Thanks Steve. I always wanted to see easels in action. I just use a couple of my grandkids old 3 ring binders to prop my board on. A 11/2 inch or a 3 inch ring. And they store like any book on a shelf with the drawing boards. 😊
I have had the pucks for several years and love them. My only heads up is not to use them on a surface that could be damaged. I made the mistake of putting them on my dining room table with a light box when I was doing calligraphy. The zigzag base actually left an imprint on the surface of the table. I now place them on a padded surface. Lesson learned.
Wanted a small easel for plein air work and couldn't decide. I'm limited in the use of one leg and went on Amazon to find a table top version that would do the job while sitting. Later encountered an art show on line where the featured artist was painting live. He'd taped a sheet of 140 wt paper to a piece of cardboard and had it leaning up against his knapsack. Yeah, that will work.
This is really interesting to watch. I watch your videos to see how you do watercolor, and also to see what tools you use to make watercolor painting easier. I also like to read the comments posted by others. I learn a lot from both the videos and comments!
I do pastel, watercolor/gouache, and calligraphy work and I use a raiseable/adjustable drawing table, besides that, I have numerous different easels that I do not use and I have planned to donate them to a school. Your workstation is equally as important as the materials you use to be creative I believe. Your new easel is beautiful and looks practical, very nice. I always look forward to your videos. From Denmark, all the best to you and yours.
The new easel is great 👍... think I may want something like that at the lake in the summer for my outdoor studio. Appreciate the scripture at the end of the video ...
I've used the smaller easel based on your recommendation from your prior video, and made the modification to the frame. That one is my go to easel for my WC and oil paintings. I love it. Loved the look of the larger jack Richeson table easel until I saw how much bigger it is. Might not fit on my studio desk. I did see a floor model for not much more $ that may be a better fit for me. Always love your videos. Thank you.
Steve Mitchell! I accidentally just found you while searching for art setups and recognized you instantly as the dad of girls I grew up with! Can't wait to delve into all your incredible videos as I expand my beginning journey on playing with watercolor. What a serendipitous pleasure.
Pad pucks ordered. I use rubberized shelf liner to keep my gatorboard from slipping but have been looking for something to angle it. As always a great video, and love that you share with us.
Thanks for these great tips. The PadPucks are incredibly handy, and a nice alternative to bench cookies for elevating and tilting work on a table. Based on your recommendation, I went with the Richeson tabletop easel: it's so well made, versatile (great for small and large work) and easy to assemble. The only downside is it takes more room to store.
That looks like a great new easel. So much bigger for larger sketchbooks. I recently did an adaptation on an Opus 88 fountain pen with a modified Pilot Parallel pen nib. It makes great variable marks!
Love your demo of equipment--I'm buying the pad pucks. I'm sure they will be much more stable than what I have used to slightly prop my painting surface (most recently, I've used the empty core of a paper towel which isn't that stable). Enjoy your videos and have learned sooo much from them.
Wow I have a teeny tiny easel compared to the tiny one that you have even. I have yet to even try using an easel. I really prefer flat or holding my sketchboard in my lap. The larger easel does look gorgeous and very useful. Thanks for sharing this wonderful informational video with us.
I Personally own the Renoir Easel. I Purchased it after watching the Video Review you did on it. I do have to say it has been well Worth it.. anyone thinking about Purchasing this easel, I can say it is Well made and Worth the Money. Great Review as Always Steve. 👊😎
I love my Daler-Rowney Artsphere easel but it's only comfortable for pieces up to 10x14. I'd really love another with a ball head that can handle larger pieces, doing watercolor. There are ways to get attachments and make my own with a strong, heavy tripod. Someday I'll have one.
I use a bean bag I once sew for my DSLR to get my drawingboard on an angle.. They are also available at Amazon in waterproof versions. You van squish it or fold it to adjust the hight...
Hi Steve, my brother gave my an easel for Christmas, but I have to get used to it. When I paint loose I like It, because in a look you can see where you have to paint different tones, but I don't like it for detailed paintings, such as botanical paintings. If I paint in this way, I prefer to put my painting horizontally on the table.
I modified a book stand that moves in 2.5 degree increments. Ripped out the bottom bar that holds the book (blocks your forearm from drawing) and used big binder clips to hold a clipboard on it.
