Why a Homemade Easel Beats Shop-Bought

For those who collect creative experiences rather than things, making your own outdoor sketching easel is a deeply satisfying hobby. It combines whittling, problem-solving, and the quiet thrill of setting up your kit in a field. Shop-bought easels are often heavy, fiddly, and expensive. A homemade version, built from lightweight wood and a few simple hinges, can weigh under a kilogram and fold into a bundle no bigger than a rolled-up coat. You can customise the height, the angle, and the carrying strap to suit your own shoulders and sketching style. Best of all, every scratch and smudge on the wood tells the story of where you have painted.

Materials and Tools You Will Need

Gather these before you start. Most are available from a local timber merchant or hardware shop.

• Wood: Two 1.2 m lengths of 20 mm x 40 mm pine or lightweight hardwood (poplar or obeche are ideal). One 90 cm length of the same. A piece of 6 mm plywood, 30 cm x 15 cm, for the canvas shelf.
• Hinges and fixings: Two 25 mm brass or stainless steel hinges. Three 6 mm bolts with wing nuts and washers (for leg pivots). Four 20 mm wood screws. A 1.5 m length of 25 mm wide webbing strap.
• Tools: Saw, drill with 6 mm bit, screwdriver, spanner, tape measure, pencil, sandpaper (120 and 240 grit), wood glue, and a small pot of clear varnish or Danish oil.

Building the Folding Frame

Start by cutting your wood. The two 1.2 m lengths become the front legs. The 90 cm length becomes the rear leg. Cut a small block from leftover wood, about 8 cm x 5 cm x 3 cm, to act as the top pivot block. Sand all pieces smooth, especially the ends.

Mark the centre of the pivot block. Drill a 6 mm hole through it. Then drill matching holes through the top of each leg, about 2 cm from the end. Assemble the tripod using the bolts, washers, and wing nuts. The front legs should splay out to roughly 30 degrees, and the rear leg should angle back to about 20 degrees. Tighten the wing nuts so the legs hold their position but can still be folded flat. To stop the legs splaying too far when you press on the canvas, tie a short length of cord between the front and rear legs on each side, leaving a little slack.

Adding the Canvas Support and Shelf

The canvas shelf is the heart of the easel. Take your 6 mm plywood and cut it to 30 cm wide and 10 cm deep. Add a 2 cm high lip along the front edge, glued and screwed in place, to stop your sketchbook sliding off. Hinge this shelf to the inside of the front legs, about 60 cm up from the ground. The hinges should allow the shelf to fold upwards against the legs when the easel is collapsed.

For the top support, cut a 30 cm cross piece from leftover wood. Screw it between the two front legs, about 10 cm below the pivot block. This is what your canvas or board leans against. You can add a small notch in the centre to hold a single sheet securely. If you prefer, wrap a short bungee cord around the cross piece and the top of your board for extra grip on windy days.

The Carrying Strap and Finishing Touches

Cut your webbing strap to 1.5 m. Fold one end into a loop and screw it to the outside of the left front leg, about 30 cm from the bottom. Repeat on the right leg. This creates a shoulder strap that lets you carry the folded easel across fields like a satchel. For comfort, slide a piece of old foam pipe insulation over the strap where it meets your shoulder.

Give all the wood a coat of clear varnish or Danish oil. This protects against damp grass and light rain, and it brings out the grain beautifully. Once dry, check that every bolt and screw is tight. Fold the easel: the legs should come together, the shelf should lie flat against the front legs, and the whole thing should tuck under your arm. If it feels loose, add a small leather strap or a velcro tie to keep it closed.

Taking Your Easel on Its First Adventure

Pack a small sketchbook, a couple of pencils or a watercolour set, and a lightweight folding stool. When you reach your spot, loosen the wing nuts, open the legs, and tighten them again. Adjust the shelf height by sliding it up or down the front legs (you can drill a second set of holes for different heights). Sit down, clip your paper to the shelf, and lean it back against the top cross piece. The easel should feel steady, even on slightly uneven ground – if not, nudge the rear leg out a little further.

This project is more than a piece of kit. It is a small ritual that connects your woodworking hobby to your love of the outdoors. Every time you unfold it, you will remember the afternoon you made it – and the first sketch you captured with it. For collectors of creative experiences, that is the finest kind of treasure.