Easel

Easels are objects in The Sims, The Sims 2, The Sims 3 and The Sims 4 that allow Sims to paint works of art. They build fun, and allow Sims to make money by selling their paintings. In The Sims and The Sims 2, painting at an easel builds the creativity skill, and in The Sims 3 and The Sims 4, it builds the painting skill.
==The Sims==
In The Sims, the easel is called the "Dimanche" Folding Easel, though it does not actually fold. (In keeping with the artsy theme of this easel, "Dimanche" means "Sunday" in French.) The paintings made on it are not separate from it, and cannot be removed from it. A finished painting can be sold by clicking on it. A partially finished painting cannot be scrapped, but the easel can be sold with a partially finished painting on it. Regardless of who started a partially finished painting, any Sim can continue it, and may do so autonomously.
There are 4 types of paintings in the game that may appear on the Easel, any 3 may appear randomly for adults starting a painting but Children will always get the 'childish' variant. It takes about 200 minutes, or 3 hours and 20 minutes, in-game for a Sim to finish a painting from start to finish.
The sell price of a painting is determined by the creativity skill of the Sim at the start of the last session that took place to fully finish the painting, this value is rounded down and determines the price. This does not include ANY gains earned from improved creativity during the current painting session, so it helps to paint over multiple sessions (stopping and starting the activity). The sell price for paintings finished by children depends on their hidden Creativity skill, which is assigned randomly at character creation, and cannot be improved.
Painting Sell Value
Skill(rounded-down)	Selling Price
0 	§0
1 	§1
2 	§3
3 	§5
4 	§6
5 	§8
6 	§40
7 	§71
8 	§103
9 	§135
10 - Max Skill 	§166
Easel1.png|A geometric abstract painting seemingly inspired by Piet Mondrian's art.
Easel2.png|The Wedding Couple painting, specifically the wedding of one of the developers of the Sims, included in game as an easter egg.
Easel3.png|A portrait of a Woman, while not much is known about this variant it does seem to be a expressionist painting.
Easel4.png|The 'childish' variant only produced by Children using the Easel, adults no matter the skill can't generate this kind of painting.
==The Sims 2==
In The Sims 2, the easel is called the Independent Expressions Inc. Easel. It costs §100 more than its counterpart in The Sims, but is considerably improved. With the Independent Expressions Easel, only the Sim who started a painting can continue it. Any Sim can scrap an unfinished painting, which will clear the easel, but Sims will not do this autonomously. The player can click on a finished painting to sell it, or use the hand tool in Buy mode to remove it from the easel and place it on a wall. The Sim who painted the painting does not have to be the one to sell it. Completing a painting builds the hidden painting skill, which increases the sale price of future paintings by that Sim. It takes usually a little over 6 hours to fully complete a single painting from start to finish. The maximum sale price of a painting can reach $2000 with sufficient painting skill (which is different to Creativity).
Until the Sim has five points of Creativity skill, the only option is "Practice Painting". For Sims with at least five points of Creativity skill, this becomes "Paint", and the ability to paint a still life or portrait is unlocked. For both of those actions, the player will be shown a frame with the same dimensions as the easel. This can be used to select the view that will be painted. For a still life, nothing more needs to be done; the Sim will start painting as soon as the player selects a scene, and can stop and continue as with any other painting. However, if the player chooses to have the Sim paint a portrait, the Sim to be painted will come to stand beside the easel. The Sim cannot be posed, and the player will need to use the frame to line up the portrait. The Sim painting the portrait will only be able to work on it while the subject is standing next to the easel.
If Open for Business is installed, painted canvases can be sold in an owned business for a higher value than if it is sold from the easel.
Pets added the ability for Sims with at least five points of Creativity skill to paint custom paintings from images on the player's computer, as long as they have the same dimensions as the easel's canvas. If FreeTime is installed, the easel also builds enthusiasm for the Arts and Crafts hobby.
Since children, and even toddlers, can gain Creativity skill in The Sims 2, the quality of a child's paintings will depend on his or her skill level, just as with adults.
A Sim may have a want to "Sell a Masterpiece", which is fulfilled if the painting sells for over §500, or a fear of selling a lousy painting, which is fulfilled if the painting sells for under §100. These wants and fears are only fulfilled if the painting is sold off the easel; they are not fulfilled if the painting is placed on a wall and sold in Buy mode. Also, they are only fulfilled if the Sim who has them is the one who sells the painting. The first time a Sim sells a masterpiece, he or she will receive a positive memory. A Sim who has just sold a masterpiece will often receive a minor want to quit his or her job. With FreeTime, Sims may roll the fear of selling a lousy painting and/or the want to sell a masterpiece once they reach level 3 in Arts and Crafts enthusiasm, and they can reach that level well before they have gained enough skill to sell paintings for more than §100.
An easel with a partially-finished painting can be placed in a Sim's inventory. The painting can be finished at a later time. However, if the Sim who has the easel in their inventory moves to a different lot, the easel will "forget" who started the painting, and the painting will have to be scrapped.
