How to Set Up an Easel

Last Updated: November 24, 2021 References

A good easel is one of the most important tools an artist can have. There are many varieties, from big easels meant for indoor use to small ones that can be transported outside. Although most easels are fairly simple to set up, the process can be a little tricky if you’re not used to it. A-frame easels are the most common type and they have adjustable legs you can use to stand them up indoors. French box easels open up like a briefcase for additional storage and maneuverability. Finally, H-frame easels require a little more setup, but are able to support massive canvases. No matter what kind of easel you have, you can adjust it so you are able to paint in total comfort.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Adjusting an A-Frame Easel

1
Unfold and pull out the legs by turning the wing nuts counterclockwise. When you first take the easel out of its box, it will be folded up. Look for a brass nut near the top of each leg. After loosening the nuts, swing each leg to the side to straighten it out. The legs will still be folded in half at this point, but turn the nuts clockwise to hold them still while you finish adjusting them.^{[1]
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- A-frame easels, or tripods, are the most common kind for studio painting. They come in different sizes, so you can find small ones that sit on a table or big ones that stand up.
2
Loosen the wing nut on the sliding part of the legs to extend them. Look for secondary wing nuts near the bottom of each leg. Since the legs won’t be fully extended at this point, the secondary nuts will allow you to open them to their full size. Rotate them counterclockwise, then pull the bottom half of each leg away from the tripod. Once they are at the length you desire, lock them in position by turning the nuts back in the opposite direction.^{[2]
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- If you have a metal tripod, it may have latches instead of wing nuts. Pull open the latches to extend the legs. Close them back up again when you’re done.
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3
Stand up the easel and position the legs. Pick it up, then set it on the floor or on a table, depending on its size. Position it so the mast, the long, vertical bar used to hold a canvas, is between the legs. Check for another brass wing nut near the tray and legs that you can turn clockwise to lock the easel in place. Finish by making any additional adjustments needed to the legs.^{[3]
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- The easel can be set up so that you are able to paint while sitting or standing. Test it out several times to make sure you can comfortably reach it and adjust the legs as needed.
4
Raise the easel’s arms by loosening the nuts if your easel has them. The arms will be attached to the front legs. Your easel may have a separate, unconnected arm on each leg. Each one will be controlled by a wing nut behind the legs. Turn the nuts counterclockwise first, raise the arms, then tighten the nuts again. These arms are usually meant to hold your paint palette instead of the canvas.
- Make sure the arms are at the same height so your canvas is level on the easel.^{[4]
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- Some metal easels have a detachable shelf for your canvas. The shelf will have a few holes that allow you to fit it over screws in the easel’s legs.
5
Set a blank canvas on top of the easel’s tray. Pick the canvas you plan on painting. Then, check for a groove in the easel’s arms and tray. Set the canvas in the groove, resting it against the rest of the easel. Make sure it is secure on the easel and easy to reach while you’re painting.
- Canvases come in a variety of different sizes, so you should always adjust the easel with the one you plan on using.
6
Raise the easel’s mast by adjusting a nut near the top. Check the center bar for a brass wing nut or screw you can rotate. After turning it counterclockwise to loosen it, raise the mast to the height you desire. Set it so the head rests against the upper part of your canvas. The mast is usually easy to identify because it’s a single, long piece of wood that stretching up from the center of the easel.^{[5]
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- Depending on the easel, you may need to screw the head to the top of the central mast. Use the appropriate screw included with the easel.
- On some wooden easels, the mast is backward at first. You will have to detach it and turn it around before putting it back on the easel. When the bar is on right, it should clamp down on the canvas.
7
Operate any angle and tilt levers on the sides to move the canvas. Locate the adjustment levers, which will likely be near the legs at the bottom of the canvas. Usually, turning the lever clockwise causes the easel to lean back. Turning it counterclockwise brings the top of the canvas down toward you. Reposition the canvas so that it’s accessible while you work.^{[6]
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- Some easels don’t have separate angle levers and require you to use the nut for securing the mast to the legs. Loosen the nut, then tilt the mast to reposition the canvas.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Assembling a French Box Easel

1
Extend the front leg, then lock it in place by turning its screw clockwise. Set the easel on a flat surface. To locate the front leg, pick up the easel by the handle. Look for a single leg tucked inside the box. Pull it up as far as you can, then rotate the screw by hand to lock it in place. Also, pull the end of the leg to extend it and adjust its height.^{[7]
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- French box easels are designed for transportation, making them great for artists on the go. They have storage space on the inside, which is accessible after unfolding everything.
- A pochade box is similar to a French easel, but it doesn’t have legs. It is set up the same way, except you put it on a table or tripod instead of standing it up on its own.
- French boxes come in various sizes, so make sure yours is big enough to hold the canvas you plan on using.
2
Open the back legs and lock them in place with the screw. Brace the front leg against the ground, then look for the back legs along the easel’s sides. Unfold the legs, tightening the first screws by turning them clockwise to lock them in place. Pull the ends of the legs next to extend them. Position the easel so that all of the legs are on the ground, making sure it feels stable.^{[8]
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- Each leg has a second screw on the end. Use these screws to make adjustments to the easel’s height. You can loosen the screws by turning them counterclockwise, slide the legs out, and lock them back into place by twisting the screws clockwise again.
- Determine if you prefer standing or sitting, then change the easel’s height to compensate. Test the easel by sitting or standing in front of it.
3
Pull open the box’s latches to open the easel. Check the sides of the box for a couple of brass latches. They are typically near the front leg. After snapping open the latches, pull the top of the box back as far as you can. Then, locate the screws on the side of the box and turn them clockwise to keep the box open.^{[9]
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- The inside of the box is a compartment to store art supplies. The tray inside is often made of wood or metal and may be removable.
4
Set a painting canvas in the tray on the easel.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Rebecca Schweiger
Professional Artist & Art School Founder
Expert Interview. 19 November 2021.} The tray is on the back side of the box top you raised. The box top holds the canvas up while it’s in the tray. After setting your canvas in the tray, make any necessary adjustments to the legs and box top. Check the easel’s height as well as its angle to ensure that you can comfortably reach the canvas while painting.^{[11]
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- Since there are many different types of canvases available, set up the easel using the canvas you plan on painting. You can readjust the easel later if you plan on using a different size of canvas.
5
Use the side screws on the canvas tray to raise or lower it. The tray is adjustable on most French box easels. If you need to move the tray to reposition the canvas, loosen the screws by turning them counterclockwise. Pull the tray to the desired height, then tighten the screws again. You can reposition the tray to raise or lower the canvas, making it more accessible.^{[12]
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- For example, if you’re planning on standing, you may need to raise the tray up so the canvas stays at eye level. Otherwise, you would have to bend down uncomfortably to paint.
6
Lift the mast by loosening the screw on the back of the box. The easel will have a mast meant to brace your painting canvas. Check for a screw along the top edge of the easel, close to its center. Turn it counterclockwise, then pull the bar up. After setting the mast at the proper height, secure it again by turning the screw clockwise.^{[13]
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- Position the mast so it rests against the top of your canvas. That way, the canvas can’t move while you’re painting.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Building an H-Frame Easel

