To easel or not to easel, is the question today.  
When I got back into creating, I purchased a small desktop easel to hold my small canvases.  It was good enough; I didn't know if I was going to continue the creative journey when everything when back to "normal" so I went with a cheap and cheerful option which suited me at the time.   Within a few months, I realised the cheap and cheerful just wasn't cutting it, so ordered in a desktop easel which was so much better with larger canvases.  I soon learnt I much preferred standing to paint than sitting. 

A few more months later during one of the breaks in lockdown, my gorgeous hubby came home with a studio easel for me.  I love it and use it every day I am in the studio.  It is sturdy, holds large canvasses and is now covered in paint, I think the paint gives it character.

I found as my circumstances changed and also my painting style I needed a few different easels.  My larger desktop easel is still on hand for when I am sitting at my desk and creating, my studio easel is a must and I have a few portable easels I use for open studios and displays.  I have also been using the portable tripod to take to my art classes. 

The tripod easel I have been taking to various classes is great, yet it is bulky to leave in the boot of the car. I had been eyeing off on Amazon a tripod easel with a shelf etc. (pictured).  So last week I ordered it, and it arrived 2 days later. I was pleased to see it fits in a small bag and is so light and versatile. I can now use it at my art classes, along with en plein air excursions and also painting demonstrations.

You don't need to be like me and have multiple easels, pick one that suits your needs, ask yourself, will I be painting on paper or canvas?  Will I be creating large or small pieces? Do I need to incorporate storage?  Does it need to be portable?   Can I leave it up or do I need to pack it away?  Do I like working on an easel or on the table? What type of medium will I be using?

Once you have answered these simple questions you will have a better understanding of your easel requirements.    You can check out some of my favourite tools and a couple of easels. 

How do you like to work?  Leave a comment below.
  

I grew up in what was once a sleepy town on the outskirts of Perth. Our house was surrounded by bushland with a peppering of houses until the development of the land started.  Our primary school had a special "Australia Garden" with a man-made creek, rockpools and native flora and fauna. It was an ideal surrounding for kids who played in the bushland, built secret cubby houses and hideouts.  I think this is where my love of nature truly began.  The photo you see here is the bushland that still exists near my parents' house.  The land has been preserved to continue the growth of wattle, wildflowers, banksia, and eucalypt trees. 
I now live in a beautiful part of Victoria with our house backing on to public open space which has beautiful bushland, wetlands and bird life.  I don't know how I would leave this place, it is so beautiful and inspiring.

I am inspired by nature in my artwork, whether it be landscape, abstract or florals.  Nature is perfectly imperfect.  No two flowers are the same, an aging rose is as beautiful as a newly formed bud.  A walking track can take you to the most beautiful parts of a bush or the most treacherous.  A flower can bring back a memory and a smile to your face. You can change someone's day by sharing some nature with them, even if it is a small, handpicked posy from your garden.
You can even have nature in your home every single day of the year with a piece of artwork inspired by nature. 

I started off painting on small canvas squares and art panels for a year or two.  I then moved on to boards.  I love using the boards particularly for some of my abstract work.  You can scratch into the panels without fear of damaging a canvas.  You can throw ink at it, spray water over it, sand it back and be rough on it.  Boards are great but they have their limitations too, such as framing and weight. 

I move between boards, paper and canvas.  When I am starting a piece, I think about the end result and that will determine the substrate.  Each has their own unique benefits.  I love working on paper, it is easy to use, affordable, easy to frame and easy to store. You can't be as heavy handed on paper, but it does have many benefits. The artwork pictured; Hidden Gem I used mixed media paper.

I enjoy working on canvas and tend to find I use a canvas once I have completed a few paper pieces in the same colours or style. I feel freer to go about the piece having already played with the mediums, colours and mark making. 

When planning your next artwork, think about what mediums you will be using, do you need to sand back, scratch in, will you use lots of water or ink?  These questions will help you determine the paper type, canvas or boards. 

When I started back creating, I had nothing in my kit of supplies. Most of my creations of late had been on the computer in the form of social media posts and writing articles, eBooks and training manuals.
I purchased two large canvases on sale and hubby came home with some paint brushes and paints.  The paints were small tubes, the brushes were cheap and cheerful, but it was a start.  I then purchased some small canvases 20cm x 20cm and artist boards 25cm x 20cm to practice on.  Hubby and I spent hours painting and enjoying the process.  I started off with student grade paints, and those cheap and cheerful brushes. By the way, it was weeks later we painted on the large canvas, after hours and hours of practice.
If you plan to start dabbling in art for a hobby, start with what you have and what you can afford. Enjoy creating every day without worrying about wasting paint or messing up an expensive brush.  Have fun and enjoy the moment.