===Paintings===
Painting TS2 EyePeeler.png
Painting TS2 TigerDeath.png
Painting TS2 TulipBad.png
Painting TS2 HouseBad.png
Painting TS2 LlamaBad.png
Painting TS2 ClownRomance.png
Painting TS2 DesertSunset.png
Painting TS2 Moon.png
Painting TS2 OrangeAndApple.png
Painting TS2 RedWoods.png
Painting TS2 SappyValley.png
Painting TS2 WannabePicasso.png
With The Sims 2: FreeTime, Sims with the Grilled Cheese aspiration can paint grilled cheese. The resulting painting depends on their creativity skill level.
Painting TS2 Grilled Cheese Novice.png|Novice
Painting TS2 Grilled Cheese Intermediate.png|Intermediate
Painting TS2 Grilled Cheese Expert.png|Expert
The Sims: Castaway Stories features a more rustic easel, with completely different paintings.
Painting TSCS Alien.png
Painting TSCS Dancer.png
Painting TSCS God.png
Painting TSCS God2.png
Painting TSCS Gorilla.png
Painting TSCS Jaguar.png
Painting TSCS Landscape.png
Painting TSCS Landscape2.png
Painting TSCS Landscape3.png
Painting TSCS Monkeys.png
Painting TSCS Nautilus.png
Painting TSCS TikiMask.png
== The Sims 3 ==
Only the Sim who started a painting can continue it, though any Sim can scrap a painting. (Sims will not scrap paintings autonomously.) Sims can't however use easels on any lot but their own. Sims can paint in three different sizes - small, medium and large. With higher skill levels, Sims can paint still life or portraits. They can even memorize a scene to paint it later, and do stylized still lifes.
With The Sims 3: World Adventures, Sims can make a painting from a photograph if their skill level is high enough. Anyone from child to elder can paint, and improve their painting skill. There are also three toddler books that help give a head start to the painting skill when read.
===Artsy Easel===
From pointillism to post-modernism, perhaps even paint by numbers, everyone with the urge to paint can dip a brush into their creative side with the Artsy Easel. For a limited time only, buy now to receive a lifetime supply of canvases and paint!
Fun: 2
===Ricardo Richards' Easel===
This elegant easel is modeled after the one famously used by Ricardo Richards when he created his masterwork "Portrait of a Llama." Unlike Richards' original easel, this one lacks the layers of llama spit that accumulated after he spent hours making a llama pose for the portrait.
Fun: 2
===Slouch and Deliver Easel by Secret Bohemia===
Life cutting a peach in half, painting exposes the soul's darkest pit. The Slouch and Deliver easel supports any art project, from pastoral landscapes to portraits beyond imagination.
Fun: 2
===Matrixxe Holographic Easel by Korben Computing===
Traditional easels are a pain. Who wants to handle toxic paints and store stacks of old canvas? Holo-Easels are all-digital, taking your artwork into a dazzling new age!
Fun: 2
Notes: Paintings produced with this easel will be painted on a holographic canvas, and the finished painting will be holographic.
===Self-expression Easel===
The Prism Art Studio is a place for your Sims to express themselves. Glass blowing, jewelry making, painting, smelting - there is something for nearly every artist. If your Sims need a sanctuary where they can create amazing things with like-minded Sims, the Prism Art Studio is the place to be.
Fun: 2
===Fair Folk Easel===
The fair folk number amongst some of the greatest artists of the fantasy realm. Bring home a little of their otherworldly skill in the form of this beautiful easel.
Fun: 4
===Serious Artist's Easel===
Although true art can come from any source, and any medium, the best artist takes their tools seriously. That's what we at Serious Artist's Tools believe, and we've been making art tools for over 50 years!
Fun: 2
Notes: This easel is effectively just a reskinned Artsy Easel. It is more elegantly shaped than the blocky, school-roomesque Artsy Easel.
==The Sims 4==
Sims only have access to one easel at the beginning, and can only paint classic paintings with it. Other painting types unlock as a Sim's painting skill improves. Any Sim can paint, though children have the Creative Art Thou Activity Table which serves a similar function to the easel. Painting is heavily influenced by emotions, and 6 special emotional paintings are available to paint, though Sims cannot paint if they are tense or uncomfortable. Sims can unlock additional easels by advancing up the Painter career. Sims can also carry easels in their inventory.
===E.A.S.L. Easel===
The only Easel available at the beginning, it has a Painting Quality rating of 4 and comes in 3 colors: light brown, dark brown and blue. Each color exists in 2 styles, with or without paint stains on it.
===Easy-Breezy Easel===
Unlocked at Level 4 of the Painter career, it has a Painting Quality rating of 5 and comes in 3 colors: light brown, dark brown and black.
===Pre-Owned Painter's Easel===
Unlocked when choosing the Patron of the Arts branch of the Painter career (Level 8), it has a Painting Quality rating of 7 and an Inspiring Décor rating of 4. It comes in 3 colors: white, brown and black.
===Deluxe All-Season Easel===
Unlocked when choosing the Master of the Real branch of the Painter career (level 8), it has a Painting Quality rating of 9 and comes in 3 colors: black, brown and white.
===The Rolling Easel by Independent Expressions Inc.===
ru:Мольберт
Category:Objects that appear in all games
Category:Craft-making objects
Category:Inventory items
Category:Objects in Bustin' Out
Category:Objects in Kits