How to Paint Canvas Paintings

Artists began painting on canvas during the Italian Renaissance in Venice because it was more suitable than paper for oil paint. Since Venice was a port city, there was a good supply of canvas from the sail-making industry that flourished at the time. For centuries oil was the medium artists used when painting on canvas. Now acrylics are also used. A canvas painting is done on a cotton duck fabric that is prepared with gesso, a priming medium made from either animal glues or acrylic base.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Prestretched canvas, or Canvas, stretcher frame, staple gun to make your own Gesso or acrylic primer Brushes Oil paint or acrylic paint Linseed oil Damar varnish Turpentine Vine charcoal or pencil

How to Paint Canvas Paintings

1. Decide on what type of canvas you want. There are two choices. The first is a ready-made canvas that is prestretched with the surface prepared. Many artists, however, prefer to stretch their own because the canvas, purchased as duck cotton from an art or fabric store, is sturdier, has a more natural weave and can be finished as you prefer. You also have more choices in the finished size of the piece, and it is cheaper.

2. Prime your canvas with gesso if you stretch your own canvas. Gesso serves two purposes. The first is to help the paint to adhere to the canvas by adding a slight texture to it. The second is that it keeps the paint from absorbing into the cloth. Give it three coats. Paint the first coat left to right, the second coat up and down and the third coat left to right again. Paint the sides too.

3. Sketch or project an outline of the image you want to create on the canvas with either a pencil or vine charcoal. Some artists who paint abstractly simply begin to paint since the subject matter is subjective and comes from within.

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   Paint an underpainting using a diluted mixture of oil paint and a combination of 1 part Damar varnish, 1 part linseed oil, two parts turpentine. If you want to paint with acrylics, dilute the paints with water. The underpainting is not detailed but fills in the general areas of a composition.

5. Add the basics of the background. A common problem beginners have is leaving the background blank. In order for there to be a layered effect in the painting that helps give the painting depth, the background should be painted first.

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   Paint the objects that are in the mid-ground, then the foreground. Both oils and acrylics can be painted over when they are dry to add depth or correct errors.

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   Add the detail last. Make sure as you paint you step back from your work often to see if the painting still works from a distance. Ask yourself if there is enough contrast in the painting to make it pop. Add highlights or light colors on top of objects and dark colors to the shadows to help create contrast.

Resources

• Canvas Painting 101