How to Make a Wooden Tabletop Easel
Professional artists create their paintings on easels, allowing them to work upright. With just a little work, you can build a sturdy easel suitable for a child's artwork. This easel has a flat surface to allow a child to work on either paper or canvas. It can be also constructed in any size to meet your specific needs, and it conveniently stores flat when not in use. You can also paint one side with chalkboard paint to make a convenient blackboard for sketching.
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Things You'll Need
- 2 pieces of square plywood 1/2-inch thick, 2 feet by 2 feet
- Sandpaper
- Two hinges, 3 inches by 3 inches
- Measuring tape or ruler
- Drill and drill bits
- Wood screws
- Screwdriver
- 3/4-inch binder clips
- 2 pieces of wood, 1 inch by 1 inch, 8 inches long
- 4 wood screws, 2 inches long
- 2 washers for 1/2-inch screws
Instructions
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1
Sand the edges of the plywood squares to remove any splinters.
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2
Lay the two plywood squares side-by-side. Place the hinges over the two squares, approximately 1 inch from the side edges. Mark the location of the holes and drill pilot holes. Screw the hinges in place.
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3
Fold the plywood squares together and lay them down with the hinges farthest from you. Mark the edges of the plywood squares on both sides, halfway down from the hinges. Pre-drill four holes, one at each mark.
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4
Drill a notch into one side of each 1-by-1 strip of wood, 1/2 inch from the end. The notch should be large enough to fit over the shank of a screw.
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5
Drill a hole into the other side of the wood strips, 1/2 inch from the end, all the way through. Feed a 2-inch screw through each hole and add a washer.
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6
Screw one wood strip to each side of one of the plywood squares. Leave the screws loose enough that the wood strip can pivot easily.
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7
Screw the other 2-inch screws into the pilot holes drilled into the other sides of the plywood squares. Leave just over 1 inch of each screw sticking out.
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8
Stand the easel with the hinges at the top. Pivot the wood strips so the notches rest over the screws to secure the easel upright.
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9
Attach the binder clips at the top corners. Use the binder clips to hold art paper in place.
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Tips & Warnings
Use screws to attach plastic containers to the bottom of the easel to hold paints, brushes, and water.
References
- Photo Credit academy of fine arts image by Dmitry Nikolaev from Fotolia.com
