French Box Easel - Full Guided Tour 

I just bought this at a thrift store for $13 full of high quality watercolor, oil, acrylic and gouache!!! I paint outside all the time I just couldn’t afford one, I am so excited!

I bought one over 25 years ago. it was expensive then but has given excellent service, both as a studio easel, or portable for demonstrations. I thought it was made in Italy but seems I am wrong there. Superb quality!

I LOVE my French Box Easel. I was very lucky because my husband bought mine for me when we lived in London & just happen to be passing an art shop just off Trafalgar Square with “A 1995 New Years Sale” with three French boxes being sold for £20 each !!! The same French Box Easel sells for well over £150.00. We had to carry the box all over London that day, but we did not care, what a Bargain! I treat mine with a good wood oil and it still is as good as new. I take that abroad, its been to China, India, Morocco, Africa, Italy.. so many Countries and has served me well. If would be devastated and lost if anything happened to that box easel for it contains everything and more of all my art tools and even a packed lunch & some wine ! Thank you for a lovely film sharing the pleasure of your French Box Easel, Love it ! 🌹

The best, most succinct explanation of how a box easel works I've found so far. Great modification ideas too.

That was AWESOME! I love innovations from experience. The cotter pins for the legs, the clamps for a garbage bag, the brush holder, so many great ideas! BRILLIANT! Thanks for sharing.

Thank you. My wife just got one of these second hand and this made it easy to set up. Love the extras

Thank you for making this so simple. I just bought a french box easel and even with the instructions I couldn't figure out how to set it up. Now I know! Can't wait to start painting now 😍 🤗

Just received this for my Christmas present and cannot wait to use it 🥰

Thank you for such an informative review of your French Box Easel. I like your customizations and your friendly voice.

Hi Michael. ☺ I just received my very first French Box Easel. It came with no instructions and was frustrating at first to figure out. But I got it. Searched more You Tube videos and I came across yours. Great video. And I love your customizations. Thank you again. 😊

This is a wonderful video. I've watched it over and over again. Thank-you!

My primary concern was the sliding of the legs!!! Amazing ideas!! Thanks for the tips and tricks!!

Thank you for sharing! I love how you customized your box easel, an inspiration.

Wow, I love your additions to your French box Easel I am especially impressed with your invention of the brush holder. I shall certainly be making some additions to my box. Many thanks for sharing. JB (UK). The only thing different I may need is an attached mini bar.

One of my favorite videos

Thank you for showing me how to open it I tried opening it for an hour with other people on RU-vid but your I the most helpful so thank you

I have been researching plein air/ travel easels all morning and this has been the most useful video I have seen yet. Thank you for making it and sharing all your tips and tricks. Super useful!!

I actually just bought myself a sketchbox easel a few moments ago. Can’t wait to take it to the park later!

Hello from Central ⛵⛵ Lakes Region New Hampshire. I just inherited my aunt's Grumbacher 286. Thank you for this informative and helpful video. I want to paint both indoors and outdoors. Your tips are brilliant! ~ Diane

I’ve watched 5 videos on setting up the French easel. If I had watched this one first I could have avoided the other four. Great video. Outstanding.

One of the best tutorials I've come across. I'm looking to build one so thanks for the tips

Fantastic video. I love your modifications. Very inspiring.

Thank you for your video. I bought a second hand one online, and had nomidea how to assemble. I like your modifications.

I kept waiting for a wallaby to jump in and say howdy. Thanks for the demo and ideas. Going to implement on my Jullian classic. =)

love this video. Lots of ideas and plenty of help. Thank you.

Great stuff Michael! Thanks for the tips!

She loves to paint and my shoulders are strong. So I will haul it wherever her passion takes her.

Great discussion of add-ons! I think the french half-easel is better for lugging long distances. I also think painters should be aware that many on line venues are not honest about what they are selling. The true Jullian was made in France very carefully. now almost all of them are made in China but they have a brass plaque that says Paris on it which misleads people. I have one of the originals I got a long time ago. It is elegant and light weight. It is just much better than t he clunky chinese ones. sometimes you can mind them being privately sold.

Thanks a lot. Your nice demonstration inspired me to get one. Knowing my interest, my wife presented it to me. It arrived yesterday. I set it up as per your demonstration. It is easy and smooth. I'm extremely happy that she inspired my so much.

This was above and beyond useful! Thanks!

Thanks! Had no idea how to set the easel up properly, this video definitely helped.

really good advice thanks for sharing Michael. You are a natural presenter!

Hi from Boise, Idaho, USA. This was the perfect video. Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!

Thank you so much for this great video! I'm getting back to painting after years of a hiatus and have been researching these easels. This is a wonderful explanation, demonstration and innovations on this product. Thoughtfully explained, easily understood and after watching yours, I went to see a few other videos. As the artists' horrible grappling of setting up their boxes, I'm surprised by their clumsy and almost humorous struggle! I've shared this on my FB page and hopefully save other artists a lot of time! Happy painting!

Great demonstration on the French Easel.

Excellent video. Very informative. Thank you for sharing this.

Those locking pins for the legs - brilliant!!

Just got mine today :) Such a helpful video. Thanks a lot!

It's embarrassing to have to watch a video every time I try to set my easel up but kudos to you for your very intelligent and experienced explanation of how to set it up! I get mine set up and leave it there for a while and forget how to close it again. (In my defense, my memory is not what it should be! Dr said it is because of my health but to be honest, I ain't never been accused of bein' smart! Ha ha) I leave it set up then need to get to my sewing machine so watch a video to close it up but when I decide to use it again I forget how to set it back up! I have MS and my hands don't work very well anymore but once in a while I do like to Tinker around and try to paint a little. I'm almost ashamed to admit it but because I don't have feeling in my hands like I should I have found myself doing paint pours! At least it satisfies my obsession with paint but running across your video today I think I'm going to head back to my sewing room and set my easel up! I am 6' tall so I get irritated about the height. I feel like I do when washing dishes. Slouched over!! They should make a tall size!! I actually forget where they are, typical of my brain to forget something like this, but I have risers I put under the legs to make it a couple inches higher.

