Canvas and Painting Surfaces

Linen canvas with an oil primer is the classical standard for oil paintings. An acrylic primer, less expensive than oil primer, can be used with either acrylic or oil paints. Linen is difficult to prime and stretch properly, but it offers the smoothest and stiffest painting surface, one with proven longevity.

Cotton duck canvas is much less expensive than linen, and has become the most popular support for oil and acrylic painting, especially for students. A properly prepared cotton canvas has longevity similar to linen, and is more flexible and easier to stretch properly. However, cotton is considered too flexible for very large paintings. For both oil and acrylic painting, an acrylic gesso primer is generally used.

Side stapling is the least expensive technique for securing the canvas to the stretcher bar, because it uses less canvas. Finished pieces are generally framed to hide the staples.

Back stapling is a more expensive finishing technique, and it requires more canvas, but it provides more salvage for restretching. Some artists paint on the side as well as the face, creating works that don''t require framing.

Spline finishing is the most expensive finishing technique, and some artists feel that it is not as easy to restretch the canvas as with back stapling. However, many artists choose spline finished canvas because it has a neater appearance than back staples, and is popular with their customers.