Portable Easel Relationships- What's Right For You?
My past portable easels read like a history of boyfriends-some I kept for awhile, maybe too long, others were broken and partly fixed but I couldn't come up with anything better, some seemed perfect at the beginning but, you know, they just didn't work out...
It's tough to find the right plein air easel. If you are shopping around for one, dear reader, take a look at my experiences and don't do anything rash.
My first portable easel was a 1970's Jullian full sketchbox wooden easel, back when they were well made in France and the gold standard of dependable easels. My parents gave it to me when I was in college and I still have it. I have replaced many of the brass wing nuts and other parts but it is still workable. Too heavy to lug very far and prone to collapse an inopportune moments, I don't take it out for a spin much. The company was sold and the easels are no longer what they used to be, but people still like the smaller half box size.
My friend Elizabeth and her Jullian half box easel.
I succumbed to the charms of the sales pitch for the Soltek aluminum easel and bought the tall version for a large chunk of cash with the idea that all metal state of the art construction with the fingertip folding legs and place of everything design would be worth the empty wallet. This is the boyfriend that was all shiny surface and flawed where it counts. I discovered that the integral tripod legs don't retract if they get any dirt of sand in them. It's an outdoor easel! It will be in dirt and sand! I have replaced the legs a couple of times. It lives in my closet.
I currently use a EasyL Pochade box, larger size, with a piece of glass added to the box as a palette. It gets almost daily use and the tripod stays in my car at all times. It's about 6 years old, the box has missing pieces, the tripod attachment is funky. Retirement is imminent for Mr. EasyL. I am looking around a bit the the next contender.
My EasyL at the beach with a rigged up paper towel attachment, and at the cabin in the woods.
Just for winter travel or for lugging long distance, I also have a Guerrilla Painter Thumbbox, new this year, and although it feels a bit constricting to work so small, it is a great solution for working in your car or airline travel.
It seems fun whenever I use it. Kind of a painting fling.
The Strada Easel.
Check out these manufacturer's sites:
Guerrilla Painter
EasyL
Strada Easels
Soltek Easels
Jullian Easels
It's tough to find the right plein air easel. If you are shopping around for one, dear reader, take a look at my experiences and don't do anything rash.
My first portable easel was a 1970's Jullian full sketchbox wooden easel, back when they were well made in France and the gold standard of dependable easels. My parents gave it to me when I was in college and I still have it. I have replaced many of the brass wing nuts and other parts but it is still workable. Too heavy to lug very far and prone to collapse an inopportune moments, I don't take it out for a spin much. The company was sold and the easels are no longer what they used to be, but people still like the smaller half box size.
My friend Elizabeth and her Jullian half box easel.
I succumbed to the charms of the sales pitch for the Soltek aluminum easel and bought the tall version for a large chunk of cash with the idea that all metal state of the art construction with the fingertip folding legs and place of everything design would be worth the empty wallet. This is the boyfriend that was all shiny surface and flawed where it counts. I discovered that the integral tripod legs don't retract if they get any dirt of sand in them. It's an outdoor easel! It will be in dirt and sand! I have replaced the legs a couple of times. It lives in my closet.
I currently use a EasyL Pochade box, larger size, with a piece of glass added to the box as a palette. It gets almost daily use and the tripod stays in my car at all times. It's about 6 years old, the box has missing pieces, the tripod attachment is funky. Retirement is imminent for Mr. EasyL. I am looking around a bit the the next contender.
Just for winter travel or for lugging long distance, I also have a Guerrilla Painter Thumbbox, new this year, and although it feels a bit constricting to work so small, it is a great solution for working in your car or airline travel.It seems fun whenever I use it. Kind of a painting fling.
Right now I am looking at the Strada Easel. Anyone date one of these? Er, I mean use one?
Check out these manufacturer's sites:
Guerrilla Painter
EasyL
Strada Easels
Soltek Easels
Jullian Easels
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