AROUND THE STUDIO | ||||
 | ||||
 | ||||
For many years I rented a warehouse and had my studio away from home. I now have a new studio at home, and it's wonderful. There's lots of storage space for supplies, a long work counter that's custom built to the height I prefer (42"), and many shelves for my books and goodies, which can now easily spill over into the rest of the house. There's great north light and a comfortable place for guests or for Charles to sit and visit while I work. | ||||
| ||||
I use this easel to make oil paintings. It is built onto the wall and is very stable. It gives me great versatility, and it is ergonomically efficient. I was first introduced to this kind of easel by Bill Martin, a former teacher. Over the years, my husband, Charles, has modified and improved it. | ||||
| ||||
The back of the stretched canvas rests against the vertical boards of the easel and is suspended from a pulley so that it can easily be moved up and down. I attach two screw eyes to the center of the back of the top stretcher bar of the canvas. A rope runs through a pulley at the top center of the easel. On one end of the rope are two hooks, and I attach them to the two screw eyes on the back of the canvas. On the other end of the rope are several S-hooks knotted into the rope a few inches apart, and I attach enough large fishing weights to them so that the painting is balanced and essentially weightless, and I can easily move it up and down against the easel. | ||||
| ||||
Across the entire easel and canvas, held out slightly from the canvas by two vertical boards on each side of the easel, and also suspended on pulleys at each end with counter weights, is a long 1" x 2" board that is used as a "maul stick" for my painting hand. I rest my hand on this board while painting, it too can be easily moved up and down and set at any angle (one end higher than the other). By using it, I never put my painting hand on a freshly painted area, I have a very steady hand, and I minimize arm fatigue. I can move this board and use it to make a long smooth line at any angle very easily, provided, of course, that I have the paint at the right consistency. | ||||
| ||||
My chair is also very important. For years I painted sitting on a stool, reaching back to a mixing table. Even my great easel wasn't sufficient to save me from a sprained rotator cuff and a sore back. My ergonomic chair (I bought it at a medical supply house) allows me to sit with my back properly arched and my knees supported. Charles attached a board to the front of the chair that holds a pad of disposable palettes, so I can mix paint right on it and no longer have to reach back repeatedly. There is even an elbow rest for my painting arm! I highly recommend this arrangement. | ||||
| ||||
| ||||
| ||||
| Some of my stuff... | ||||
| ||||
| ||||
| ||||
| ||||
| ||||
| ||||
