Mahl stick

NashvilleArtist

Below is an adjustable mahl stick that I just came up with.  The blue side struts are attached to the bottom of the easel with screws.  I constructed a “U” shaped channel at the top of the struts to allow the easel to be adjusted up and down.

ASCooperband

My easel clamps stretched canvas from the inside of the stretcher bars and doesn't have a place to prop a mahlstick.  So I made a mahlstick prop from 1/8" hardboard, drilling 1/2" diameter holes spaced 1" apart along one edge and sawing cuts in the hardboard on 45-degree tangents to each hole, which I can clamp onto a stretcher bar anywhere I need it with two small adjustable clamps.  For a mahlstick,  I use a 36" length of 3/8" brass tubing (wall thickness 0.017") spray-painted black; wooden dowels and aluminum tubing were too flexible in the thickness I like.

TedB

Nice idea...

dencal

NashvilleArtist

Looks good.

What about a piece of curtain track fixed to the top horizontal bar above the canvas.
A length of dowel with a screw hook runs/swivels to position and out of the way, or detached when not needed.



Denis

NashvilleArtist

Thank you. 

I am unclear as to what purpose the curtain track would provide. 

dencal

NashvilleArtist

A simple, surer means of support for a mahlstick.

Denis

geoffrey_38

Which is more artistic, the subjective engineering or the subjective influence on the canvas. I like the juxtaposition in the the original painting!

NashvilleArtist

Actually the horizontal bar, which is affixed to the blue tracks, slides up and down the tracks. This provides a secure rest area for my hand. I’ll post some additional photos which will clarify what I mean. 

ASCooperband

I had to redo my mahlsick and prop (described in the April 2020 Comments:

--  the paint kept chipping off of the brass mahlstick

--  I couldn't hold the left side of the mahlstick steady enough with my left hand

--  when moving between palette to canvas, I kept bumping into a bar clamp holding the prop in place

--  the prop cast a shadow on the edge of the canvas

--  it was difficult to paint next to the prop

So:

--  I sanded off the paint from the mahlstick and darkened the brass chemically

--  I am now using props on both sides of the canvas

--  I switched from bar clamps to spring clamps

--  I added 1" wide by 3/4" deep spacers at the back of the props (leaving gaps large enough for the spring clamps) with 3/4" x 1/8" hardboard clamping strips on top, thereby eliminating the shadow and making it easier to paint to the edge of the canvas,