The present invention relates to handrests or maulsticks used by painters for resting a painter""s hand while painting. More particularly, the present invention relates to an adjustable handrest which is capable of removable attachment to a canvas frame to enable a painter to rest his or her brush hand while painting a design or picture on a canvas stretched on the canvas frame.
A common working medium for artists, sign painters, cartographers, delineators and the like is a sheet of canvas, cardboard or work surface of other material which is mounted on a hollow rectangular frame. The frame is supported in a generally vertical plane on an easel or other support to provide free and flexible access of the artist to the work surface and to orient the work surface in a position for viewing. The artist typically applies the paint or other medium by freehand to the work surface using a brush.
Throughout the course of preparing a painting or other work of art on canvas, it is often necessary to apply various colors contiguously to previously-applied, but still wet, colors. This, as well as the occasional requirement of drawing straight lines on the canvas, requires the artist to maintain great steadiness of hand while applying the medium to the canvas. Furthermore, freedom of movement of the artist""s hand, which is facilitated by steadiness while applying the medium to the canvas, provides to the artist full expression of his or her theme.
Various devices are known in the art for assisting an artist in steadying his or her hand while applying a medium to a work surface. Patents of interest in this regard include U.S. Pat. Nos. 289,700; 518,761; 1,422,641; 2,496,276; 2,814,142; 3,101,568; 3,815,856; 4,188,006; 3,972,133; 4,088,290; 4,685,644; 5,141,198; 5,172,883; 5,193,772; 5,299,772; and 5,765,791.
The present invention includes an adjustable handrest for artists which is capable of attachment to a frame for supporting a worksurface on which a painting or other work of art may be applied. The handrest includes an elongated hand support which spans the work surface and each end of which is independently vertically adjustable with respect to the other. The handrest is equally well-adapted for use by left-or right-handed users.