So you want a good, solid easel but don't want to spend $100-200. I recently found myself in this situation; a recent graduate between jobs, I was running low on cash but high on motivation to get my hands dirty and paint. I set out to buy supplies for painting, but I realized only when I was at the store that I was lacking a crucial element: an easel. I was shocked to see prices in the $100-200 range for anything remotely resembling a decent wooden easel, so, perhaps as a result of my computer science do-it-yourself mindset, I set out to build one from raw materials. Turns out it can be done for under $20! And if I did it, you can to. Here's what you'll need: