Creating Independence Through Thoughtful Design

When approached to develop a new artist’s easel, the challenge was clear: create a solution that could be used comfortably by foot and mouth painters, many of whom have limited or no ability to make fine adjustments by hand. Traditional easels rely heavily on wing nuts, knobs and screw clamps, making them difficult or impossible for some artists to adjust independently. Our goal was to remove these barriers and create an easel that offered complete flexibility, ease of use and dignity for every artist.

Understanding the Artists’ Needs

The easel needed to accommodate a wide range of painting styles and physical positions:

• Foot painters require artwork positioned as close to the floor as possible.
• Mouth painters need the artwork elevated so the lower edge sits approximately at chin height.
• Seated artists require adjustment somewhere between these two extremes.
• Art teachers and assistants also need comfortable standing working heights.

The solution had to provide all of these options while remaining simple, reliable and independent to operate.

Eliminating Hand-Operated Adjustments

One of the first design decisions was straightforward:

No wing nuts. No screw clamps. No complicated hand-operated controls.

Instead, the easel uses a specially designed push-bar height adjustment system.

The art support rail can be adjusted by:

• Hand
• Foot
• Chin

allowing artists to reposition their work without requiring finger dexterity or grip strength.

Precision Height Adjustment

To accommodate different artists and working styles, the artwork support rail was designed with an extensive adjustment range.

Height Range

• Lowest position: 8 cm from the floor
• Adjustable in 7 cm increments
• Maximum height: 1.3 metres

This range enables:

• Near-floor positioning for foot painters
• Chin-height positioning for mouth painters
• Intermediate settings for seated users
• Comfortable standing heights for teachers and support staff

The result is one easel that adapts to the user, rather than forcing the user to adapt to the easel.

An Innovative Artwork Clamp

Securing artwork is often another challenge for artists with limited hand function.

To solve this, the upper artwork clamp was completely re-engineered.

The clamp:

• Slides freely along a vertical rail
• Automatically grips the artwork
• Uses an internal leaf spring mechanism
• Requires no screws, knobs or tightening devices

Artists can simply position the clamp where needed and begin working immediately.

Designed for Practical Use

Portability and storage were also important considerations.

The finished easel:

• Folds flat for compact storage
• Can be transported easily
• Sets up quickly for use

To make setup accessible, the folding mechanism uses two preset bicycle saddle clamps, chosen for their strength, reliability and ease of operation.

These clamps can be engaged using a foot, reducing dependence on hand function during setup.

The Result

The final easel delivers far more than height adjustment. It provides artists with greater independence, confidence and freedom to create.

By eliminating traditional hand-operated controls and introducing intuitive adjustment mechanisms, the design enables foot painters, mouth painters, seated artists and teaching staff to use the same piece of equipment comfortably.

The project demonstrates how thoughtful engineering and user-centred design can transform a simple studio tool into an empowering creative solution.

Key Features at a Glance

✅ Artwork height from 8 cm to 1.3 m

✅ 7 cm incremental adjustment system

✅ Push-bar operation by hand, foot or chin

✅ No wing nuts or hand-tightened fasteners

✅ Spring-loaded artwork clamp

✅ No screws required for securing artwork

✅ Fold-flat design for storage

✅ Bicycle saddle clamp locking system operable by foot

✅ Suitable for foot painters, mouth painters, seated artists and educators

A truly adaptive easel designed to make art accessible to everyone.