Easel For Kids

Bassett Studio Easel

I've been using this easle for about 12 years now, and it's still holding up even my largest, heavy canvases very well.

I would strongly urge to go to a store before buying an easel. This is just in my opinion a glorified table top H style easel set up. The picture that amazon.com has looks super different than in real life. It is red wood almost and not tan as pictured in amazon.com pic. The wood in spots appear to not last already I just got this item (Dec. 2011). This does not tilt toward you at all. If you are seeking it to tilt toward you look for another easel. It is not on wheels and is twenty some pounds. I wanted it to tilt toward me and away from me and lay flatthis does not do any of that. It has a wobble to it also. My studio has hardwood floors (no carpet) this should not have a wobble to it. It is easy to move the top portion of the easel. The bottom portion is super hard to move and does not slide easily, perhaps over time it may I am not sure. I decided after much debating that I am returning this and getting a different easel on amazon.com. The only plus is that it was easy to put together.

Buy Bassett Studio Easel Now

When I wanted to purchase a studio easel, I wanted one that could potentially last me the rest of my life. This quality easel is not only well-built, it's beautiful too. In the eight months since I've purchased it, I've used it for just about every medium you can imagine. This thing handles heavy canvases. I even set up large sheets of plywood to practice my freehand spray paint in my backyard. The only reason I gave it four stars out of five is that it could have come with some assembly instructions. Not too difficult putting it together, but it was totally worth it. I love my easel and will for years to come.

Read Best Reviews of Bassett Studio Easel Here

this is an awesome easel. can paint lying on your back if you wanted. this easel is nice and sturdy

Want Bassett Studio Easel Discount?

Good quality for the price, easy to set up.I bought it as a christmas present for the kids.Would buy from them again.

Save 66% Off

Melissa & Doug Fine Paint Brushes, Set of 4

We have had these brushes for a few months and they are in brand new condition despite my 2.5y old having access to them at all times. We have also had the larger ones since Christmas and they are in great condition also. I highly recommend these. My only thing is I'm not sure if I would consider these fine but since they have a very fine for really detailed. They will allow you to draw faces and other simple details (more than enough for any preschooler) but I'm not sure they would be small enough for the details of an older child that is wanting to paint.

The bristles on these paintbrushes are very large. I wouldn't consider them 'fine paintbrushes' but they are of a good quality.

Buy Melissa & Doug Fine Paint Brushes, Set of 4 Now

Tough and course bristles don't hold paint very well. I thought based on the brand I would surely be getting quality.

Read Best Reviews of Melissa & Doug Fine Paint Brushes, Set of 4 Here

Kids enjoyed them very much. Just like described. I have very artsy girls. They loved them. I would purchase them again.

Want Melissa & Doug Fine Paint Brushes, Set of 4 Discount?

well made good quality product met my expectations. durable as well as do their expected task as well as one expects.

Save 17% Off

Guerrilla Painter 9 by 12 Box

I purchased this box from Judson's about 15 years ago and at the time the only real competiton was the Open Box M pochade by the late Michael Maier. Mine was made in Carl Judson's ranch shop in Colorado where he had originally conceived the design while pursuing painting as an avocation. He was a cattle rancher and wanted to paint during his non working hours but didn't want his crew of cowboys to discover his hobby, hence a stealthy pochade box was his preferred support system. Judson designed his pochade to hold either stretched canvas or panels and the hallmark is robust construction with a slide out palette in an all in one design. The Open Box M is much lighter in weight (by itself) but less likely to withstand rough handling if it's outside of it's case and is more of a handmade item constructed with solid brass hardware. Judson's box is more robust while the Open Box M is more elegant. Both have adapters that allow the pochade to fit securely onto a camera tripod.

