The KraftGeek Inspire Easel: An Essential Tool for Artists?

KraftGeek kindly sent me their Inspire Easel in Walnut to review (also available in Oak, Black, and White), and after putting it through its paces both outdoors and in my studio, I’ve got a lot to say.

Whether you’re working in the studio, on the go, or en plein air (outdoors, working directly from life), a sturdy and properly angled surface can make a big difference. It affects the quality of your work, your posture, and how enjoyable your creative time is. And if you like to record your process, like I do, a reliable easel is even more important.

In this post, I’ll share my first impressions, how the easel performed in the field, and whether it deserves a spot in your creative toolkit—or should I say, art-senal? (Yes, I went there.)

First Impressions

The easel arrived well-packaged, with everything protected and in pristine condition—a small but important part of the user experience. So let’s talk about the unboxing.

It honestly felt like opening an Apple product. Sleek and minimal, with a semi-transparent, vellum-like instruction sheet resting on top of the easel. It included a clean, visual guide for setup—though, to be honest, there’s no actual assembly required. Underneath that was a more detailed info packet available in multiple languages. (Yes, I read it—I’m that kind of person.)

The easel was folded down compactly in a form-fitting plastic shell. Easily some of the best packaging I’ve seen for an art product. And it’s not just aesthetic—the way the easel folds up with no awkward gaps or sticking-out parts means it’s less likely to get damaged in transit or storage.

Once out of the box, the easel felt solid. It has some weight to it—which I actually love, especially for outdoor work. The last thing you want is a gust of wind knocking over your whole setup. It’s also thoughtfully designed: intuitive to unfold, with locking mechanisms on each of the three legs clearly marked with lock/unlock symbols. It’s the kind of build quality that just feels good to use.

Still shot from my video review on my YouTube Channel. Read on for link to video

The easel includes two canvas holders on the bottom and one on top. The top holder has a spring-loaded grip that slides up to accommodate different sizes and then locks your board or canvas securely in place. Smooth, sturdy, satisfying.

One of my favorite features? A ¾-inch threaded mount at the top of the easel. This opens up a ton of options—lights, phone or camera mounts, reference holders. For me, it immediately clicked: I could use it to mount a camera to film my process, which is a huge plus for my workflow.

Field Test – Fountain Square, Cincinnati, OH

After that promising unboxing, I was eager to test it out. I headed to Fountain Square in downtown Cincinnati for a live sketching session.

I mounted a drawing board in the easel’s canvas holders, then taped down a sheet of 14×17" drawing paper. The entire setup—including easel, supplies, and a tripod for filming—took under three minutes. Fast, painless, and efficient.

Conditions were windy—it’s a big open space between buildings—but the easel didn’t wobble once. It stayed rock-solid throughout, which made the whole sketching experience calm and focused. I had a great time drawing the fountain and documenting the process.

You can watch the video of this field test on my YouTube channel, John McCoy Art. Is This the Best Portable Easel for Artists? | KraftGeek Inspire Easel Review

Fun side note: Our baby was ready to go before I finished the drawing, so I packed up and wrapped it up later in the studio—which also gave me the chance to test the easel in an indoor setting. It performed just as well there.

Final Thoughts

The KraftGeek Inspire Easel checks all the boxes: it’s beautifully made, easy to use, rock-solid, and smartly designed for both portability and function. Whether you're a hobbyist, a professional, or someone who shares their work online, this is a tool that adds real value to your creative process.

If you’re interested in trying it yourself, here are some links and a discount:

🛒 Buy the Inspire Easel:

• KraftGeek Online Store

• Amazon US

💸 Use code JMART15 for 15% off

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Feel free to drop a comment if you’ve tried the easel yourself or have questions about it—and don’t forget to check out the YouTube video for the live demo.

My finished drawing of Fountain Square





Beachcombing Prehistoric Oceans

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As much as I love my work, I believe it’s important to set aside time to unwind and recharge. Growing up near Cincinnati, OH I discovered that I live in a beachfront house—a beachfront house with a view of a 450-million-year-old ocean called the Ordovician Sea. Just below the surface of my backyard are countless layers of sedimentary rock like shale and limestone which contain a treasure-trove of fossils like brachiopods, bryozoans, bivalves, and my personal favorite—trilobites. In this post I want to share with you how the adventure of fossil hunting has become for me a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life and an opportunity to discover something really special.

