Easel Art

An Easel Isn’t Everything, Why some Artists Don’t Use Them

Have you ever had a painting teacher that told you that you must come supplied with an easel? Did you ever get scolded for taking off your canvas and avoiding the use of your Art Easel during class? Who is to say that easels are right for every artist, after all, can’t they be limiting? This is a true fact, for some, an easel may keep one confined to rules that are simply made to be broken. For those rebellious, much less conventional artists, easels are an unnecessary tool for success.

Why is this? There are plenty of reasons why some artists don’t use them. An obvious artist would be a muralist. Now how can you put a wall or a portion of a wall on an easel? Is it worth investing in a huge, over priced, custom made easel? Heck no! Muralists paint directly on walls and thereby do not conform to the customary use of easels. They are quite useless to be frank.

Other artists, especially painters may simply feel this is too limiting. Some visual artists have some very goofy, very under used processes of art making that just do not call for the use of tools such as easels. Some work on the floor, others on ceilings, and some simply work in sketchbooks. It’s all about how your eye has been trained. If you are an artist and feel you don’t need an easel, tell your teacher and don’t be afraid to step out of the box. Art schools have classes when you get to college level that purposely question the use of such orthodox tools and rules. Ideation and Process is everything. Maybe your process doesn’t involve painting or drawing at all, maybe you are a collage artist.

Become your own unique artist and if you have to, boycott the use of your easel, after all, it’s not everything. The outcome of your pieces speak for themselves.

About the Author

Melissa & Doug – Tabletop Art Easel