DIY Modification Ideas for feather-light watercolor "Gurney Easel" to adapt to my A5 Art ToolKit Bag

The kind folks at Art Toolkit shared a promo code with me for you to use if you're interested. It's good until August. Discount code: JAREDLOVE10 for 10% off at checkout.
arttoolkit.com/
Hello Art-family,
Thank you sincerely to those that saw the post online about my having to cancel the trip to Charlotte this weekend and checked in on me. This bout of covid has been mild and I'm recovering very quickly and will be back out painting in no time.
I've had a number of emails and messages requesting information on the modifications I did to my "Gurney Easel." I created a slim version that would fit into my Art Tool Kit bag.
Gurney's Lightweight Easel:
jamesgurney.com/products/how-to-make-a-sketch-easel
Blog post I learned about it years ago:
gurneyjourney.blogspot.com/2014/10/lightweight-sketchbook-easel.html
Most of the tools are found on James Gurney's blog and site so I don't want to bite his idea. This is just to share my modifications I found useful.
Thanks for watching. Happy sketching!
Jared
Find me elsewhere:
linktr.ee/jaredcullum
Supplies:
1/4 Baltic Birch
1/4 Walnut
Rare Earth Magnets, 5/8 bit and superglue
1/4 20 T-nut
Southco Friction Hinges
Chisel
Hammer
Drill
#8 screws 3/8 for hinges and 1/4 for handle

[@raychiesart]

It's so great that Sir James Gurney influences artists who likes to paint outdoors

[@Veronica-yy2or]

"Magnificent Easel. It's Been Around Since Long Ago, Back In The Time When People And Easels Used To Be Friends." couldn't resist a spin on a Totoro classic 😉 Your whole kit is coming together beautifully and I love seeing it hard at work, out in the waves ❤🎨🌊 Thank you for your creative adaptation and the plein air inspiration.

[@JaredCullum]

I love it :) Thanks for your comment Veronica. :) It's always nice to hear from you.

[@claritzairosario68]

I love it!

[@craftykat]

That is awesome!

[@mechadebzilla]

I love the strap on the back of the easel. I built my JG easel and do enjoy it. I rarely get out the tripod though, preferring to cradle the whole kit on my left arm while painting. It's such a lightweight design and thin. I will definitely add a handstrap to the bottom near the hinges.

[@JaredCullum]

They're very handy :) Thanks for watching.

[@anan_bloom2396]

you're so amazing ❤️ thank you for your vid

[@colemine7008]

Thanks for this. I am in the middle of building my JG easel. It is currently 6x10 because.. well that was the size of the boards I have. I fully plan to use this first version as a proto tester for future version. I'm going to install tripod attachments to both boards so I can play with the two options (bottom board mount or top board mount. I love the leather handle idea.

[@JaredCullum]

Very cool! That's a good size. It'll be very versatile that way. You can do large stuff on that and have more mixing space. In my travel and experience I have come to prefer the tripod mount on the drawing board surface. It's different than the regular pochade style that open like a box instead of folding down. I like it because then your palette hangs more to you and also when you're drawing your pressing against the tripod so it feels much more stable than top heavy. Certainly try either way! That's just my preference :)

[@chantelmcskimming6633]

Really nice beach scene!!

[@JaredCullum]

Thanks!

[@JorjaZanetta]

Amazing!!!!

[@SergioLopezFineArt]

Super cool! I have a version of Gurney's easel that I made a tutorial video, on my KZbin channel. But I like the idea of making the hinges flush with the lid. Very clever idea and one I will try to adapt. Thanks for sharing

[@JaredCullum]

Nice! It’s not too hard if you get a cheap set of chisels you can knock it out pretty easily with some practice. I’ll check out your video- thanks for watching :)

[@SergioLopezFineArt]

@@JaredCullum that would mean a lot! I am actually using foam pvc instead of wood for the panels

[@eileengoldenberg270]

Nice job!

[@gingkomel6070]

Hello ! Super dispositif 👍🏻 Quelles sont les propositions ? J'ai vraiment le bois pour des raisons éthiques et nobles mais ça me semble lourd pour un usage nomade. Merci beaucoup James pour vos idées et votre travail 🙏🏻

[@yiannisteward]

SUPER!!! tHANKS A LOT!!

[@JaredCullum]

Thanks for watching

[@chattytrjp]

I wish I could find one for my tool kit bag…….

[@wilfreeborn1]

Thank you this was super helpful building my own version. I liked the details of adding extra wood support for the hinge screws so you could have thinner panels. Also removing part of the tension hinges so they could sit flush? Now to wait for it all to dry to test run, also need a light tripod too. I got so used to balancing palettes and making do I'm wondering if I'll like painting with it!

[@JaredCullum]

No prob! Yes.. i was scared to tamper with them because they’re the most expensive part of the build. I used a chisel to knock out some of the center and then a larger drill bit to make just enough of a dip so it would recess. In my experience the best tripod on the market is the U.Go. It’s the smallest I find folded up- comes in a cool shoulder bag. It’s lightweight and holds up to 13lb which is enough for a big pochade. It’s overkill but it’s very convenient. Best cost would be to get an old velbon or something from eBay but then it’s not as compact.

[@wilfreeborn1]

@@JaredCullum thanks for the tripod suggestion, think I've a good equivalent as u-go aren't really available here.

