Affiliate links | When I first started painting, I had absolutely no idea that different easels were for different things. I used to paint on a high windowsill, but had to switch to sitting down after I moved to an attic bedroom and no longer had a shelf high up enough to stand and work.
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I didn’t find the transition from standing to sitting an easy one, but I got used to it and still paint smaller pieces at a table. It’s weird how changing your process can impact your art. Eventually an artist lent me their easel and I was absolutely chuffed.
As I said above, I didn’t really know that different kinds of easels existed and so I thought that the one I had borrowed would work for absolutely all of my art. It did not.
The easel was a tripod easel, lightweight, compact and portable but not sturdy enough for the canvas size I was working with. After 3-4 months of working on a £400.00 commission (and my biggest painting to date), a gust of wind came into my attic room and took the whole thing down, easel and all. It was the day I’d finished the piece and it had “faceplanted” straight into some furniture that split the canvas down the middle.
I patched up the painting as best as I could and gifted it to my grandparents, who have it hanging lovingly in their living room. It is beautiful and, in some ways, I’m actually glad I couldn’t sell it and ended up keeping it in our family.
I have since learned more about easels; enough to avoid a repeat of that disaster and I wanted to share it with those of you who are buying your first (or second, or even third) easel.
Different types of easels for artists
Like all other products, easels range come in a range of prices and qualities. Different easels are used for different things and, whatever your budget, it’s important that you get the right kind of easel for your goal. Before making a purchase, it’s a good idea to think about how you work and what kind of size projects you usually work on. It’ll help you choose the right easel for you.
Display easels
Display easels are often more ornate than their more practical counterparts, but they are designed specifically to display art and not for working on. They do sometimes look similar to other types of easels so make sure you read the descriptions carefully before you buy something to paint at.
A display easel is a great choice for those of you who want to position art creatively in a space, or even an artist who wants to photograph their own work in an interesting way. You’ll often see display easels in galleries and studios where they beautifully showcase art.
Best for: Anyone looking for an easel for display purposes only
Here are some display easels from Amazon:
Table top easels
Many easels are height adjustable and will allow for sitting down while painting, but a table top easel is a small and easy to use option for artists who usually work at a table or desk. Table top easels are usually foldable and pack away really easily, so are a great choice for artists who paint on a surface that is also used for other purposes (e.g. a desk or dining room table)
If you work with smaller canvases or pieces, working with a table top easel can be super practical, because it also allows you to be have a large amount of surface space to keep your paints, water and brushes to hand. Some of these also come with storage for your art supplies, which make them bulkier but also a catch all.
Best for: Simple set up at a desk or table
Here are some good table top easel options from Amazon
Lyre easels
Also known as an A-frame easel, lyre easels are a pretty good starting easel for beginner artists or those looking to buy their first easel. A-frames typically have 1 back leg that acts as a support and then a triangular shaped frame up front. A frame easels will easily support small-medium pieces and some are designed to hold larger pieces, making them a pretty viable option for most painters.
Many of these are pretty compact and can be tucked away in a corner or leaned against a wall when not in use, which might be useful if you paint in a small or multipurpose space (like me!). These easels vary in price and it’s easy to come by good quality options for around £60-75. If you do work primarily with large or XL canvasses, there are sturdier options out there, but these will be good for most!
Best for: Painters looking for an affordable option for working with small-medium canvas sizes
Here are some A-frame/ Lyre easels from Amazon:
H-Frame Easels
H-Frame easels, named because they look like the letter H, are sturdier and more stable than the A-Frame. They usually have a pretty solid base with 4 legs and can support most canvas sizes (up to around 240cm). They do take up more space and not all of them are foldable (although some are!) so bear that in mind when choosing a H-Frame.
Some H-Frames come with built in trays or drawers to store your paints and also provide a place to sit your water pot. They are an excellent option for artists who have a studio space or dedicated art room. Many H Frames also have adjustable tilts, which makes for an easier life for those who want to be able to work at different angles.
Best for: artists who want a sturdier option to support larger canvases
Here are some H-Frame Easels from Amazon:
Portable easels
Some of you probably live in gentler climates and get more regular warm weather that you can paint in (you lucky things!). If you’re looking for an easel that you can easily set up outside or on the go, there’s now a huge range of portable easels available to you. They’re often referred to as outdoor easels or “field easels” and many come with their own carry bag/case
These are designed specifically with manoeuvrability in mind, so they are flimsier than their more traditional counterparts and you should bear this in mind. I would stick to smaller paintings and gentler work when using one of these easels, to avoid damaging your art!
Best for: Artists who paint outside and need a portable easel that’s easy to set up
Here are a selection of outdoor easels from Amazon
Tripod Easels
While the tripod easel was the villain in my story, it is a viable option for beginners and those working on smaller canvasses. It isn’t as sturdy as the A frame, but is a great affordable option for students and artists alike. Most of these pack down and are easy to put away and could probably be doubled up as outdoor/portable easels for those who like to set up in more than one place (although they aren’t quite as easy to transport).
It really is more my fault than the easel’s that my art got ruined, so please don’t let it put you off this kind of easel, just make sure you don’t overload it like I did! All of the easels on this list have an important role to play in creativity and art, it’s just important that people know what to use them for!
Best for: artists who stand up to work, who work on a small scale and who have limited space
Here are some tripod easels from Amazon
Art desks
Those of you with a bit more space available, might want to consider setting up an art desk in your studio space. An art desk is a desk that allows you to tilt the worktop, making for an extremely sturdy and versatile work space to get creative at. This tilt means the entire desk effectively becomes an easel and, when you’re not painting, you can go back to using it as a desk.
One of these desks will help you create a real dual purpose space; perfect for an artist who switches between digital work and more traditional art. It would also be a great setup for those of you who, like me, have a blog to maintain alongside your creative work. The only drawback I can see is that you might choose the type of work to do base purely on what’s already set up at your desk and it could make it difficult to get the balance right. I still think it’s a pretty neat solution though!
Best for: Artists who work in an office or people who want one space that can do it all
Here are some tiltable art desks from Amazon:
I sincerely hope this post has been helpful. Please take your time choosing an easel. It will help you avoid losing a painting in the same tragic way that I did.
If you wanna see arty bits from me, follow me on Patreon from as little as £1 per month. I also share some of my artwork over @pigletish on Twitter.
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