How to Paint Canvas?

Painting on Canvas is the tradition in the art world since the ages. From long ago, artists are using canvas to build the great masterpieces of art in acrylics and oil painting. If you have all the materials ready with you and the canvas is prepared the right way, you can build amazing masterpieces as the kings of the art world do.

Let’s start step by step to get your amazing masterpiece on canvas.

# CHOOSE AN EASEL

Before moving any further you should know the answer of this question.

What is an Easel? An easel is the self-supporting wooden frame for holding your art work while drawing or painting.

To start a painting on canvas, first thing to keep in mind is choosing a right easel. Before you think to buy an easel decide the main function of easel type you need. Also keep in mind where you paint most of your paintings.

Mentioning three types of easels below, based on the place you need to paint choose the best type suited for you.

# Try a Travel Easel
If you paint on a go while travelling, you should use a travel easel. The most important thing to keep in mind is weight and collapsing features. There are many different types to choose, you can go to the store and choose as per your requirement. But suggestions are open to both - a lightweight aluminum one with collapsible tripod legs and one that folds up and fits into a travel case.

# Use a Compact Easel
If you have a very little space instead of large studio, you can use compact easel. You can use them on desks or tables of any size or height. Instead of long legs, they have a sturdy base that sits on any flat surface and don't take up room on the floor. They come in wood or metal and can be either H framed or collapsible. Capacity hold of canvases as large as 35 inches. Most have a notched stand on the back that can shift to fit any angle needs.

# Choose a Large Easel
Large easels are used on a large space like studio. They are made for long term usage. Large easels are very heavy and have capacity to hold large canvases.

# GATHER MATERIALS
Now you choose the easel, the next thing to work upon the toolkit i.e. The materials required for the canvas painting purpose. Given below is the list of materials required for painting the canvas.

-Paints
The major types of paint to use on canvas are oil and acrylics. Both have its pros and cons.

- Acrylic paints dry fast. It is useful if you want to do many layers or apply crisp lines. It can be difficult when you are mixing paint and painting on large surfaces. You can get a defined edge, but color blending is bit hard. They don't change color over time, but they appear darker when they dry on the canvas. You can use super thin or thick layers because the paint will dry all the way through. They are also nontoxic and have no smell. Acrylics also come off when brushes with water.

- Oil paints allow longer working times because they dry very slowly. The extra drying time makes it harder to make crisp lines. They blend well and make easy transitions between colors. The oil can degrade the linen or cotton fabric of the canvas. The color of the paint remains the same when it dries. It gets yellowish with time as the oil oxidizes. Oils are toxic and have a smell, due to the use of turpentine to thin the colors.

- Third type is not so popular but you can use them- the watercolors. They are less crisp and light in color but build good atmospheric quality.

-Choose the brushes
Choosing brushes is another must do task.
If you working on Acrylics, choose synthetic brushes.
If you work with oils, choose natural fiber brushes.
Other most common types of brushes are flat, round, bright and filbert. More detailing can be done with angular shape, fan or pointed flat.

-Palette is the base required for mixing of colors. Also the palette lid so that colors will not get dry.

-A color chart help us in making different colors by mixing different colors.

-Palette knifes used for mixing of colors and for painting large areas on canvas. Also helpful in giving unique strokes on canvas.

- Rug or Damp cloth is required for cleaning the brush or knife while using different colors.

# SIZING OF CANVAS
Canvas comes in different shapes and sizes. They can be in as small as you need and as large as required. The most popular canvas sizes are 11 x 14 to 48 x 72 inches. There are two types of canvas – cotton and linen. Both can take oil and acrylics. Cotton is cheaper but it requires more work on it. Linen is costly but it is nicer. You can buy your own canvas and stretch it on a wooden frame or also a pre-stretch canvas is available in the market.

You can size your canvas by painting a type of glue to the canvas surface to fill the holes in the fabric of canvas. This is done so that paints will not absorb In the surface. The type of size you will need depends on the kind of paint you are working with. If you are working with acrylics or watercolors, you don't have to size your canvas. Many painters do to make the canvas stable for painting. If you are working with oil, you need to size.

Apply two coats, do the first coat and dry it for 30 minutes and then apply second coat for it.

# PRIMING THE CANVAS
Once the second layer of sizing gets dry, you need to prime the canvas. Use a paint like material called Gesso. The gesso creates a surface for the paint adhere to once it's applied. The primer to use will depend on the medium that you intend to paint with. They come in both white and translucent colors that provide natural lighting for your painting.

Oil, acrylic, and watercolors all have different types of gesso associated. Acrylic gesso is now used most for both acrylic and oil painting. It is also used underneath the ground needed to paint watercolors on a canvas. Put Gesso on canvas paint it in even strokes with large. Wait for 30 minutes it will get dry. Now apply the second layer by moving canvas to 90 degrees.

You need three layers of gesso for acrylic paint. You need four layers of gesso for oil paint. If you don’t need to bother about sizing and priming just buy the pre- primed canvas or pre-gessoed from the store.

To make smooth surface, rub sand paper after applying the layer of gesso to your sized canvas. Apply as many layers as you want but apply sandpaper after each layer and at last.

# PAINTING THE CANVAS
Now the final step is to paint your canvas. Some paintings required background. So start it off and paint the background for the painting with large brush. Now you have primed your canvas, it is high time to start your work. Make outlines across the surface before you start to paint.