Over the past few weeks, I have been deep in projectlandia in preparation for a road trip to Utah to paint the beautiful scenery!  I hope this will be the first trial run of many more to come.  In keeping with this dream and vision, I have revitalized the DIY ethic I have and hold so dearly, but had tucked away in the corners for too long. 

 I am a novice builder, it's definitely not a skill I have much experience with.  I doubted that I could pull a project like this off, but since the better easels on the market run between $300 - $400, I thought I should at least give it a shot.  I struggled to understand basic components of how the easel design worked, and felt that my skill level couldn't match with the complexities of the design and build. 

Well, I decided to push through that fear and doubt, and consult the trusty YouTube to see what other artists and builders have designed.  Fortunately, many others have felt the same calling to build their own portable easels, and upload their designs to the internet.

I was able to borrow some tools to cut some thin scrap plywood I had laying around the house, and pretty much just used wooden dowels,  wood glue, and a T nut to put the whole thing together.  It was actually much easier then I thought it would be, and turned out to be very cheap and lightweight!  AND it was very empowering to confront a problem and learn some new skills. 

You can watch the video of my DIY easel here!  I hope you enjoy it and become inspired to confront your own fears and come up with creative solutions to tackle problems of your own <3