Painting Easel: A Plein Air Easel

A painting easel you use outdoors, or plein air, needs to be portable, easy to set up, and not blow away in the wind. I use a lightweight aluminum one that deals with small- and medium-sized canvases. It folds up and packs away into a bag that's the length of the piece on which the canvas is supported. The wind does grab it a bit unless the canvas is small, but putting a foot on one leg stops it blowing over or away. I find it invaluable when out painting, and back home I use it to hold a work in progress that I'm busy contemplating rather than painting.