Whether you are planning on painting by the beach on going on a painting holiday at an exciting destination, having good material with you when painting is essential. Especially, if you're painting in Plein-air. Painting in 'plein-air' (literally 'full air' in French) means painting outside in open space. Although some watercolor artists use a simple board that they place on their knees, most artists prefer using an easel. Here's why: higher and greater perspective, avoiding cramped movements, and you can paint on bigger surfaces. However, it's important to choose the right easel when painting in plein air with a field easel. In doing so, you need to know that there are different categories of easels made mostly of wood or aluminum. Obviously these are foldable and portable!
If you paint on a vertical support, for example with acrylic paint or oil paint, we, at Azenart Painting Holidays would recommend the following easels:
1. An aliminum foldable easel
This easel is light-weight (usually 5 lbs or less), foodable, with adjustable legs. They can be set on the ground or on a table as their legs retract. You can also add a special easel shelf to most of them, and add a triangular cloth to the three legs and put a stone or bag to secure it in slight windy contions. Perfect to take along on a painting vacation.
2. Wooden field easel
Heavier easel, but sturdy and a little more resistant. This is not to stay that aluminum easel are flimsy (most are not), but a wooden easel will hold its weight. It is heavier to carry, but if you just put in the trunk of your car for instance, it is perfect. You'll need an additional foldable stool to set next to the one you sit on, to lay your small materials like brushes. This is not the type of easels that are usually used on painting trips where people walk around a city on in the countryside for example, because of its weight (around 10 lbs).
If you paint horizontally with watercolors or inks for example, you're going to need an easel that pivots to that position. Aluminum easels are great for that.
1. Aluminum easel with a pivot mast
Smart, light-weight easel with a pivot mast that goes into a horizontal position.
Whichever easel you choose, don't forget to have fun on a watercolor painting holiday for example, or at the beach, in the countryside or in just your backyard!!!