How to Choose the Right Canvas for your Painting
Canvas has been a preferred choice for both beginners and masters, going back to the Renaissance. However, when choosing the correct canvas for your project, there are many different factors that influence your decision. Here are just some of the few: the weight of the fabric, the surface preparation, the material in which the surface is made from, and the list goes on.
At Loxley we take pride in producing high-quality canvases to artists for many decades, and stock a variety of canvas that cover most artist’s needs. Many artist try painting and experimenting on different canvases, primers and grounds until they find the surface that works best for them.
It is important to consider the weight and texture of the weave. Often, if the linen has a heavy weight than it is a thick, tough yarn or it is tightly woven, which is preferred by painters who work on larger paintings and use bold brushstrokes. However, if the line is lightweight then it has an open weave and a fine yarn. This is best suited to small, detailed work.
The texture of the weave is referred to by the terms ‘super fine’, ‘extra fine’, ‘fine’, ‘medium’ and ‘rough’. A fine canvas is almost smooth and has a minimal texture, where as a rough canvas has a distinct weave. The ‘no grain’ texture is good for portraits as it is almost as smooth as paper.
The weight is either measured in ounces per square yard (oz) or grams per square meter (gsm) and is dependent on the thread density. The higher the weight, means the better the quality of the canvas is.
Material
Cotton
Although cotton is not as strong as linen, it is economical, easy to stretch and stays tight on the stretcher bars. Also, cotton has a more consistent weave, where as linen has a unique texture appealing to many lovers of fine art.
Loxley Cotton Canvas are made from 100% cotton which is either triple primed or double primed with a universal primer. This produces a surface to take paint at its best without sinking and giving maximum creative flow.
Linen
Linen is more expensive than cotton, as it is harvested by hand and it is not as common as cotton canvas. However, Linen is stronger and longer-lasting than cotton, which appeals to the professional artists.
Our Loxley Linen Canvas are made from 100% premium linen which is sized and then either triple primed with clear gesso or white gesso. This provides a fantastic surface for painting on.
Types of Canvas
The main types of canvases are Stretched Canvas, Canvas Pads, Canvas Panels and Canvas Rolls.
Stretched canvas is one of the most popular types of canvas used for acrylic painting. The canvas is stretched over a wooden frame, called stretcher bars.
Our ranges are made from either cotton or linen. However, most commonly stretched canvas is made of cotton, which is then primed with clear gesso to create an ideal painting surface. It is important to choose the correct canvas for the medium you are using, as canvases are either primed for oil painting or acrylic painting.
The frames of the stretched canvas come in different sizes and thickness, known as chunky (thicker) or traditional (thinner).
– Loxley Gold Stretched Canvas
– Loxley Ashgate Stretched Canvas
– Loxley Mayfair Stretched Canvas
– Loxley Master’s Linen Stretched Canvas
Canvas pads are sheets of universally primed canvas that are spiral-bound in a book. Our Loxley canvas pads are made from 100% 380g, 11 oz canvas. They are suitable for Acrylic, Oil and other media and are great for sketching and preliminary paintings.
Canvas panels and boards are a high quality, more affordable alternative to stretched canvas, as it can be quite expensive, especially for beginners. They are made from primed cotton canvas which is mounted onto a rigid board, making them lightweight and easy to carry around.
– Loxley Mayfair Circular Canvas Panel
Canvas rolls are great for experiences painters who like to prepare and stretch their own canvas or if they would like to create a very large painting. They are available either in primed or unprimed and are made from either linen or cotton.
– Loxley Linen & Cotton Canvas Roll