[@LuchaCatDIY]

Wonderful share

[@ernestocarmona3966]

What about cup Easels, I haven’t seen you use it much. does it work with your set up? Ernie

[@fsun655]

Looks nice and light! What is the metal foldup palette that can stick to your magnet? I got a tin one that doesn't seem to snap to magnet too well.

[@JaredCullum]

that is a art toolkit pocket palette. Some tin boxes will work well. May depend on how powerful your magnets are.

[@JaredCullum]

The artoolkit palette is small and feather light so it sticks really well.

[@MarioEspinoza]

My god i need

[@JaredCullum]

It's easy to build! :) Let me know if you have questions.

[@TradIrishHarper]

Really awesome setup. So this setup would predominantly be used for sketching?

[@JaredCullum]

Yes- although I’ve used it for 9x12 and 10x14 sketchbooks clipped to it. So you could do most anything with it within reason.

[@ernestocarmona3966]

What about the Cup Easels? Is it to big. I haven’t seen you use it much. Ernie

[@JaredCullum]

Good question! I still have it. Still use it from time to time- mostly for gouache. It is 9"x9" or so and about 1.5-2" thick. It is a very comfortable set up for large and small. This thing is super slim 1" and smaller 5.5x8 and I only have it in mind for small on the go sketching where I wouldn't haul a pochade out. I wanted a small setup that would all fit in a small bag.

[@kstutz230]

I have problem with my hinges not keeping wood piece in place when painting on the paper. I tighten it as much as I can without stripping screwDo you have a problem with that happening?

[@JaredCullum]

What do you mean wood piece? Like- it’s squeaky/wobbly? Did you reinforce the hinge with wood glue? Or epoxy? I’d recommend you pull the screws out- fill the area with wood glue or cold weld (jb weld 2 part) and put it back together. It’ll be permanent but more sturdy.

[@kstutz230]

When I paint, the hinges don’t stay in position. The wooden back piece that my paper is on moves on me when I paint on the paper surface. I have tightened the hinge as much as possible but the hinges won’t stay in position.

[@JaredCullum]

@@kstutz230 I would suggest- if you can get the screws backed out- go get some JB weld 2 part epoxy. Or wood glue- put some on the wood and the hinges and put the screws back in. Th wood glue would last you a couple years. The epoxy (which is not terribly expensive for the little set) would permanently seal them so make sure it doesn’t get inside the hinge. You can use that stuff to fix outdoor pipes. It’s very strong. If you were in pittsburgh I’d just come fix or for you. Sorry! Good luck. For all the handiness of the design I do think there’s nothing wrong with just a cut board with a t nut. Simple and easy. No hinges to get clunky on you. Most of my friends just use an ‘en plein air pro’ which is literally just a music stand that goes on a tripod. You could just make that slightly smaller in wood and possibly get more use out of it.

[@BW2Color.Stephanie]

Would you mind sharing the brands and names of the paints in this palette? Enjoy your channel.😊

[@JaredCullum]

Hello! They are all Daniel smith although I've been experimenting with more holbein paints and slowly replacing a lot of the DS paints I've been using I'm less happy with. Like Cerulean blue. But I don't have Cerulean in this little box.

[@BW2Color.Stephanie]

@@JaredCullum I love the blues in your palette. Do you like the Holbein over the Daniel Smith for any particular reason? Your channel is inspiring, and I’m looking into professional watercolors. Thanks so much for taking the time to reply. I appreciate you!

[@mcaputto]

What size is this?

[@JaredCullum]

5x8

[@brendalarson7854]

I like that easle, where can i find one?

[@JaredCullum]

Thank you- I made it. It's very simple- it's just two pieces of plywood hinged together.

[@brendalarson7854]

@@JaredCullum vary good work, would you maybe make one for me?

[@brendalarson7854]

I don't have the equipment to make one!.

[@JaredCullum]

@@brendalarson7854 If I had more time I would! I'm struggling to keep up with my schedule. If you can borrow a drill from someone you could do it. They also sell them on etsy and places like that. Check out "falcon Easel" and "cup easel" - they both make this professionally.

[@debradavisfineart]

Do you make these to sell? I love this to go in my art toolkit bag. Great idea.

[@JaredCullum]

Thanks! I don’t because they’re not my idea and I hardly have time. There are people on Etsy that make them though and I bet you could request the size to slip in. It’s honestly easy to do yourself. It’s just 2 boards cut to 5”x8 or so and then hinged together with Southco friction hinge. Home repair shops can cut it and all you’d need is a drill to install the hinge.

[@debradavisfineart]

@@JaredCullum What type of boards could I use? Would Home Depot cut it to that size?

[@JaredCullum]

@@debradavisfineart yes- you can use any. Plywood is probably the easiest. Baltic birch and whatever thickness you’d want. Half inch would be heavy- 1/8 would be flimsy but feather light. Some specialty wood shops sell little Baltic birch panels. Blick sells them for people to turn into oil panels. You could get a 6x8 and cut an inch off. If you use a thin board like mine you’ll have to stack them where you out the hinge so it has more to screw in. That brown strip on mine is a 3”4 inch strip of walnut I cut to the size and wood glued on before drilling the hinge into it. If you pause you can or probably figure it out. James Gurney made a video on how to make these- although his are bigger.

[@JaredCullum]

@@debradavisfineart mine are 1/4” Baltic birch I ordered from Rockwood wood.

[@JaredCullum]

Ps I was at Home Depot the other day and saw they have 1/4” and 1/8 panels. I remember thinking “this would make good drawing boards” but you could ask if they’d cut that for you into 2 panels.