Winsor & Newton Medway Table BoxEasel

I'll admit that after reading some of the negative reviews that I was a little hesitant to purchase this easel but I did and I'm glad of it. Some people complained that the extendable wooden rod is back to front so is 'useless' but after seeing the product it became immediately obvious to me that it is completely removable. You just loosen the gold screw, pull the rod out, turn it around and fix into place with the gold screw. Simple. It's stored back to front purely for storage reasons.And to address another of some people's complaints about the butterfly screws which you tighten to keep the easel upright. Yes, it is kind of awkward but if you're able to tighten things properly then this shouldn't be an issue. I personally have no need for the extendable wooden rod so I use this as extra rear support just in case the butterfly screws should come loose but I have has zero issues.There is an adjustable storage compartment inside comprising of 4 planks of wood. Nothing is screwed in so you can just move/remove as necessary.As for the main craftmanship itself, it is very well made, sturdy and beautifully finished. It is ideal for my needs as I can sit on my sofa and have the easel on my lap which is essential for me as I have a bad back so sitting at a table is out of the question. And the price is exceptional too. The easel is 10.6 inches wide by 15 inches high but with the extendable wooden rod it will hold upto 24.5 inches high, not the 245 inches as it says in the listing.

I was dubious about ordering this easel due to the price seeming so low so expected it to look and feel cheap & nasty. I couldn't have been more wrong I'm happy to say, it feels well made with a lovely finish to the wood, brass hinged clips and 'leather' type handle. The interior has deep and well spaced storage sections useful for a multitude of equipment with a soft foam base. It's very simple to adjust the angle of he board by adjusting the wing nuts and I'm astounded that some reviewers hadn't worked out that the sliding back rest easily pulls out completely so you turn it round to hold your board when in use and simply turn it back again so it fits snuggly back into its slot when finished allowing a very compact and portable easel, such a useful, simple and well designed idea.I am returning to art after a 20 years absence so slowly rebuilding my equipment, I tend to buy the best I can afford rather than getting everything quickly but cheaply, as inevitably it needs replacing or gives an inferior result and so far whenever I have opted for items from Winsor & Newton I've been pleased with them and this easel is a good example of the quality of their products.

Could not give any category stars in this review as was asked to comment against a 'toy' - which it clearly is not. However, I would give it 4 stars overall. This was a Christmas gift for my husband and he was very pleased with it and has found it very useful for all his painting materials having just taken up painting again after many years. Might need something bigger if his collection of matterials grows too much but at the moment it is fine for a moderate selection of paints, brushes, small pallets etc. The fact that it has adjustable compartments was particulary useful. Just remember that if you want to do landscape paintings on paper only, you will need an additional piece of wood to support your paper, but there is ample space to accommodate this. Good value for money and well made.

This is a really nice table-easel for acrylic or oil painting or for drawing, that is really rapid to assemble. It's made of elm and looks beautiful with (faux?) brass clips and so on. For household use, one can assemble it (screwing on the canvas holding shelf with wing nuts on the inside of the box and reversing the extendable canvas holder) and leave the canvas shelf in position permanently - then all one needs to do to be able to use it is open the lid and set it at the angle one wants. For field use, the shelf is kept inside and one can rapidly assemble it in the field - it has a sturdy carrying handle to make transport easier. The base has dividing panels and a foam liner - they can be removed, of course. It is not really suited to watercolour painting, since the latter must be painted flat.I would personally not use this in the field for en plein air work as I prefer a pochade box (where the supplies box faces one when working, with the canvas holder behind it), but it is nice to use for indoor use and to have the base double up as a storage solution.It accepts both canvas panels and stretched canvases, up to about 24 inches in height - panels fit into a slot in the shelf, stretched canvases sit on the shelf proper.

I bought this for my partner's ten year old daughter who is a budding young artist.I most definitely would not class this as a toy. It is a quality piece of workmanship.The box/easel is made from elm and the build quality is spot on. Dovetail joints (remember trying to fashion them at school?), brass hinges and locking clasps all brought together with a sturdy leather handle. Very nice indeed. Rubber feet are attached to the bottom ensuring it doesn't slide around on your desktop/work surface.The easel has a lip (that your drawring medium be it paper or canvas rests upon) that needs to be attached via two wingnuts which is easy peasy! Opening the box up the drawring/painting area can be set at any angle the artist needs. Inside you find the storage area (see pic upload) is compartmentalised (is that a word?) and can be reconfigured to suit your needs by moving the slotted in wooden walls. There's room for watercolour brushes, pastels, paints, pencils etc. Quite a generous amount of storage with a protective padded base in the bottom.Also hidden down the inside of the lid is an extendable backrest to accommodate a small to large framed canvas.Very happy with this quality product.

Me ha parecido un producto de muy buena calidad. Era justo lo que estaba buscando. Muy práctico, compacto y ligero. Además al cogerlo en rebajas lo he comprado muy bien de precio

Hi!Ich finde sie schon sehr gut gemacht,man hätte die Hölzer für die Fächer runde Kanten oder Gefast machen können,aber bisschen Schleifpapier tuts auch,wen es stört.Scharniere und Schlösser und Griff sehen gut aus .Ich würde sie wieder kaufen, ich habe den höhenstab nur mal umgedreht und arretiert,das ging gut-aber noch nicht im Einsatz gehabt grüße Dirk

This has been a great easel. Takes up little space, easily move my stuff around to paint inside or out. Durable. Adjustable incline stays secure. Very happy with this.

Es justo lo que andaba buscando, un atril para pintar o dibujar y que además sirve de caja para guardar lápices y materiales. El mástil se puede puede extraer y encaja perfectamente al cerrar, convirtiéndose en un práctico maletín. Los separadores interiores se pueden quitar o ajustar.Excelente.

Die Staffelei hat eine tolle Qualität und einen super Preis, die Größe ist perfekt ,würde ich immer wieder kaufen und auch verschenken