Types of canvas for painting: how to choose the right one
When you first look at the racks of canvases in your local art shop, the choice seems bewildering. How can there possibly be so many different types of canvas?
Before you retreat in confusion, choosing the right canvas is actually simpler than it looks. If you know which paint you’ll be using or if you’re working to a budget, the choice becomes even more straightforward. Here’s our guide to canvas types and how to pick the best one for you.
Material
Canvases are made from cotton or linen (flax). Cotton is the cheaper option, so tends to be the one that beginners go for. However, its soft fibres make it easier to stretch, so if you want to stretch your own canvas, you might prefer cotton. Generally, the weave is consistent and cotton canvases tend to have a finer finish.
Linen costs more; however, you do get what you pay for. Its longer fibres are strong and durable, and if you’re after longevity from your materials, remember that the Old Masters would have used linen. Interesting aside: the first canvases were made from hemp sailcloth, so the word “canvas” comes from “cannabis”.
Texture
The texture of the canvas comes down to the artist’s preference. Portrait painter Jonathan Yeo comments, “Personally, I don’t want to see the canvas grain on the surface of the picture”, and he orders canvases with two or three layers of primer (more about this in a minute). Cotton is naturally smoother than linen.
Many portrait artists favour finer grains because they’re better for detailed work, while coarser-textured canvases are good for larger-scale abstract pieces. A rough texture can enhance broad brushstrokes, so if you like this finish, look out for coarser grains.
Fabric is also rated by weight: for example, a heavyweight canvas has tightly woven, thicker threads for a dense texture. This is the toughest option for a large, stretched canvas, because it’s the least likely to tear under tension.
Primed vs Un-primed
Most of the canvases you see in shops have been primed. This means that their surfaces have been coated with a layer of primer that creates a good surface to work on, while preventing the canvas fabric from absorbing the paint.
Traditionally, artists use something called “gesso”, which is a blend of plaster of Paris, glue and chalk or pigment. If you’re looking at types of canvas for acrylic painting, “Universal primer” is suitable. However, when it comes to choosing a canvas for oil painting, there’s also a primer designed specifically for this type of paint, Oil Primer. This can’t be used with any other type of paint, so be careful if you’re reusing old canvases.
You can buy unprimed canvases if you prefer, which you’ll need to prime yourself. This does give the option of getting the textured surface that you want, although it is quite time-consuming. Professional artists will often order canvases with a specified primer, as a compromise.
If you can’t decide between primed vs unprimed canvases, just remember that you don’t paint directly onto an unprimed canvas with oils. These paints dry by absorbing oxygen from air exposure, and if the oil has sunk into the canvas, this can’t happen. Always seal a canvas if you’re painting with oil paints. On the other hand, you can get a pleasing effect from painting directly onto the canvas with acrylic paints.
Canvas Type
We’ve looked at the anatomy of the canvas: what different types of canvas can you buy? Canvases come in a choice of different formats, which can seem a bit confusing when you’re starting out. Here’s a run through the main canvas types.
Stretched canvas
Many artists choose to use a stretched canvas. These are bought ready-stretched around a wooden frame. These “stretcher bars” pull the canvas taut for a nice, tight surface to work on. These are often made from cotton, although you’ll get a good choice of weaves and weights. Remember to check whether they’ve been finished with oil-based or universal primer so you’re painting onto the appropriate surface.
Canvas panels
These are primed cotton sheets that have been mounted onto a solid board. They’re cheaper and tend to be lighter to carry around, making them a popular option among art students. While the canvas itself is good quality, the construction means that canvas panels don’t have such good longevity as traditional stretched canvases.
Canvas pads
Canvas pads can be a great option. They’re simply sheets of primed canvas that are layered together and spiral bound, like a notebook. You can either use them as a sketch pad (great if you’re just getting used to painting on canvas and are doing lots of rough work) or you can remove them and treat them as individual canvases. If you do take them out of the pad to paint on, you will need to stretch them yourself.
Canvas rolls
If you’re stretching your own canvas, you’ll usually buy it in a roll. You can buy all sorts of canvas rolls: choose by size, weight, material and finish. While some people find stretching canvas a satisfying process, Jonathan Yeo isn’t so sure.
“You can stretch your own canvas if you want to – I think we’ve all tried it, if you don’t mind your studio or house stinking of rabbit-skin glue for the rest of time…”
It’s an involved process, especially as you’ll have to make or buy the frame. You also have to ensure that you have enough extra canvas for overlapping. You’ll need a staple gun and a pair of speciality pliers, which are designed to pull the canvas taut without ripping it (you can buy these from art supply stores). The rabbit glue smell Jonathan refers to comes from priming the surface yourself (non-animal versions are also available).
Canvas rolls work well if you have the time, space and skills to stretch your own canvases. Artists who are working on large-scale paintings will often go for this option so they have the right size canvas. However, because the rolls of canvas themselves are expensive before you add the frame and equipment, this is a rare occasion where the DIY approach actually doesn’t save you money.
Canvas size matters
All these canvas types come in a choice of sizes, and this is one of the most important things to consider when you’re planning a painting. Scale has a great impact on how the audience receives your painting: even if you’re simply painting for your own home, think about the space that you’re planning to hang your work in.
Then there’s shape. Jonathan Yeo often chooses landscape for painting portraits (the names are a clue to the usual formats), which he explains gives the piece a more dynamic feel. Most art stores have a variety of rectangular-shaped canvases as well as squares in a choice of sizes.
Re-using canvases
One of the great things about using canvases is that you can paint over old work and start again. Jonathan Yeo’s own distinctive backgrounds come from him economising as a younger artist by reusing old canvases.
“I quickly found that when I painted over [old canvases] with a thin wash, it would show traces of the previous picture underneath.”
He found this “sense of abstraction” interesting, and now deliberately creates this effect. Jonathan always works on painted canvases, because he finds it a better way to judge value and colour.
You can also save money when you’re starting out by painting on whatever you have to hand (provided it’s primed), such as old pieces of wood. While Jonathan encourages people to use what’s available and also to experiment with different surfaces, he advises to stick to canvas if you want your work to last. As the historic artworks in galleries prove, canvas is the surface of choice for longevity. As Jonathan says:
“There’s some comfort in the fact that they’ve been around for a long time.”
To find out more about artists’ materials along with plenty of painting techniques and tips, take a look at artist Jonathan Yeo’s BBC Maestro course, Portrait Painting.
