Of course there are special easels for the younger kids, which is good, but big kids deserve an artist easel as well. That big kid can be a parent, you know…or a teenager. All art, painting in particular, comes from the soul and so you need a place that is dedicated to this individual art form.
An artist easel is one that is the correct size for the artist, not too small or so overwhelming that one can hardly dare to place a canvas on the easel. There is time enough for a large art easel if the talent emerges.
One year for Christmas, some friends gave me an artist easel — a really neat one. It was handmade and nearly everything was adjustable. The height of the bottom cross resting bar could slide up or down depending on the size of the canvas I choose to work on at the time. There were adjustment for the angle — I could use it flat like a table or nearly vertical and all the angles in between. I could use it for a canvas that was tiny or large — eight feet tall or so. This was an easel for an artist who made his living from his work (which I am not — not with paint anyway!). It was wonderful; but it was enormous. Unfortunately, it was too substantial in size to make the move when we sold the last big house.
The point is this; choose the size that is correct for the artist. If you are going to want to create your painting outside, choose an art easel that will fold up and fix in your car. Don’t forget to take a folding table on which to place your paints. It is much better to use a side table than to have to bend down in the grass or sand to get your supplies.
If you are using the easel inside a studio, choose one that will give you the ability to select the size and medium on which you will work. Lighting is so important, even if everything you paint is strictly from your mind with no modeling involved. Lights will make a difference in the colors that one will see and it allows you to see the thickness of the paint you have applied. We know that natural light is always the best light — so look at having skylights in your study if possible. A garden office, backyard storage shed or even a spare bedroom can be made into a nice artist studio fairly inexpensively.
An easel is a wonderful gift to give to an artist; even to one who is new at this art form. There is something about being able to paint on an easel that gives you an extra sense of capability…true or not. Everyone deserves to feel like an artist and they will with an actual artist easel.
#Artist #Easel