Wow nice easel and the price was much less expensive than some comparable easels. I was checking some out to keep my media separate especially when using pastels and that would work. For wc I used to put my tape rolls underneath but the triangle was especially ingenious. I wonder if the Richeson is the same company that sells soft pastels. Anyways great easel I am all for standing when painting if able. Take care.
Hi from the UK Steve. This is a wonderful channel and I’ve only just discovered it so loads of wonderful information to binge on. Am new to this so thank you so much. Can you or anyone recommend a decent desk lamp for working at night or on a dark winter day? Many thanks!
Thanks for the look at these easels. I use a three d print one my hubby made me, um he changed a pattern from a tablet holder. Have five different heights three small ones and one big one that will take a big canvas. I use all the time, himm love the little round block things wonder if he can print me up some? Sigh I be so cheep. I know it’s not wood but these work for me and I’m also recycling plastic so I figure this must be good.
For your laptop...even better is to get one or two squares of ceramic or porcelain tile. Lay the tile(s) flat on a table. Sit your laptop computer on top of the squares. The tiles will act as a heat sink and keep your laptop cool. Newer laptops do a better job of thermal management however and cooling them is not such a concern.
Thanks! Like the pad pucks-and your triangle thingy. Not a fan of a wobbly board, easel, table -hard enuf to keep my hand steady LOL.🤣 i have a table easel, rarely use it. I Like a board. Did you do a vid on artist tapes that i missed? Best to you and yours.
Thanks for this video Steve! I love your art, and stumbled upon this video while looking for options for a tabletop easel. I'm from Spain, so I don't have these specific options available at my regular art stores, but I can find similar options. My desk space is limited though, so I was debating between a wooden easel and a metal one which is like a metal arm that you can attach to your desk and doesn't take up much desk space (not sure if I'm allowed to post links). Would be interested to hear if you know about those and what your favourite easel is nowadays 😄
I would like one of them little wood risers, is it hard to make or acquire? Also i could listen to u talk forever. I appreciate the uploads. Im going to acquire that 1st easel u showed this coming thursday, i am excited af. Er actually i think i got the one thats a bit bigger, the one that holds up to 27" canvas.
I'm curious about how you decide the angle of your paper for the type of painting or painting effect you are working on. On another video you mentioned you tilt the paper so that the bottom edge of paint stays wet (that was totally illuminating). Can you point me to another video that takes a deep dive into why use an easel in watercolor, or might you speak to this in a new video? Thank you.
I've owned the Renoir easel for a year now, and I don't recommend it. At first, I really loved it. I have a small workspace because I don't have a dedicated studio and I work at my kitchen table. I use the storage drawer to hold all my paint tubes and other supplies. The problem I've encountered is that the screws that you tighten down to hold the angle have stopped working. Now any pressure that I put on the easel will cause it to collapse down. This has made the easel pretty unusable. I'm currently looking for another solution (hence the reason I came to this video.)
I noticed this. I solved it by adding rubber o rings. Most of my angles are pretty steep so it's not as much a problem. I haven't used it much since I don't often paint that big. I got it purely for large paintings.
I'm curious what you used to modify the easel. I have the same easel and I always wished it were lowered. I wonder if some simple wood carving tools would work?
@@jenniferk7707 I agree. I began to think outside the box and looked on etsy for cigarette bowls. I found a few clear glass ones that did the trick! 10$ the wells aren't to deep but I understand it's about aesthetics. Pear fleur? On RUclips ues apothecary jars with lids because her cats keep drinking and tipping it over.
I use this from IKEA: www.ikea.com/us/en/p/braeda-laptop-support-black-60150176/ I have a narrow desk with my keyboard on top so the space is often not enough for bigger sketchbooks or pads. This, I can just simply place above my keyboard. Also if I sit somewhere else I can place it onto my knees. (Funnily enough I never used it with my laptop. I bought it specifically for drawing. 😊)
May I ask when you sniffed the wood of the Richardson easel was there a varnish or linseed oil smell? I have bought other easels that I donated due to my intolerance of odors. Here in Florida nothing dissipates. Jeanne
Both are good but have different strengths as I pointed out. This new big one can't drop below the level of the table. Thats the main strength of the box based one.