One of the supposed benefits of a pochade over the traditional "french easel" is that they are lightweight and inconspicuous to carry and use, which is true up to a point. The Gurerilla Painter 9 x 12 with a dozen 37ml tubes of paint, loaded brush washer, brushes/palette knives, medium, and 3 or 4 panels is no lightweight companion (12+ lbs.), but is reasonable in size and compact compared to a French Easel. Mine has stood up very well and I've had little problem with the hardware or the wood material itself. The oiled finish has withstood many a paint/turp spill and though I've purchased some spare parts the basic box is still going strong. As a matter of fact the only broken bit I've had was a very minor replacement of one of the panel supports. Judson's carries all the replacement parts and you could build up a repair kit for under $20 to make sure it doesn't have to "go into the shop" if you do have a problem.

So, what's not to like? Well, 15 years is a long time and Judson's has changed quite a bit; gotten bigger and added many more products to their catalog including different size pochade boxes as well as different designs, some of which I'm not particularly fond of. First of all, the boxes are now made in China rather than in his ranch shop in Colorado which is either a bad thing or a non issue depending upon your sensitivity to the topic of domestic production. I subsequently purchased a 6 x 8 "thumb box" and a much larger (and heavier) 12" x 16" pochade which is no longer made. The 12" x 16" is pretty useless as a pochade and much heavier than a French Easel. It was a bad purchase on my part and I can easily see why Judson quickly discontinued it. The "thumb box" on the other hand is a delightful little cube built just like the original 9 x 12 but downsized for the smaller format. Tthe only difference is the wood finish, as construction and hardware appears identical to my original. The only real flaw in the original design is the panel holding system which does not provide a firm grip on your painting support. This can bother some painters, but most either get used to it or jerry rig a filler to take up the excess space between between your painting panel and the panel clips. They also offer an accessory "easel" that helps in this regard. The newer designs correct this shortcoming with a different panel holding system but have some additional problems of their own.

Judson currently offers the "French Resistance Pochade" that incorporates a different design that you might well compare with the original 9 x 12. The design is attractive, but strays from the original by offering what I consider a major flaw that you might not think about until you actually used one in the field. Instead of the highly regarded slide out palette they produced a slimmer box (nominally 3" x 10" x 13") that offers a trade off in storage vs. paint mixing. Opening the "FRP" reveals a top lid that offers an innovative panel holding system consisting of a wire "tray" that holds a panel or stretched canvas and can be set into 4 positions on the inside of the lid. The panel is held in place by a telescoping rod that you can adjust up to 16". Given that the nominal size of the box is only 10 x 13" this is a big plus for those who want to paint in a larger format (16 x 20" landscape format) without going the French Easel route. The problem is that they oddly left out the sliding palette leaving you to mix your paints in the bottom of the pochade. Normally this wouldn't be a bad thing as other designs do this (Open Box M, EasyL), but with a difference. The Open Box M's "palette" or mixing space is only about 3/8" deep and is comfortable to use just like a small hand held palette. The French Resistance Pocahde design on the other hand is about 2" deep and is constructed into a long rectangle by an unmovable wood divider that runs lengthwise separating the bottom into two parts. Given the depth and narrowness of the space it is very uncomfortable to use or clean; and is best left to storage. This means you have to carry an exterior palette which, given the box's design is certainly possible, but then there's no place to carry your just completed painting. Like I said it's a tradeoff and can be worked around but it is something to consider.

So there you have it; a long winded review of a generally excellent product line. Of the offerings mentioned I recommend the 9 x 12" original pochade (the one considered in this review) and the smaller 6 x 8" "thumb box". Both have a number of options readily available to customize the pochade to your particular needs and both are reasonably priced due to the current country of origin. Besides direct purchase from Judson's web site many of his products (not all) are carried by art supply retailers, some with very discounted prices, so shop around before you buy. AND, don't forget to consider the alternative of a 1/2 box French easel. It's very easy to get sold on the compact little pochade box when a French easel offers some benefits not available to the pochade user. For starters, consider the overall weight and bulk of a pochade WITH a sturdy tripod, since that's what you get with the French easel. Secondly, one of the benefits of a French easel over a pochade/tripod combination is that your palette can remain at waist level while you can move the support surface to eye level creating a more comfortable and familiar relationship. You can store your long handled oil brushes in the kit drawer, something you typically can't do with a pochade box, though Judson's sells special short handled bristles (no sables) to fit smaller pochades.

