Every serious studio has a centrepiece. The Winsor & Newton Hamilton Studio Easel is ours. Handcrafted from seasoned beechwood and finished in a deep mahogany stain, it takes canvases up to 138cm tall, and its head tilts all the way back until it lies flat as a table. Oils one day, watercolour washes the next, all on one beautifully made easel.

This is the easel you buy once. It has the presence of fine furniture, the steadiness of real hardwood and the quiet confidence of a tool made to outlast every painting you put on it. Stand it by a window, step back, and your room becomes a studio.

Why the Hamilton Studio Easel Is So Easy to Love

What sets the Hamilton apart is how completely it adapts to the way you work. Upright, it holds your canvas firm for oils and acrylics. Tilted forward, it angles the surface away from overhead light so you see your true colours. Tilted back, it lies flat as a table, exactly what watercolour, pastel, ink and gesso ask for.

The fully adjustable painting tray lets you paint standing at full height or seated in comfort. At 231cm tall with a 62 x 70cm footprint and 8kg of seasoned beechwood, it stands with real authority, and when the studio needs to become a room again, it folds flat.

How to Set Up Your Hamilton Easel

1. Open it out. Unfold the easel and lock it into position on a level floor.
2. Set the tray height. Slide the painting tray to suit how you work, high for standing, low for sitting.
3. Clamp your canvas. Rest the canvas on the tray and bring the top holder down until it grips. Anything up to 138cm tall fits.
4. Choose your angle. Upright for oils and acrylics, tilted forward to cut glare, tilted back flat for watercolour, pastel or gesso.

What Is in the Box

• ✓ 1 x Winsor & Newton Hamilton Studio Easel, seasoned beechwood with deep mahogany stain (FSC 100%)
• ✓ Fully adjustable painting tray

Specifications

Getting the Most From Your Studio Easel

Give the Hamilton the best light in the house. Place it side on to a window so daylight falls across the canvas rather than straight back at you, keep your palette at hand height on a trolley or side table, and step back often. An easel of this stature is made for working at arm's length, which is where the good decisions are made.

For watercolour, tilt the head back to just off flat. A slight slope lets washes settle and blend without pooling or running. For pastel, an almost upright angle lets the dust fall away from the paper instead of smudging into it.

Want something lighter with a smaller footprint? Have a look at the Winsor & Newton Mersey Studio A Frame Easel. Or browse all our floor and tripod easels, table easels and the full easel range.

Questions About the Hamilton Studio Easel