My Journey into the World of Natural Wonders

It’s funny how certain hobbies and interests stick with you from childhood. I vividly remember trips to the Cincinnati Museum Center when I was a boy. They had a place called “Nature’s Trading Post” where you could bring in objects you’d found in nature—rocks, shells, even feathers—and exchange them for points. The points you earned could be used to “buy” captivating natural treasures like owl pellets, fossils, and even dried pieces of hornets’ nests.

Cincinnati Museum Center, Union Terminal - “Nature’s Trading Post”

The museum’s exhibits were fascinating and being able to bring home something similar made me feel immersed in the mystery of discovering the natural world. This fascination deepened during my grade school years when we got to dissect owl pellets in science class. If you’ve ever done this, you know what I’m talking about: unwrapping a soft natural casing to find tiny intact mouse bones and skeletal remains as if they were miniature museum artifacts specially prepared just for you.

From Seashells to Fossils: How Shell Hunting Sparked My Love for Nature's Beauty

As a teenager, we would take family vacations in Oak Island, NC. That’s when I was introduced to shell hunting. I remember my uncle Steve describing shell hunting before the trip and me being excited about it before we even got there. But when I stepped on the sandy shores and heard the waves for the first time, I soon realized that the reality of shell hunting was even better than what I had imagined.

Getting up early with the sunrise and “stooping” to find these natural treasures was a captivating experience. These beautiful shells didn’t cost anything. I loved the idea that if I paid close enough attention, I could find one-of-a-kind treasures from the depths of the sea. The seemingly endless diversity of natural designs and colors of the shells captivated me. I enjoyed the reward of sharpening my ability to see, to pay attention to every detail, and make discoveries that were waiting for me.

2x2” Sea Shell paintings collection I did for Art Academy of Cincinnati’s Annual “Minumentals” Exhibit, Acrylic on Canvas (2017)

Over the years, my love for shell hunting deepened, and I began collecting seashells of all kinds and from various trips to the ocean. One of the most memorable trips was when my wife and I visited Sanibel Island, the “Seashell Capital of the World”, during our honeymoon. We spent hours walking along its beautiful shores and wading into warm ocean waves, eagerly searching for unique treasures. The experience was unforgettable, and it became a special part of our journey together. Today, I have a lighted curio cabinet in our house dedicated to my ever-growing collection. Each shell represents a cherished memory, a place, or a moment of discovery, and this passion has remained a meaningful part of my life.

The Trilobite Discovery: How One Fossil Ignited My Passion for Fossil Hunting

My first experiences of fossil hunting didn’t captivate me as much as shell hunting did. At the time I was younger, and the brightly colored appearance and comprehensible lives of the shells were easier to appreciate and seemed more exciting. However, as I grew older, my understanding and appreciation for fossils began to deepen. As my interest in reading and exploring books and museums grew, I began to more fully grasp that these ancient objects weren’t just dull grey rocks, but artifacts of real creatures that had lived millions of years ago. As a child, I often found fossilized shells like brachiopods during family outings to Caesar Creek State Park (a local spot for fossil hunting in Ohio) but I never stumbled upon a trilobite, the elusive fossil I had always dreamed of discovering.

That all changed in the fall of 2023 when I found my first trilobite. My wife and I took a trip to Caesar Creek State Park on September 24, 2023. For the first few hours it was the same as childhood trips: small brachiopods in abundance (a clam-looking marine animal with two hinged shells). As the day drew to a close and the sun began to set, I finally released my desperate pursuit of the elusive trilobite. I shifted my focus, embracing the search with the same sense of joy and curiosity I had when hunting for shells by the ocean. I began to scan my surroundings with a more detailed, patient eye, savoring the process rather than fixating on the outcome. This meticulous observation of nature felt like stepping into an entirely new realm of wonder. Then, when I least expected it, nestled among a jumble of dirt, twigs, and other indistinct natural debris, I spotted it—a tiny, perfectly preserved trilobite, curled up as if frozen in time. It was a moment that made me realize something I never thought possible—I could actually discover a trilobite.

Stills taken from a video I filmed of my first trilobite on the day of the discovery

Unearthing More Than Fossils

After finding the trilobite, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had uncovered more than just a fossil; I had unearthed a connection to the deep, ancient past. The experience stayed with me in the days that followed. I later spoke with a worker at the Cincinnati Museum Center, where I was viewing an exhibit about fossils, and he shared his thoughts on the trilobite’s origins. He speculated that it might have been swept away by a sudden avalanche of sediment on the ocean floor, preserving it in a curled form as part of an instinctual defense mechanism. This theory struck me profoundly, giving me a vivid image of the creature’s final moments. I felt a surprising sense of familiarity with the trilobite, as if it were a long-lost pet, patiently waiting for me to find it.

That discovery ignited a deeper bond with the world of fossils. Shortly afterward, I learned about Trammel Fossil Park in Ohio and decided to pay it a visit. It was there that I met some experienced fossil hunters, whose passion for their craft was infectious. They took the time to teach me their techniques, share stories from their own adventures, and encourage me to connect with the growing community of fossil enthusiasts online. I joined local Facebook groups and began interacting with others who shared this rare interest. The exchange of knowledge and camaraderie with these fellow hunters further fueled my fascination.

Signpost of information about fossils at Trammel Fossil Park, Sharonville, OH

Fossil hunting, for me, has evolved from a solitary pastime into something that still feels personal, yet more connected—a way to step away from the hustle and bustle of daily life and immerse myself in a shared world of discovery. It’s become a peaceful escape, a way to clear my mind, and a chance to feel connected to something far older than myself. Every new fossil I uncover is a reminder of the mysteries of life, and the sense of wonder that nature continues to offer. What began as a childhood curiosity has grown into a lifelong pursuit, one that I know will continue to surprise me for years to come.

Whether it’s shell hunting, fossil hunting, or another pastime, we all have experiences that help us unwind and reflect, moments that draw us out of ourselves and into a deeper wonder and appreciation for life and the world around us. I’d love to hear about the passions or hobbies that spark your sense of wonder and help you unwind. If you share my love for discovery, feel free to share this post with others who might enjoy it too! Until next time, God bless.

My take on AI as an artist so far..

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From an artistic standpoint there has been an age-old struggle for the artist to show the world the importance of art. Many events in history have seemingly threatened the understanding of and respect for visual art: perhaps the most notable of which being the invention of the camera and the dawn of photography. However, despite challenges like these, we as artists have managed to survive and maintain our identity even when the quest to do so has not always been easy.

Is AI a tool that enables us to quickly ideate and increase our productivity? Or is it a tool that satisfies a need for our would-be clients, and they therefore no longer seek our professional services and goods? For those whose livelihood depends on art-making (and by nature of the butterfly effect for the world at large) these are concerns of great consequence with wide-ranging implications. Through my own artistic experience of AI I hope to shed light on these pertinent questions.

To do that, let’s rewind time a little …

Over the past year AI has surged into the world’s attention, but my first exposure to this appearance occurred a few years before via the channel of a well-known Youtuber, Piximperfect and his introduction of a program called Dalle-2. He demonstrated AI’s ability to generate an image simply by inputting text. Nowadays almost everyone is familiar with this technology, but just a few years ago it was something relatively new. My first reaction was excitement at the possibilities this could bring to the field of art.

Following this find, I dabbled with AI using free programs. I reveled in the new discovery, letting my imagination run wild and testing the potential of AI, but after a few weeks of fervent interest I moved on.

In the weeks and months that followed I began to ponder the underlying question in the minds of most people: about whether or not AI could bring negative outcomes along with its potential for offering something good. Surely there is some good that the technology of AI could offer the world if it were used correctly, and in light of that, I decided to remain open to the viewpoint that its potential for bad should not equate to a one-sided stance against its usage without an open-minded consideration of the matter.

I renewed my Photoshop membership for a print illustration project in the summer of 2023. I had been using Procreate on the iPad for most projects, but this particular project required more screen real estate and pen pressure, so I dusted off my Cintiq and plugged it in. During that time Adobe had a Beta out which implemented their take on AI, offering the ability to generate content directly inside the Photoshop workspace. They also offered a similar tool for generating content from text in their Adobe Express platform.

