Occasionally I like to paint – and no, I don’t mean the garden fence or the lounge wall! When I started painting on canvas, I found the larger canvasses a bit unwieldy and decided to make an easel. This is the result!
It’s fairly simple, so I won’t need to go into huge amounts of detail on this one!
For the work surface I used a nice big piece of melamine chipboard that happened to have been part of a cupboard door. I made an H-frame stand for it, which I attached to the top rear of the board with a pair of hinges, and added a stay made from string to limit the travel of the legs and provide a firm, stable platform.
To the front of the board, I added a strip of wood to make a shelf to rest canvasses on while painting, and attached it with another pair of hinges so that it folds up when not in use – that part was inspired by a piano book stand!
If you prefer to paint on fabric, it’s a simple task to add a few crocodile clips from a stationery store at the top and sides to hold the fabric in place.
At the top edge of the easel, I added a handle (made from a piece of heavy gauge rod). The easel got quite a bit of use during the 2020 lockdown when I painted furiously!
I hope this inspires you to create something beautiful too!
Pictures included – as well as a few of the paintings I did using this easel – enjoy!
Have a DIY day!
Cheers! 
