, is one of the most well known types of easels made of wood. This easel stand is popular and often bought, but unfortunately, it is not the perfect fit for everyone. The greatest advantage of an A-frame easel stand is that it is easy to fold up and store, however this type of easel stand is not that sturdy. Thus, it may cause inconvenience to some people. If you are working with small to medium sized canvases in small spaces, you can consider this type of easel stand. But if you are a professional who works with much larger sized canvases, then there are other options for you.
2. H-Frame Easels
H-frame easels are the sturdiest easel stands that you can go for. If you are a vigorous painter and work with large sized canvases, then you should definitely consider getting an H-frame easel stand. The downside of an H-frame easel stand is the bulky frame that makes this easel difficult to transfer or move around and you will need a large space for it.
3. Table and Box Easels
If you are working with watercolors, then you can’t work standing up as it will ruin your work. For artists who need a different working position like this, then consider a table easel. A table easel’s angle can be easily adjusted to avoid the watercolor paint from running all over the canvas. This type of easel stand can be folded and stored in the drawer. However, this type of easel stand is not compatible with larger canvases as it comes in quite a small size. A box easel is quite similar to a table easel, te only difference is that it has a storage compartment, which is absolutely convenient for painting outdoors.
4. Single-Mast Easels
A single-mast easel is the perfect easel stand for beginners. It is cheap, absolutely practical, and easy to store anywhere. It is not as supportive as an A-frame or H-frame easel, but it is still very much functional.