Both of these tools were in my mind far more impressive than Dalle-2 (albeit my experience of Dalle-2 occurred at least a year before my experience of Adobe’s tools). The results yielded by Adobe were generally smoother and more realistic, and from these experiences I began to recognize the true artistic potential of AI.

Like with many things in life, the potential bad or potential good of any thing depends on how it is used by people, and on the matter of AI it seems to be a societal development that is here to stay. In that respect it’s our duty as a civilization to make ethical and moral use of this new tool. That is to say: if it is here to stay even if some of us do not use it, others certainly will use it, and we therefore have a say in its development. As an artist, I believe it is especially important to promote a good and ethical use of AI.

That raises a philosophical angle that could open up a broader discussion outside the scope of this blog post, but in short: most people would agree that the basic definition of a tool is something that is used to carry out a function, and not the other way around: the function serving the tool or being obscured by the tool. In that way it’s important to maintain everything in its proper order and to exercise moderation.

I certainly don’t want to focus on the negative uses of AI, but already some people have used it to trick others into believing something that isn’t true. In the art world an example of this would be a content creator who generates a portrait painting using AI and shares it on social media claiming to have painted it by hand in order to gain a following of people who have a genuine interest in original art. I think occurrences like that really show why it’s important that the world as a whole interacts with the technology of AI with a healthy dose of awareness and caution.

In a nutshell there we have the risk of AI, as well as guidelines to bring with us like a compass as we travel into the era of AI in order to use it correctly. What are your thoughts when you ponder the topic of AI in relation to the world of art and how do you see AI playing out in the art historical context? Share this blog along with your thoughts via your favorite platform.

Until next time, May God bless you and keep you.

Pen and Ink Drawing Tips

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Thank you for stopping by the John McCoy Art Blog. Welcome to a concise and helpful list of drawing tips for people interested in pen & ink drawing, from the beginner to the more advanced. What are some of the most important tips to consider when embarking on the wonderful adventure of pen & ink drawing? Cincinnati based Illustrator John McCoy offers you these 7 helpful tips:

Pen and Ink Drawings by John McCoy

Selection of pen & ink drawings by John McCoy created for Inktober 2023 and 2024.

1.)    Patience is key throughout the whole process. The process of pen and ink drawing won’t be difficult, but it will take time. Rushing through the drawing process can lower the quality of a drawing, reduce confidence, and lead to frustration. The path to success requires patience.

2.)    Start with a pencil sketch. It’s not just for beginners. Starting with a pencil sketch first allows you to plan out the composition, proportions, and values. Be aware from a materials & techniques standpoint that thick application of graphite from a pencil may interrupt the application of ink. You can utilize an eraser to partially erase the pencil sketch (preserving sketch recognition, but avoiding undesired materials & techniques conflicts between pencil and ink).

3.)    Understand your pen. There are many different types. They all produce marks, but in different ways. A Bic pen will behave the most like a pencil in terms of the ability to gradate value via the adjustment of pressure. Regardless of line-weight, Microns, Sharpie fine tips, and crow quill pens are for the most part going to come on straight black (provided you’re dipping into black and not blue ink with the crow quill). It is best to know how the pen you choose behaves in mark-making before you commit to “inking” your pencil sketch.

4.)    Check back on tip #1. It’s common to want results fast but with drawing this is only relatively possible. You have to commit to being patient. Exercising patience in drawing gets easier with time, and the drawing process becomes more immersive and rewarding when you take your time.

5.)    Consider the paper surface texture. The interaction of the pen with the paper’s texture is what brings much interest to a drawing. On a microscale the tip of your pen will be physically moved by the undulating surface of the paper which, depending on your control of the medium, will influence the look of your drawing. As a general rule: smoother paper = cleaner lines and less grip, and textured paper=more texture and more grip.

