There are not
so many possibilities. In term of composition, it is very simple: the
canvas are made of cotton or flax.
COTTON
The cotton made
canvas is difficult to extend. Its surface is a little too smooth to be
able to paint over the first layer. If painting techniques becomes drudgery, there
is no interest...
Unless they are used to make fast drafts or composition tests, we thus
do not recommend the cotton made canvas.
FLAX
The flax is the
best support. You can find them with various weights and textures. Its
weight depends on the number of fibers by cm², while its texture
depends on the size of fibers. If you buy an already coated canvas (what
we recommend), you do not have to worry about it since the majority arises
in a standard average texture.
Two principal kinds
of coating exist: oil coating (fatty) and acrylic coating known as "
universal " (Thin). In the painting techniques, you will see that one never paints thin on fat. Consequently the
beginners will choose the canvas with a universal coating for their first
works.
The canvases are
generally tended on frame, standard or with key. It is better to use the
wooden key frames for a better long-term tension.
It is possible
to buy linen sheet in roller, to tend on frame and to coat it oneself.
But it is an advice we will not give to beginners! If you wish to paint
on a standard format , you have to know that
the cloth-lined frames proposed in the shops are of excellent quality
and accessible at a ridiculous price.