The truth is no one system works best all the time and you'd be selling yourself short by limiting your equipment choice to just one or the other. A pochade is at it's best when the little box rests on your lap and you complete sketches or vignettes to expand upon later. For the painter who doesn't want to draw attention to themselves it's the perfect choice, but as soon as you add a tripod you've removed much of the pochade advantage. A French easel is often more appropriate for field painting and many can fill in as a "studio" easel if you normally paint on moderate sized canvas. Personally, I use the Open Box M 10 x 12" when I want to paint with a tripod, and the original Guerilla pochade when I want to dispense with the tripod. For anything larger than 10 x 12" I use a half box French easel. I keep the Thumb Box loaded with supplies in my truck for those moments when the mood strikes for a quick sketch. Many people prefer newer boxes such as the EasyL or one of the innovative Heilman designs. I have both, but prefer the Judson and Open Box M for actual field use. While this may sound extravagant, if you factor in the cost of brushes, canvas and artist quality paint purchased over the years, it's really not. So, make your choice based upon how you paint and there's no reason why you have to settle on just one design. Painting can be a life time avocation and buying a variety of equipment spread out over decades makes the overall cost much more reasonable than it would appear.

The price was fair and so far the product seems to durable, but only time will tell. I'd like to be able to write a review a year from now. Up side The mount, knobs, and hinges all look and feel sturdy, and the construction seems solid. The down side The palette seems a little flimsey. Also, the box is built to hold only 9 x 12 panels, and I like to work on 5 x 7 and 8 x 10 in the field. The company sells a seperate piece to add on to the box to accomadte smaller panels, but I put 2 velcro strips on the inside of the box, and then I put a small piece of velcro on the back of the panel, and that works just fine for holding smaller panels in place.

Buy Guerrilla Painter 9 by 12 Box Now

I was and am really happy with this purchase. I thought it was a little expensive but, the quality makes it well worth it. It is perfect for my traveling supplies and very sturdy, so I know it will get a great deal of use in the future. I took it on vacation and loved that it was compact and I was able to store my wet canvases without any damage at all.

Read Best Reviews of Guerrilla Painter 9 by 12 Box Here

Too pricey for sure.

The product is not bad, although I feel that for the price, it does not have the stability needed for plein air.

The instructions are out of this world, it is amazing how they get away with this.

Want Guerrilla Painter 9 by 12 Box Discount?

Royal Deluxe Sketching Artist Box Set

Royal & Langnickel Deluxe Sketching Artist Box Set

I purchased this product to get some basic art supplies when I took up drawing. The supplies have all worked well, but the case was not very durable, and actually was falling apart in places. A little glue corrected the problem.

All the items in the box are wonderful. It is quite a good set for a beginner. It will supply the beginner with most everything they need.

The box was the main draw back for me. It's not very well made. The little plastic thing that the stuff is supposed to 'click' into doesn't hold the items very well. I kept trying to close it and had the items falling out of their slots and getting caught between other things.

The box had a crack around a knothole in the side. Looking at the paint job led me to believe that the knot hole had been ignored. No attempt at putting any wood putty around the knot hole or in the crack had been done. I'm not sure how the box would hold up to long term or heavy use.

Buy Royal Deluxe Sketching Artist Box Set Now

After taking up drawing recently, this is exactly the kind of sketching set I was looking for, which includes over 50 tools.

Here is a full list of what is found inside the box:

12 Graphite Pencils

12 Compressed Color Lead Sticks

6 Compressed Lead Sticks

6 Compressed Charcoal Sticks

4 Pastel Pencils

4 Vine Charcoals

3 Blending Stumps

3 Charcoal Pencils

2 Erasers (1 White, 1 Kneaded)

1 Sharpener

1 Ruler (6")

1 Sandpaper Block

1 Mannequin (just over 6" on its stand)

1 5x7 Sketching Pad (about a dozen pages)

Although the plastic insert is just as cheap as the reviewers said it would be, the particular wooden box that I

received is well-built and durable. I guess I am one of the luckier ones!