Bless this video, it helped me figure out how to set mine up!

That was very helpful. Nicely done.

Extremely helpful! Many Thanks : )

Thank you for responding. I figured it out before your answer came by viewing 3 videos and 2 written sets of directions with still pictures and/or diagrams. I got it used so I have to get a replacement bolt and nut before I can actually set it up.

This was great

thank you so much - really informative on every aspect I needed to understand to get one - cheers!

Super informative video! Thank you!!

Thank you, that was very useful.

Wow, that was an awesome video, well done and thanks for sharing!

this was great. just got my easel and the tips were great.

Great video and content. Your customization elevated it to another level. Thanks.

Thank you so much for your informative video! I would have been lost without it👍😁

Great video

Thanks so much for doing this! I was finally able to do it

Love your video. It was very helpful. Thanks for the extra hints! : )

Got my easel set up quick thanks to you!

Nicely done....Thanks for the tips / ideas.

Thank you for this. I love the little tips and tricks - especially the rubbish bag. I’m going to ask woodworker hubby to put in the pins.

Michael, wonderful excellent quality video - instructive and entertaining. It's harder than most people think to do both. Editing and sound were also very good. Loved the customization pieces - sure keeps me from having to go through the trial and error. Fantastic!! Thank you, subscribed.

awesome ... thanks for sharing

This video was GREAT!! Thanks so much....This is so going on my WISH LIST!!! Also, I am going to take all the great ideas for holders and etc...that you invented. Hope you don't mind!! Thanks again!! ; )

Love it

Great video. I'm gonna eventually get one then probably reverse engineer it to make one out of aluminum because i can see me eventually breaking the wooden kind just setting it up. Greetings from USA

Thank you for Helpful video

Thank you Sir, its helpful

Wow, excellent video and appreciate all the tips, links, and time you invested to teach us:)

Great customization!

Great video for a beginner like myself!

this was highly entertaining and informative. thanks dude

Thank you so much for this. My daughter bought this for me and I have not used it yet. ❤❤😊

Thank you very helpful

ive been trying to decide what easel is best for me for a loooong time, ive been looking more and more towards the french box easels and this has pretty much made my mind up. thanks so much for the in depth overview

This video made me feel like I was going on a safari

Great!

I have one it's really cool

Thank you! I just bought one and wasn't sure how to arrange my things!

I love the little additions mate Hope you don’t mind I cut an paste the good ideas Cheers!

Thanks I was struggling

I just picked one of these up from Micheals. 179 dollars down to 47 dollars with a 70% off coupon plus a 20 percent off coupon. I waited a year for this sale and had a good feeling they would run it again. Cant wait to go to the park.

Thanks very useful. I would like to buy the things you fabed.

the legs clipping in had confused me. THANK YOU!!!!!

I replaced the round screws with 5mm butterfly screws , makes it easier to screw everything together , I also recommend buying 2 of these French box easels , you never know when one is going to fall and break

Thanks for answering a question that the manufacturers seem to skirt around -- I am also quite tall, and didn't want to go home with an aching back after a day of plein air while crouching.

Dat music though

I have a Julian Black Spirit French easel and you can get a very high rise with that one.

Brilliant idea the extra ledge any idea how to do that please ?,

Great video.

I have a french easel.

Thank you! I enjoy your videos. I just bought a French easel from Julian. I do work in oils and acrylics, but I also work with watercolor. Is there a way I can turn it into a flat desktop surface to suit my needs?

Great video I got a french easel for Christmas so I am excited to start plein air once weather breaks. Question is how do you transport wet canvas if working with oils?

Just got my box easel today - Your video was much needed and appreciated ! Uh , where did you get the medium and turp vessels that fit so well in the box ? Great tutorial ! Thx for posting . Subscribing now . . .

Great video! I'm looking for a Jullian Half French Easel, and I have searched a lot and read many articles and reviews. I still not quite sure where to buy Original Jullian Easel, Do you have any suggestions? BTW I live out of USA!

I ended up selling mine a few months after buying it. The legs were just too flemsy.. I need something very sturdy. Ill keep looking on the internet or try to build one myself... Other than that it is a nice easel in a lot of ways, just the legs are where it fails miserably.

Thanks Michael. Very helpful video. I bought my French Box Easel secondhand with no instructions. Managed to get legs up But could not work out how to get past that point. Haha. Grateful for your tips about add ons. Bin bag is great idea as are the others but maybe beyond my joinery skills at this stage. Do you just have one hole for locking pin..or a series in case of uneven ground? Thank you.

How is it for wobbling when applying paint with a bit of force or drawing ?

Wonderful video. I'm just getting into painting - normally I'm a sculptor - and am looking for a good easel. You think you can just get one! Nooo. Love your tour Michael. Very informative. But do you show somewhere how you made the extention to hold a larger canvas? I'd like to do that but am not that great with DIY. Looking forward to viewing your other videos also. Thank you.

Michael , Jack again - where would I find the compartment dividers like you have in your easel box ?

2:29 this part reminded me of steve irwin XD

You show that you can carry your easel (and paint, brushes, etc.) on your shoulder but... what about your canvas(es) ? In your other hand? in a backpack? What's a good method to and from (wet paint?) your painting location?

One question that wasn’t answered for me was if I want to paint FLAT. How do you do that, can you turn the ease flat ways? Or is it always only up right?

I can't find a French box easel with the adjustable metal compartments. Did you insert those yourself?