March
TIPS•ADVICE•IDEAS
sketchbookCANVAS OPINION
Five questions to ask yourself when choosing your next support
1
Stretched or rolled?
For many artists
starting out, a stretched
canvas is the easiest way
to get painting. However,
if you want to create a
picture in an unusual
format or have greater
control over the paint
surface, consider buying
canvas off a roll. When
calculating the size, don’t
forget to allow plenty of
overlap to go around the
bars at the back.2
Cotton or linen?
These are the two
main types of artist’s
canvas on the market.
Linen is more
expensive and harder
to stretch, but it was
the choice for many
Old Masters as it is far
more durable thanks to
its stiffness and longer
fi bres. Cotton by contrast
is the more economical
option, while also being
easier to stretch.3
What weight of
canvas do you need?
The weight of a canvas
refers to the amount of
fabric in a fi xed area
(either grams per square
metre or ounces per
square yard), so it varies
according to the weave,
fi nish, fi bre thickness and
material. So, while a
heavier canvas implies
a surface that will take
rougher treatment, there
is no exact science here.4
Do you want the
canvas pre-primed?
Artists using acrylics
should look for unprimed
supports, as the paint
won’t adhere otherwise.
An oil painter should
‘size’ – or seal – the
canvas fi rst though.
Pre-primed canvases
save time here, but
experienced artists
may wish to apply the
size themselves for
greater control.5
What fi nish do you
require?
The weave of a canvas
has a profound effect on
the fi nish of a painting.
A pronounced weave
will result in a rough
surface that will snag
unexpected touches of
colour, whereas a fi ne
linen gives a smoother
fi nish with minimal
texture, ideal for
portraiture or
ISTOCK photorealist painting.