Bob originallly built his own easel out of a step ladder because he wanted it to be firm, and it could fold up easily. Later he designed this one and you can see him using it on the later TV shows. The four legged design allows for extra stability, the height and canvas "tilt" are fully adjustable. A shelf holds brushes, paints and other tools (including the thinner bucket). What is really cool is that you can remove the top of the easel and use it as a table top easel. And that is what I use in my studio. It come with a white metal finish.