By The ARTnews Recommends Editors

Relaxing, limitless, and low stakes, drawing with chalk is one of the best ways to explore your creativity. Sidewalks are a classic surface, but easels allow you to bring your work anywhere for public display. (Plus you can protect your art when it rains.) Whether you need to create eye-catching signs or simply want a unique message board, a good easel should not only feel solid but also be easy to clean, so you can have a fresh canvas in minutes. Our picks below will help you choose the best one for the job.

It’s hard to fault this easel, which has double-sided chalk surfaces. It gives you a lot of room to work, can be used indoors and outdoors, and has a clean, straightforward look that won’t distract from your message. The A-frame comes assembled for your convenience and is sturdy, while the chalk surfaces are smooth and even magnetic. You can write on it with regular chalk or liquid chalk, and cleanup is a breeze with just water and a sponge.

This smaller sign from ChalkPro allows you to easily transport and display your message on any flat surface. It features clean, handsome design, with hinged back legs that fold flat so you can comfortably draw or write on it. The steel chalkboard is magnetic and compatible with dry and liquid chalk.

This small chalk easel has a unique look. Like its frame, its front legs are made of solid pine wood, but its back legs are made of metal. The latter pair is capable of folding up or down, so you can either place the sign on a table or display it on a wall using the pre-installed hanger on the easel’s back. Note that the legs bend into a decorative pattern that shows when the easel is hung, which might not be appealing to some people. Made of porcelain steel, the chalkboard is pleasantly smooth for effortless writing and erasing.

If you’re looking for an easel that really can’t be missed, we like this elegant one from Rose Home Fashion. It stands nearly four feet tall and features not only a chalkboard with a tray for chalk but also a bottom shelf for decorations. Messages, whether written in chalk or chalk markers, go on and come off without stains. It can also fold flat for storage and transport. While sturdy, this easel is quite lightweight, so we recommend using it on a windless day if you’re taking it outdoors.

You can write on only one side of this sidewalk chalkboard sign, but we like its louvered panel, which is eye-catching and, with a weathered wood finish, gives the board a good-looking vintage charm. The writing surface is not magnetic but can be decorated with normal and liquid chalk markers. Once you’ve placed the finishing touches on your art, you can keep the chalk on the attached tray below the panel.

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