1
Screw together the 4 smaller pieces of wood that form the base. Take all of the pieces out of the box and refer to the included instructions to identify them. Look for a pair of thick sideboards with slots cut into one side and raised tabs in the center. Then, find the pair of flat boards with matching grooves on the ends. Push these boards into the slots before fitting screws into each hole on the sideboards.^{[14]
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- After placing the screws, turn them clockwise with a Phillips screwdriver to secure the boards together. Make sure they are firmly attached, but don’t overtighten them.
- Check the manufacturer’s instructions if you get confused about which boards are which. The boards may vary in size or shape depending on the easel you bought.
- H-frame easels are often larger than A-frames and meant for studio use. They are used to support large canvases.
2
Assemble and screw the 4 frame boards together. Search through the remaining boards to find 2 long, flat pieces with grooves on the end. Then, pick up the pair of very long crossboards with slots on the sides. These crossboards will look similar to the ones used in the base but are much bigger. After fitting them together, secure them with screws.^{[15]
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- The sideboards making up the frame will also have screw holes on their outer edges. Put the screws there and tighten them with a Phillips screwdriver to keep the frame together.
- Depending on the easel you have, you may also need to attach a slotted ratchet column to the frame. It’s used to hold the mast and position your canvas. It sits in the center of the frame, connecting to slots cut into the shorter boards.
3
Secure siding to the crossboards if your easel has them. These boards are the same length as the crossboards. They fit against those boards and screw to the sideboards. Stand the boards up, then slide screws through the remaining holes on the sideboards. The screws should go through the sideboards and into these ones to complete the frame.^{[16]
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- Your easel may not have these frame boards. They are used on heavy-duty easels to brace the crossboards, so many other easels work well without them.
4
Secure the easel’s tray to the mast piece. The tray looks like a square block and has a groove cut into it to hold the canvas while you’re panting. The remaining board in your kit should be a long, flat piece that plugs into an opening on the tray’s side. Flip them both over, then insert a long pin into the hole on the opposite side of the tray. Place a metal bracket over it, aligning the central hole with the pin. Then, place a screw through the hole and turn it clockwise until it is tightly in place.^{[17]
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- The tray is the part that varies the most on easel models. For some easels, you will have to assemble the mast first, then secure it onto the frame before screwing the tray onto it.
5
Slide the mast into the slotted rachet board on the frame. Set the frame out so the slotted rachet board is face up. One part of the frame will look longer than the other. Position the mast there, pushing the metal bracket into the opening on the rachet board.^{[18]
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- If you need to screw the mast to the frame first, lay the mast face down with the frame on top of it. Screw them together using the set of 4 holes on the back side of the lower frame crossboard.
6
Add the canvas holder to the top of the mast. The canvas holder is a small block meant to clamp down on the top of the canvas to hold it in place.^{[19]
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Expert Source

Rebecca Schweiger
Professional Artist & Art School Founder
Expert Interview. 19 November 2021.} Position it horizontally with the flat part facing the tray. Slide it down to the top crossboard in the frame, then pick up one of the black valves that came with your kit. Fit it through the hole along the top edge of the holder, turning it clockwise to screw it to the mast.^{[20]
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- Note that, for some models, the canvas holder may not be separate from the mast. In that case, you won’t need to assemble it yourself.
7
Connect the frame to the base before raising it up. Position the assembled base so it is underneath the frame. Align the legs of the frame with the tabs sticking up from the base. To connect these parts, position a black valve on the outside edge of each tab. Turn them clockwise so the screws pass through the tabs and into the frame.^{[21]
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- Once you have the base and frame secured together, you can stand the frame up. Test it to make sure the components hold firmly together.
8
Screw the legs to the slots in the frame to finish the easel. The last pieces of wood have rounded ends with holes through them. Stretch the wood from the frame boards to the back end of the base. Use more of the valves to secure them to the frame slots. To attach them to the base, position screws in the holes and turn them clockwise with a Phillips screwdriver.^{[22]
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- Test the easel one last time by moving all of the parts. The valves you used should allow the legs and mast pieces to move so you are able to adjust or fold up the easel.
- After ensuring that everything is well-secured, the easel will be ready for use. You can adjust it by moving the mast or loosening the legs to tilt the easel frame. Most H-frames don’t have as much range of motion as other types of easels, though.