DIY Cardboard Easel - Art Bar Blog

There are many ways to make a quick easel. I might have learned quite a few tricks if I had actually researched before I made this project. But I’m much more of a spontaneous planner, and I woke up on the morning of art class with an idea that my students should experience painting on a proper easel. I quickly went to the attic, where we still have mounds of brown boxes from our move last year, and I grabbed a few and brought them downstairs. The following is my solution to the DIY easel!

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Supplies:

~ Large cardboard boxes (mine were 18″ x 18″ x 16″)

~ Duct tape

~ Sticky back velcro

How to:

1. Start by cutting down your box. Cut off the top and bottom flaps of your box (save for possible painting project in the future). Now cut down two of the four sides. You should now have two hinged pieces.

2. Cut a long piece of duct tape (about 26″). Tape the end to the bottom of the cardboard, then fold the tape over in half, taping it back on the other side of the cardboard.

3. Cut a piece of sticky velcro and attach one to the duct tape and one to the cardboard. Done!

I did add a piece of masking tape to stick the easels to the table as they are so light-weight that I didn’t want them moving while the kids painted. You could also just prop something up to the back.

On this day I taped a piece of paper to their easels, but you could also add some bulldog clips to the top or sides and then it would be easy to add/remove paper in a jiffy.

The best part about these easels are that they are so easy to fold up and store! Let me know if you try to make these and if you think of any clever, new tricks.

xo, Bar