Sit comfortably in front of an easel to paint.
When you paint with oils on canvas, you need something to hold the canvas in place. Most painters use an easel to prop up their work throughout the painting process. You aren't limited to using an easel to only support works in progress; you can even use an easel as a display stand for finished works of art. Having an easel allows you to paint in various settings comfortably. The ideal easel is easy to fold, carry and transport. Make your own easel at home and save the expense of purchasing one from an art supply store.
Instructions
1. Cut two 63-inch boards out of the pine using a saw. Cut one pine board measuring 51 inches in length.
2. Cut a pine board that measures 27 1/2 inches in length and angle one end of this board. Cut another pine board that is 15 3/4 inches long. Separate the wooden dowel in two 7 4/5-inch pieces with the saw.
3. Secure the 63-inch pine boards together with a G-clamp. Attach the spade bit to the drill and measure 3 feet down from the top of the boards. Draw a line in pencil to mark this measurement.
4. Drill a hole halfway through the wood on the pencil drawn line. Measure 6 inches toward the center of the wooden boards from the pencil-drawn line and drill another hole halfway through the wood. Measure another 6 inches down the board toward the center of the board and drill a hole halfway through the wood.
5. Grip the bottom ends of the 63-inch boards and pull them 23 1/2 inches apart. Grasp the top ends of the boards and pull them 5 inches apart. Draw a line 29 1/2 inches up from the bottom of each 63-inch board.
6. Glue the 27-1/2-inch board on the marked line and drill holes through the boards at the points where they intersect. Screw the 27-1/2-inch board to the 63-inch boards. Turn the easel frame over and draw a line 8 inches down from the top end of the 63-inch boards. Screw the 15-3/4-inch board to the 63-inch boards along the drawn line.
7. Lay your paint tray against the top portion of the bottom rail that joins the 63-inch boards and glue it in place. Secure the back leg of the easel frame to the rail that bridges across the front legs of the easel with a brass hinge.
8. Drill a hole through the middle of the bottom rail. Drill a hole through the back leg of the easel. Pull a sash cord through both holes and tie a knot on each end of the cord.
9. Open the legs of the tripod easel. Sand down the bottom ends of the legs until the easel is level and flat.
