“An easel can help you experiment with different sized works, potentially reduce postural discomfort, and provide an easy way for you to take your art practice with you, should you choose a portable model,” says Ashley Mattila, owner of Marcus Ashley Gallery. We carefully vetted the best easels, considering factors like from versatility, quality, portability and added storage. Our top pick, the Blick Studio Convertible Studio Easel adjusts easily for any paint job, has the capacity to hold large canvases, and folds flat for storage. See ahead for more of the best easels for toddlers, kids, professionals, and more. We also love that the easel can hold a wide range of canvas sizes, with a maximum canvas height of 61 inches. And, to top it off, it folds flat for storage, so you don’t have to worry about it being in the way when not in use. Two things to keep in mind: users note that the easel can’t convert to a tabletop position, nor does it have a ton of storage for your paint collection or brushes. Material: Beechwood | Max Canvas Height: 61 inches | Dimensions: 65 x 24 x 27 | Weight: 25 pounds Material: Beechwood | Max Canvas Height: 20 inches | Dimensions: 4 x 10 x 3.5 inches | Weight: 3 pounds Material: Beechwood | Max Canvas Height: 11 inches | Dimensions: 13.25 x 10.25 x 2 inches | Weight: 2.41 Material: Beechwood | Max Canvas Height: 48 inches | Dimensions: 26 x 35 inches | Weight: 15 pounds Material: Plastic, wood, metal | Max Canvas Height: N/A | Dimensions: 47 x 27 x 26 inches | Weight: 14.96 pounds Material: Solid hardwood | Max Canvas Height: 19 x 29-inch drawing surface | Dimensions: 19 ⅝ x 29 ¼ inches | Weight: 8.3 pounds Material: Beechwood | Max Canvas Height: 52 inches | Dimensions: 37 x 6.5 x 4 | Weight: 8 pounds Material: Beechwood | Max Canvas Height: 86 inches | Dimensions: 116 x 71 inches | Weight: 32 pounds
Price
Selecting a budget is personal and looks different for everyone, but considering things like skill level, frequency of use, and type of easel are great places to start when thinking of a budget. Beginners or young children can find decent quality easels starting around $30—just note that they’ll often be smaller and made of cheaper materials.
Easel Type
Before you select an easel, it’s important to consider what type of easel will best fit your space and be most comfortable to you. If you don’t wish to stand and paint (or hunch over a stool while you paint), a standing easel might not be in the cards for you, and you might enjoy a tabletop easel instead. If you plan to take your easel on the go or outdoors with you, something more compact and lightweight could be the right choice.
Why Trust The Spruce Crafts
Contributing writer Jessie Quinn has a Bachelor’s Degree from Academy of Art University and, as the daughter of a painter, has been painting since she was a young child. When researching the best easels, Jessie tuned into her art background and years of meticulously researching art supplies for her personal projects to guide her as she vetted art easels. For this story, Jessie considered use, versatility, and quality to cultivate a list of the best art easels for everything from beginner-friendly art projects to advanced canvas paintings and everything in between. As a result, Jessie put together a list of carefully vetted top art easels for painting, drawing, traveling, and more. For artists who like a variety of mediums or work in multiple sizes, Mattila recommends a multimedia convertible easel, since they are “the Swiss army knife of easels, come in various sizes, and can be used either as a tabletop or floor easel, depending on your work.”
