Abstract: An easel and a camera tripod in combination where the camera tripod has a universal mounting plate, the position of which is adjustable. The combination also includes an easel having a central carriage bracket for attachment to the camera tripod, a top and bottom bracket each having a surface for engaging a canvas or other planar medium. The easel includes a plurality of pairs of extension rods, one pair of which is adjustably fastened to the carriage bracket and the top bracket and another pair of which is adjustably fastened to the carriage bracket and the bottom bracket to thereby define a canvas support plane engaging the undersurface of the canvas. The top and bottom brackets engage opposing sides of a canvas. At least one of the top and bottom brackets includes a pressure knob for adjustably engaging the canvas side.