Most any will do. No specific recommendations. I use several in this style amzn.to/3d1XPYH But you can also go with heavier thicker ones if you prefer like these. amzn.to/32FKOSB
Hey- love your channel and really want to sign up for your patreon but the page will not let me fill out the form. 😤. I will keep trying, but sumpins up...🤔
hmm. I'm not able to offer tech support but maybe Patreon can help. Thanks for trying. support.patreon.com/hc/en-us/articles/360042749811-How-do-I-contact-support-
Thanks Steve. I always wanted to see easels in action. I just use a couple of my grandkids old 3 ring binders to prop my board on. A 11/2 inch or a 3 inch ring. And they store like any book on a shelf with the drawing boards. 😊
I have had the pucks for several years and love them. My only heads up is not to use them on a surface that could be damaged. I made the mistake of putting them on my dining room table with a light box when I was doing calligraphy. The zigzag base actually left an imprint on the surface of the table. I now place them on a padded surface. Lesson learned.
Wanted a small easel for plein air work and couldn't decide. I'm limited in the use of one leg and went on Amazon to find a table top version that would do the job while sitting. Later encountered an art show on line where the featured artist was painting live. He'd taped a sheet of 140 wt paper to a piece of cardboard and had it leaning up against his knapsack. Yeah, that will work.
This is really interesting to watch. I watch your videos to see how you do watercolor, and also to see what tools you use to make watercolor painting easier. I also like to read the comments posted by others. I learn a lot from both the videos and comments!
I do pastel, watercolor/gouache, and calligraphy work and I use a raiseable/adjustable drawing table, besides that, I have numerous different easels that I do not use and I have planned to donate them to a school. Your workstation is equally as important as the materials you use to be creative I believe. Your new easel is beautiful and looks practical, very nice. I always look forward to your videos. From Denmark, all the best to you and yours.
That lyptus wood easel is really nice looking.
The new easel is great 👍... think I may want something like that at the lake in the summer for my outdoor studio.
Appreciate the scripture at the end of the video ...
I've used the smaller easel based on your recommendation from your prior video, and made the modification to the frame. That one is my go to easel for my WC and oil paintings. I love it. Loved the look of the larger jack Richeson table easel until I saw how much bigger it is. Might not fit on my studio desk. I did see a floor model for not much more $ that may be a better fit for me. Always love your videos. Thank you.
Steve Mitchell! I accidentally just found you while searching for art setups and recognized you instantly as the dad of girls I grew up with! Can't wait to delve into all your incredible videos as I expand my beginning journey on playing with watercolor. What a serendipitous pleasure.
Oh really! That’s cool. Welcome to the channel. What’s your name? Where did you know my girls?
I use an easel, both a table top with a drawer for storage and also and standing one the converts into a backpack. Thank you, I enjoyed this video.
Pad pucks ordered. I use rubberized shelf liner to keep my gatorboard from slipping but have been looking for something to angle it. As always a great video, and love that you share with us.
What timing! I've recently been scanning through catalogs for easels. Thanks so much for this video which explores various choices.
Nicely shot, good pace, calm, informative. Thanks.
Thanks for these great tips. The PadPucks are incredibly handy, and a nice alternative to bench cookies for elevating and tilting work on a table. Based on your recommendation, I went with the Richeson tabletop easel: it's so well made, versatile (great for small and large work) and easy to assemble. The only downside is it takes more room to store.
Wow! You are so thorough in explanations and a wonderful innovator! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Steve, that's a great demonstration with easels! Thank you so much for sharing! Happy to follow you :)) - Beatrice
That looks like a great new easel. So much bigger for larger sketchbooks. I recently did an adaptation on an Opus 88 fountain pen with a modified Pilot Parallel pen nib. It makes great variable marks!
Love your demo of equipment--I'm buying the pad pucks. I'm sure they will be much more stable than what I have used to slightly prop my painting surface (most recently, I've used the empty core of a paper towel which isn't that stable). Enjoy your videos and have learned sooo much from them.
Wow I have a teeny tiny easel compared to the tiny one that you have even. I have yet to even try using an easel. I really prefer flat or holding my sketchboard in my lap. The larger easel does look gorgeous and very useful. Thanks for sharing this wonderful informational video with us.
I Personally own the Renoir Easel. I Purchased it after watching the Video Review you did on it. I do have to say it has been well Worth it.. anyone thinking about Purchasing this easel, I can say it is Well made and Worth the Money.
Great Review as Always Steve. 👊😎
Thanks for the info!
Agree! I have one just like it but it isn't a name brand. I got it at Micheals a very long time ago! They still have them. It is my favorite easel!
