About Us

Back in 2015 Artist James Gurney  introduced me to the idea of a DIY plywood book, AKA a sketch easel. He wasn't carrying around a blocky pochade box or French Easel, these boxes are too big for the intrepid on-location-artist. I decided to refine the idea and incorporate an adjustable shelf. I made the design my own and I realized how much better the sketch easel was to anything else:

1. Way more easy to pack, it's thin and slips easily into a backpack

2. Designed specifically for water media, 5x8 watercolor albums

3. Workflow is enhanced, your hands and eyes don't move far, everything is close

4. Works excellent for oil painting, if you paint in various mediums this is your easel

5. A second mini easel for the studio. Having a small rig handy to bang out a quick sketch or study

6. It's essentially an adjustable table and shelf. Use it at your next art show

7. High quality Southco Torsion Hinges, you simply move it to your desired angle and your done. 

8. Made from 1/4" Baltic Birch and sealed for max weather repellency.  

9. Super strong neodymium magnets. Attach tins and tools quickly and they won't blow away 

10. Comes with a canvas tote bag for storage so you can keep it together. Room for a paper towel roll

The first thing you're going to notice when you start to use your sketch easel is that your eyes don't need to travel far from the subject you're painting to the work surface. You can utilize the tripod's height adjustment to set your line-of-sight so the subject is just above your work area. Moreover, all your tools- paint, palette, water bucket, and brushes are all within easy reach of your hands. No long walks for your hands or eyes. 

The Raven perfectly exploits the tripod's vast combinations of tilt and height adjustment, especially when combined with the adjustable shelf that integrates with the easel. 

I have found workflow in this regard to be better than my studio easel set-up. It's such a pleasure to work with such a compact kit, it allows me to paint in a relaxed posture with almost no bending or head turning needed. 

As mentioned, I did not invent this easel, James Gurney did. He got me started painting small and often as a way of getting outdoors with a simple gouache/watercolor setup. Back in 2014 I answered the call he made on his Gurney Journey Blog to share sketch easel designs. He liked my ideas and posted my design on his blog. https://gurneyjourney.blogspot.com/search?q=coombes

This first version was very clunky but it got me painting and thus redesigning. My easel was refined and changed several times before getting to its current state.  So far I have filled six Pentalic Watercolor Albums with gouache and watercolor sketches, some were studies for larger studio works. 

I can't stress enough how handy having a second easel is in the studio. If your goal is to become a better painter, then you must paint often so that means finding ways to make time and make yourself paint often! The sketch easel allows the artist to not take the painting process too serious and have fun. You can experiment without making big commitments. 

Here are some other uses I have found for my Raven Sketch Easel:

• Music-stand- clamp  your favourite art book to it, set it next to your studio easel for reference
• Table surface- a place to set your coffee, extra supplies, or color charts
• Art shows- a perfect place for business cards, iPhone, and your square reader
• Teaching workshops- I want something that is portable and familiar when teaching
• Hiking trips- I have stuffed it in my backpack for a hike and paint 
• Motorcycle- I've stuck it in the side panniers of my R1200GS motorcycle for a ride and paint. 
• Vacations- I've brought mine to Mexico a few times, painted from the hotel room and the beach
• Camping- painting at the campsite where I have easy access to a cold beer 

Whether you make your own or buy one, get yourself a sketch easel. It has helped me develop as an artist because it promotes growth. It makes painting uncomplicated and accessible, something you can do in an hour. No more excuses!

Folded       16.5" long x 6.25" wide

Unfolded  16.5" long x 13" wide

Folded       1.75" thick

Weighs      3.4 lbs

Materials: 1/4" Baltic Birch, Canadian White Maple, Southco Marine Torsion Hinge x2, 5/16", Neodymium magnets x10

Design: The easel was designed to fully support a 5x8 watercolor album. Most watercolor albums are of this size but the easel can easily hold a much larger size album including small to medium sized watercolor paper bricks. 

For oil painting, the panel holder can hold a medium size art-board panel but I would say its limit would be  24x24"  board. The panel holder grooves are wide enough for most art board panels. 

1x  Raven Sketch Easel

1x  Adjustable tripod shelf

1x Panel holder

1x Magnetized pallet insert/ oil mixing surface 

1x Canvas tote bag