6.)    Experiment with cross-hatching. Cross-hatching and contour cross hatching are classic drawing techniques when it comes to pen and ink drawing, and for good reason. They harbor quintessential properties which describe form and are the perfect solution for the unique challenges presented by a medium which, for the most part, marks the paper with one value. There are exceptions to the rule (as one example above with Bic pens), but ink carries the challenge of representing light and dark by the coordination of markings on the page rather than the application of pressure (as with pencils).

7.)    Practice, practice, practice, and have fun! The two go hand in hand. Practice will increase the value you get from drawing, and the more fun you have the more you’ll enjoy practicing. Remember: Practice makes progress! Draw with interest, and drawing will bring value for you and for others.  

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. If you found it helpful please share it with your friends and family via your favorite platform(s). Thank you and blessings!

About the "St. Dominic's Mural"

I was commissioned to create the “Unity Mural” or “St. Dominic’s Mural” for Shrine of St. Francis Xavier & Our Lady of Guadalupe/St. Dominic’s Parish in Grand Rapids, MI. The finished mural was blessed by Bishop Walkowiak on Dec. 11, 2018. The arching ‘M’ shaped clouds in the painting were a symbol that resounded and deepened in my heart as paint-layers amassed, signifying the protective and guiding embrace of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Throughout history the saints have stood on soft or rough patches of earth in situations of good or ill but in the company of she whose soul does magnify the Light of the World (Magnificat)—the mural’s design began with that Light radiating from the bosom of the Virgin. I penciled the humble St. Juan Diego knelt before Our Lady of Guadalupe and reflected on God the Father’s presence symbolized by rays of sun.

In a previous blog post I touched on the idea of being a vessel for God to work through. Now I realize more deeply that what I go through: the emotions, ideas, and experiences in my life during the time I am creating a work of art can all be meaningful and can enable me to fill the artwork with that meaning. In walking with the sufferings and joys of life, the inspirations that may come from my experiences can be imbued into the art I create.

Sketching at the Cincinnati Zoo

Drawing animals from life is a great way to learn. The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens has a variety of animals to draw from and a pleasant grounds to walk around. This Wednesday I spent the morning sketching with many talented illustrators from the local area through an event hosted by the Cincinnati Illustrators Group. Afterward we enjoyed Vietnamese cuisine at Pho Lang Thang in Findlay Market.

After lunch I wanted to get in some more sketching so I returned to the zoo, beginning my studies with the Reptile House. One of the zookeepers was showing visitors a Yellow Rat Snake, and I had the privilege of "posing as a tree" for the snake to feel comfortable around.

My sketches began with the Chinese Alligators whose habitat can be seen in the middle of the Reptile House (the space surrounded by a circular railing in the photo of me with the Yellow Rat Snake). I began with these interesting creatures because they don't really move around a lot, and you can really get into studying their visual form and detailed texture.

With animals that move around more, I found myself doing series of sketches portraying the various positions. Some of these aren't flattering, but they're good practice nonetheless (for instance: a back view of an elephant).

The owl in the top left is a Spectacled Owl and a personal favorite of mine. They're located by an entrance, so the owl would often turn its head to see who was coming in, which offered me a chance to create a few studies at different angles. To the right of the owl sketches is a lemur, and I kid you not, the cartoon-like physique is what they actually look like when seated (such funny and cute creatures). Several animals were found sleeping, like the Crocodile Monitor, Aardvark, and Polar Bear, which offered me more time to get a likeness.

My brother and his wife got me a satchel bag for Christmas to put my sketchbook and drawing tools in, and I'm already thoroughly enjoying it! In the past I've used a backpack or a nylon stuff sack, but the satchel is the perfect solution for sketching in practicality and aesthetics. The strap slings across the torso, so that the bag can be swung around to the front to access supplies. I love it! Thanks to the satchel bag, I'm looking forward even more to my next sketch outing.

How to draw?

A written reflection on drawing from college:

Drawing is a recording process. It is best not to rush through it. Drawing is seeing. It is an engaging mental process, through which much is learned of the nature of visuality. Drawing can be a process to increase the ability to accurately perceive objects but can also cultivate the ability to more quickly and more accurately understand concepts that are true about the visual nature of objects, environments and people. Drawing is a manifestation of sight. Sight is supraphysical. Sight brings forth understanding and knowledge. Drawing may simultaneously be a process of mechanical recording and conceptual recording. An answer to a how-to question should find credence in a concept foremost. A reader is introduced and prepared for a direct answer by reading first an explanation of the drawing concept.