The only problems I had were sharpening the soft charcoal pencil (its point would break each time) and putting the mannequin

in its holder. (The hole seemed too shallow.) However, for the price I paid, I feel like I got a great deal.

Read Best Reviews of Royal Deluxe Sketching Artist Box Set Here

For the bad quality of some of the pencils! i wouldn't recommend this product to advance drawers because it a pain the a** to sharpen a pencil every 2 minutes but i do recommend this set only to beginners because it comes with the basic tools and can be use to develop their ability.

Want Royal Deluxe Sketching Artist Box Set Discount?

This product is like many have said, it is either a hit or a miss with how lucky you are to the state of the contents inside the box. I wanted to like this product, I did, but after having used the pencils. I just could not. And I knew it even when I had purchased this product that these would not be state of the art pencils, but it would have been nice if they did not completely skimp on them. Of the entire set of graphite pencils, maybe three worked well, they all sharpen horribly, which reduced me to using an ancient method of using a razor blade. Which I must say although it works great, I am not particularly a fan of sharp metal... I was one of the lucky few to find nothing broken, at least until I was attempting to get things out of the god forsaken case. It was a cheap plastic crate that held in the contents, which it does a good job of, don't get me wrong, but boy oh boy does it make it a pain in the behind to get the contents out. I snapped the handle part on the mini sandboard paper, and even though I am a bigger guy, it should not be so ridiculously sad of build quality that it snaps prying it from the depths of cheap haven. To the box itself, it is like others have said, it is very cheap, it does what I want, which is hold things in there. I can not say how nice it is to not carry 10 zip lock bags around looking like a crazy cat lady or drug dealer for art supplies. But thats where the good stops, it smelt fresh of paint, which is appalling in the least. You could actually tell they painted this thing before they sent it to me, which although it may have provide a sense of "your own little case" it does not because of the build quality. Granted my case has not been as bad as others, and maybe after not having purchased an art case of pencils for so long I was expecting too much, but if I had known that the build quality, the materials quality (especially that god awful crap kneaded eraser), and overall dismay was that bad, I would have saved 26.50 and put together a more expensive, and granted smaller package of art supplies. The only thing this case has going for it is that it hold things well. I do not do this often because I try to be nice, but boy oh boy, avoid this thing like the plague, it will only hinder your art ability, your wallet, and your sense of faith in art products online.

Save 44% Off

Charles Leonard Inc. Easel Flat Brushes, 1 Inch, Black Bristle, 1 Dozen (73599)

Natural hardwood handles
handles are lacquered for polished finish
seamless ferrules are double crimped
Long handle

Nice big handle and a fun large size. Brush doesn't hold much paint. We used them to make yard sale signs on posterboard; was disappointed to have to dip into the poster paint more than once for each letter. (We switched to another brush and didn't have the problem ... so it wasn't the paint.) Also, it was hard to get a straight line or firm end -two features you might expect from the shape of this brush. Might be great for kids using easels and watercolors (probably its intent), but not great for uses requiring more control.

However, they're great looking so we had no trouble selling the leftover unused ones at the yard sale.

Save 59% Off

Lineco Single Wing Self-Stick Easel Backs, Size 7" Color: Black, (Pack of 25)

These are advertised to hold up a paper or posterboard sign, so I'm not complaining. I tried to use it to hold up a framed picture, but they are not sturdy enough. Just wanted to let others who might consider it for that purpose know. I'm sure it would probably work great for a lightweight paper or posterboard.

Guerrilla Painter Mighty Mite Brush Washer

This is the size of plein air brush washer I should've have gotten first! I have the "junior" version of this and it's just too small, this one allows for more work, without changing solvent.Easily cleanable and pretty tight fitting lid,(mostly!)a place to scrape off excess paint, the little metal insert is so simple yet all you need!!

Blog Archive