Those pucks are nifty and I have eyed that larger easel. Thanks for the preview.
I love my Daler-Rowney Artsphere easel but it's only comfortable for pieces up to 10x14.
I'd really love another with a ball head that can handle larger pieces, doing watercolor. There are ways to get attachments and make my own with a strong, heavy tripod. Someday I'll have one.
I use a bean bag I once sew for my DSLR to get my drawingboard on an angle..
They are also available at Amazon in waterproof versions.
You van squish it or fold it to adjust the hight...
Whoooooo... That is a gigant, compared to the old one. But it sure looks awesome. 😁
Thank you so much for showing.
Hi Steve, my brother gave my an easel for Christmas, but I have to get used to it. When I paint loose I like It, because in a look you can see where you have to paint different tones, but I don't like it for detailed paintings, such as botanical paintings. If I paint in this way, I prefer to put my painting horizontally on the table.
Thank you Steve I watched this video and brought your new easel i cant wait for it be here
Cracked me up that you smelled the box of wood first thing 😆 haha....definitely a woodworker move ❤️
😄
Thanks for all the great information on easels. I have one about this size but was looking for a very lightweight, small one for plein air work.
I modified a book stand that moves in 2.5 degree increments. Ripped out the bottom bar that holds the book (blocks your forearm from drawing) and used big binder clips to hold a clipboard on it.
Wow nice easel and the price was much less expensive than some comparable easels. I was checking some out to keep my media separate especially when using pastels and that would work. For wc I used to put my tape rolls underneath but the triangle was especially ingenious. I wonder if the Richeson is the same company that sells soft pastels. Anyways great easel I am all for standing when painting if able. Take care.
Hi from the UK Steve. This is a wonderful channel and I’ve only just discovered it so loads of wonderful information to binge on. Am new to this so thank you so much. Can you or anyone recommend a decent desk lamp for working at night or on a dark winter day? Many thanks!
Башмаков Ф.Ф. 67 лет - художник. Коллега - Я - ВСЕ понел - ХОРОШАЯ , НУЖНАЯ ВЕЩЬььь... МОЛЛОДЦЫ !... Желаю творческих удачччч !...
Thanks for the look at these easels. I use a three d print one my hubby made me, um he changed a pattern from a tablet holder. Have five different heights three small ones and one big one that will take a big canvas. I use all the time, himm love the little round block things wonder if he can print me up some? Sigh I be so cheep. I know it’s not wood but these work for me and I’m also recycling plastic so I figure this must be good.
I have the pad pucks on a lap tray and put my computer on the pucks so it doesn't overheat. Works just fine!
For your laptop...even better is to get one or two squares of ceramic or porcelain tile. Lay the tile(s) flat on a table. Sit your laptop computer on top of the squares. The tiles will act as a heat sink and keep your laptop cool. Newer laptops do a better job of thermal management however and cooling them is not such a concern.
We appreciate your help. Thankyou
Thanks! Like the pad pucks-and your triangle thingy. Not a fan of a wobbly board, easel, table -hard enuf to keep my hand steady LOL.🤣 i have a table easel, rarely use it. I Like a board.
Did you do a vid on artist tapes that i missed?
Best to you and yours.
Great review Steve, thanks so much. 💖
Such an amazing teacher. Thank you for sharing.
I buy something as that from london was wery expensive but was... great as your clips.
Thanks for this video Steve! I love your art, and stumbled upon this video while looking for options for a tabletop easel. I'm from Spain, so I don't have these specific options available at my regular art stores, but I can find similar options. My desk space is limited though, so I was debating between a wooden easel and a metal one which is like a metal arm that you can attach to your desk and doesn't take up much desk space (not sure if I'm allowed to post links). Would be interested to hear if you know about those and what your favourite easel is nowadays 😄
I would like one of them little wood risers, is it hard to make or acquire? Also i could listen to u talk forever. I appreciate the uploads. Im going to acquire that 1st easel u showed this coming thursday, i am excited af. Er actually i think i got the one thats a bit bigger, the one that holds up to 27" canvas.
Hi Steve, great demonstration of the easels. Just wondering where you got the paintbrush bowls on your desk? Thanks, Gina
www.goldenbergdesigns.com I did a review video on them a few weeks back. 😀
Great setup :)
I'm curious about how you decide the angle of your paper for the type of painting or painting effect you are working on. On another video you mentioned you tilt the paper so that the bottom edge of paint stays wet (that was totally illuminating). Can you point me to another video that takes a deep dive into why use an easel in watercolor, or might you speak to this in a new video? Thank you.