To draw, there are many possible processes to choose from. A person may choose to focus on one, or engage in many. Lower processes combine to form higher ones and all processes behave as parts of a whole that productively relate to one another. Additionally drawing is a collective and accumulative activity, and expertise is obtained through trial and error. A person attempting to draw, with the determination to obtain a long term prize, will have many drawing sessions. Each will provide unique insights to be collected in an experiential database. Experience gained is both physical and mental, in that the brain develops and nourishes concepts, and in that the body, eyes, arms and hands cultivate a 3-dimensional physical awareness. Both parts lend aid to each other.

To continue answering the question, a structure must be used, although structure is unusual to a process which should be called creative. The following area of the answer will be ordered partially to illustrate possible mental and physical drawing processes:

As well, the following list will be hierarchical in order to divulge truthfully:

Technical Drawing: Technical drawing is mechanical, though not internally methodical. The goal is to understand the visual nature of seen environment, objects, and people. Many concepts surround technical drawing, and have done so for a very long time. In most cases drawing is considered an activity which produces 2-dimensional results from 3-dimensional observations. The world we are in is 3-dimensional, and sprouting from this are the main concepts revolving around technical drawing. In short, many of these concepts support each artist’s growing idea of their 3d environment. The simplest tool to use, inherent to all people, is the grid. Many people think of it 2-dimensionally though ultimately it is a 3-dimensional awareness. Our brains are wired, for lack of a better word, to know verticality and horizontality. These innate tools allow us to balance and orient our bodies safely and properly in 3-dimensional space.

Thus, we all are born with a sense of the vertical and horizontal. Geometry is a concept that naturally follows. When these two senses cooperate, the grid is born. The grid can be visually/conceptually subdivided infinitely, and as a person's power to visualize and conceptualize increases they are able to make creative calculations, enabling them to project or superimpose the grid in their mind's eye onto the direct visual input they receive from sight. This activity is crucial and should be considered central to technical drawing. It's an ability that grows and advances; possibly a task the brain can run nearly subconsciously. In fact, it's an ability that greatly advantages the mind's ability to envision.  More or less, the grid allows an artist to calculate distances and procure proportions. Geometric understanding couples with the grid to allow for highly complex calculations.

A beginner in technical drawing may strain and practice to push these abilities to the realm of second nature; that is indeed what happens over the course of much time and practice. The grid and the use of geometry in technical drawing allows for an improved understanding of the visual nature of things, though it is not the only tool necessary. It helps artists to understand shapes, proportions, and dimensions, and gain the skill to represent them, but it does not do much for the other aspects of the visual nature of things.

car_sketch.jpg

Another aspect is broadly termed: Lighting. Technical drawing should include the practice of representing value (light and dark). If technical drawing is done with pencil or another media that allows for variable mark-making by the change of applied pressure, value can be represented with ease. The mind will do well to build a proportional understanding of the media, in that a low percentage of applied force will produce strokes of lighter value that may represent those viewed areas of lighter value that the artist seeks to recreate (light), and in that a higher percentage of applied force will produce darker strokes that may represent darker areas. The activity referred to is commonly called "shading".

Though all of the above processes and ideas related to technical drawing sound mechanical and invariable, the actual process should not be. In short, technical drawing should be an activity during which the artist seeks to grasp the nature of visual reality in every possible way and to represent it with mark-making most accurately. This is the strict definition of technical drawing, and by it a person can learn much. The actual process, however, is in no way predictable because the resulting experiences are highly difficult to explain, and surely appear to each person differently. The process and associated concepts are made elastic by the enormous breadth of potential visual information and by the unique perceptions and mind-shapes of individuals. To create a situational proof that situation must be made by simplifying many things. For instance, a cup, if separated entirely from its surroundings, can be observed in the round from endless degrees/points of view and at variable distance. Although the ideal concepts and processes used to explore the visual world through technical drawing remain somewhat consistent, the course of experiential learning for an individual is unpredictable and promising.