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easel and canvas

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James Hodds

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So I'm getting ready to paint on my new Easel Made it up last night But I feel that the easel doesn't hold the canvas securely. Please see images included in the message. How do you make your easel more secure ?  

Alan Bickley

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Is it a studio easel or a desktop easel? I can’t tell from the photo’s…after another look, it looks like a floor standing studio easel. I’ve got a W&N H-Frame studio easel, same as yours but different make. Mine is sturdy, they should be sturdy! So what is the issue, you don’t say?

James Hodds

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Alan it is a studio easel but I'm worried about the canvas slipping around so I thought about gluing some sandpaper to the bottom of the easel so there is some friction to stop my canvas from slipping around. James 

Alan Bickley

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Hmm… I don’t have that problem! The canvas or board should be clamped in tightly with the upper bar. In fairness, I’ve had mine for ten years or more, so I’ve got a layer of oil paint on the bottom rail, so the canvas doesn’t have a chance to slip.
IMG_7097

Helen Martell

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I have a similar easel, and I put a strip of wide masking tape over the bottom ledge where the canvas sits. This was to keep the ledge free of paint splashes, but it may help with your slipping issues. I sometimes also put a folded up wedge of kitchen paper under the top grip (particularly if I’m using a stretch or box canvas), so that the grip doesn’t indent the canvas. I’ve occasionally had the easel outside in the wind, to take photos of a painting, and they haven’t blown away.
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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Sorry to be dim, but I'm not really understanding this - I don't have this easel, which isn't helping me to grasp the issue.  It looks as if the top bar is the clamping element in its construction, and that brings pressure down on the canvas so that it sits on the ledge: if there were a lip on the lower edge that ran the length of it, that would obstruct  your access to the lowest part of the canvas; so the pressure on the panel should be enough to hold it in place without much if any movement. However, if there is movement, if the canvas slips at the bottom, I would consider fastening a strip of Velcro to the ledge - preferably with a removable glue, since it would be bound to get clogged with paint over time.   I have two easels: one has a wedge of wood at the bottom to hold the board in place, angled to allow for access to that quite small area at the base of the panel which sits directly over it; the other is a desk-top - sadly necessary now that standing up to paint is something I can only do for a maximum of ten minutes at a time, and bought for me by my mum!  She saw me struggling....  THAT one has quite a narrow lip at the bottom, which is quite adequate for holding small panels, but has an adjustable lower shelf with a lip, and a groove cut into it, which holds larger canvases very effectively.  It seems strange to me that you quite expensive easel doesn't have something similar - looking at your photos again, the lower tray does have a lip, which should enable any large canvas to be held at a raking angle .... this is frustrating!  I'd need to see the thing - but are you sure it won't hold a canvas securely, or are you just afraid it won't?   You might be surprised....

Edited
by Robert Jones, NAPA

Alan Bickley

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All easels have a similar clamping mechanism, nothing different about the studio easel… So, you aren’t missing the point here Robert, all will be well I’m sure when its got a few layers of oil paint splattered on it, instead of that shiny layer of varnish! Here’s my easel, I don’t have the time or inclination to even think about masking tape or Velcro - get it used!

Edited
by Alan Bickley

With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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Yup.  Needs a bit of claggy paint on it, that's all!  Both of mine are entirely Velcro-free ... and I've not had a canvas or board slide off yet.  Still, for those of a nervous disposition, maybe a touch of reassurance would help in the form of extra grip: I'd certainly try doing without first though - then James is very likely to find he doesn't need it at all.  

Sylvia Evans

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Mines as claggy as yours Alan.   I have a table top thing which is for small stuff and big stands up one occasionally bits fall off  and I swear....lots some times my painting is improved.

James Hodds

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O'my god Claggy is the way to go lol How on earth do you let your easel get in to that condition ?   I will be adding some sand paper to the bottom of mine 

Sylvia Evans

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Why?   That is an easel well used and loved.. your hands ,face and clothes will also get claggy.

Edited
by Sylvia Evans

Alan Bickley

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This is the easel of a busy working artist, It’s not a piece of furniture to admire! It lives in my studio, and any dried oil paint doesn’t detract from its ability to hold a canvas or board… Its probably had something in the region of a thousand finished works painted on it since I bought it… follow that!

Edited
by Alan Bickley

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