Easel Accessories
Easel Accessories: Get the Best Out of Your Easel
There are a number of accessories that can help to get the best out of your easel.
A carry case can help to protect your field easel from marks and dents, as well as offer a convenient carry handle, invaluable when you have several bags of kit with you to take into the field. Jullian field easels have a shoulder strap on the bag; particularly useful for keeping your hands free to carry everything else you need. The Jackson’s French Box easel has a leather carry strap for carrying by hand.
A parasol or umbrella can help you to paint in extreme sun or rain. The clamp attaches to the central canvas support and can be tilted to a range of angles. It can be used with any regular umbrella or parasol with a straight handle. Meanwhile, the Jullian parasol has a flexible gooseneck clamp, which allows it to be angled easily to provide shelter from the elements. While these items can be a godsend in sun or rain, they are recommended on days when the wind is down.
If you’re looking for a water or solvent pot to hang from your easel, you can choose from either a collapsible lantern pot, or a brush washer pot. The collapsible lantern is made of plastic and is well suited for holding water only. When not in use, its concertina design allows it to collapse into a compact disc which will fit in among your other kit in your bag. If you are an oil painter, then a metal pot for solvent will be more suitable. Most of the metal pots we offer come with a lid that is airtight and spill-resistant when clipped into place, so you won't need to transport your solvent in a separate bottle.
Easel trays are a simple but clever solution for providing more color mixing space, and sometimes for holding additional brushes too. Both Cappelletto and New Wave offer trays that are designed to fit onto easels within their range, but if the depth of the lower canvas support is deep and wide enough on an easel that is made by another brand, then the tray will fit - it’s just a case of checking the dimensions.
If you’re keen to paint plein air nocturnes, a light is essential for making sure you can clearly see your color mixes. The Native Slim Lamp offers a powerful LED light source with a wide spread of cool light that mimics natural daylight. It is rechargeable via a USB cable. There is a good range of studio lights available too - making color matching and fine details easier at all times of day.
Tripods are essential if you want to paint with your pochade box at a standing position. While you could use a standard camera tripod, the Mabef MA30 Tripod offers an arguably more attractive, oiled beechwood alternative. As you might expect, the legs are telescopic and fold so that when not in use, the tripod is compact and easy to carry.
The Ultimate Easel Guide | A Guide to Easels and Studio Furniture