I like the small Meeden table top sketch desk. It’s like 30 on amazon.
i BOUGHT THE RENIOR EASEL AND I LOVE THAT IT HANGS OVER END OF TABLE. YOU SHOULD TRY IT AGAIN.
I already like it. Especially for larger paintings. Makes it easy to reach the top.
I've owned the Renoir easel for a year now, and I don't recommend it.
At first, I really loved it. I have a small workspace because I don't have a dedicated studio and I work at my kitchen table. I use the storage drawer to hold all my paint tubes and other supplies. The problem I've encountered is that the screws that you tighten down to hold the angle have stopped working. Now any pressure that I put on the easel will cause it to collapse down. This has made the easel pretty unusable. I'm currently looking for another solution (hence the reason I came to this video.)
I noticed this. I solved it by adding rubber o rings. Most of my angles are pretty steep so it's not as much a problem. I haven't used it much since I don't often paint that big. I got it purely for large paintings.
Cool, Merry Christmas
Try Daler Rowney Artsphere A3 easel £25 in UK Adjusts to any angle.
😳 it’s GORGEOUS
Put a couple of thumbtacks on the riser for canvases
I'm curious what you used to modify the easel. I have the same easel and I always wished it were lowered. I wonder if some simple wood carving tools would work?
I like your water bowls with the brush notches. Please tell me where you got them?
You can try the faber castell collapsible water cup. 6 bucks on amazon.
He did a video about them. They are handmade by a lady....I love them to but could not justify the price
@@jenniferk7707 I agree. I began to think outside the box and looked on etsy for cigarette bowls. I found a few clear glass ones that did the trick! 10$ the wells aren't to deep but I understand it's about aesthetics. Pear fleur? On RUclips ues apothecary jars with lids because her cats keep drinking and tipping it over.
Which video did you talk about varnish watercolor?
If i want to have an A3 table top easel which one would you recommend?! Which would last a life time
I can only tell you what I've used and why, as I did in this video.
I use this from IKEA: www.ikea.com/us/en/p/braeda-laptop-support-black-60150176/
I have a narrow desk with my keyboard on top so the space is often not enough for bigger sketchbooks or pads. This, I can just simply place above my keyboard.
Also if I sit somewhere else I can place it onto my knees. (Funnily enough I never used it with my laptop. I bought it specifically for drawing. 😊)
Башмаков Ф .Ф. РФ - РТ г. Альметьевск - художник . Можно и самому сделать , нечего сложного нет...
After using this lyptus easel for awhile do you still like it?
Yes, definitely. It's all I use now.
@@mindofwatercolor Thanks for answering me! I am working on larger works and have been easel shopping but didn't want to buy without a recommendation.
Do you put wet watercolour paper on that drawing board
Yes
May I ask when you sniffed the wood of the Richardson easel was there a varnish or linseed oil smell? I have bought other easels that I donated due to my intolerance of odors. Here in Florida nothing dissipates. Jeanne
None
Hey Steve, I just invested in to two easel, one of which is a plein air standing easel, have you ever tried those type of easel before?
I haven't. My plein air easel I custom made and attaches to a tripod,
How is this compared to your one table top easel that had the storage compartment underneath , the one with two adjustable arms?
Both are good but have different strengths as I pointed out. This new big one can't drop below the level of the table. Thats the main strength of the box based one.
Take a look at Zieler easy writer. Love it.
Drawing board for watercolors recommendation?
Most any will do. No specific recommendations. I use several in this style amzn.to/3d1XPYH But you can also go with heavier thicker ones if you prefer like these. amzn.to/32FKOSB
Thanks! 😉
Are the drawing boards water resistant?
@@annhering6585 yes
Thanks!
Are you working on top of a piano, what's the ringing sound?
Mic
Hey- love your channel and really want to sign up for your patreon but the page will not let me fill out the form. 😤. I will keep trying, but sumpins up...🤔
hmm. I'm not able to offer tech support but maybe Patreon can help. Thanks for trying. support.patreon.com/hc/en-us/articles/360042749811-How-do-I-contact-support-
The Mind of Watercolor I’ll keep trying! 😇
RICH-es-son