About the Blank Canvas
What came first? The blank canvas or the image of what would be on that canvas? What is your painting surface of choice? Want to learn more about canvases? This blog post has a look at this art vehicle in your artistic journey, studying the types, sizes, canvas prep, framing, shipping, storage, and buying canvases.
Types of Canvas
Canvases are made of various materials, come in an assortment of sizes, and may be created for specific purposes and medium uses.
Beginner Canvas
Save your "cheaper" canvases for art practice when developing as a beginner, art classes, or to learn a new style. These would be any "value packs", .75 width canvases, side or back-stapled canvases. Potentially, you could use the canvas panels as well.
Professional Canvas
Professional artists - fine art creators will use the best quality of canvases either cotton or linen that they can buy. Typical canvases used are in a gallery-wrapped presentation and are often ready-made and pre-primed.
DIY Canvas: I've heard from artists in my art group that when they were in college taking their art courses and the horrors of having to learn how to stretch and make their own canvases from scratch. Sure, anyone can make their own and perhaps depending on the size needed for some projects, they might need to. You do you of course.
See How to Stretch Canvas Painting: Easy Step-by-Step Guide
Stretched Canvas - ready-to-use, ready-to-go, already primed (usually) canvas stretched over a frame.
Studio Wrapped Canvas - a stretched canvas of usually less than an inch where the staples may be visible and will often require framing.
Splined Canvas - the canvas is attached to the frame, not with staples, but with a spline (like used in screen doors).
Gallery Wrapped - this is a method of stretching canvas on the wooden frame so that it wraps over and around the sides, tucking and hiding the staples that attach the canvas to the frame. Often, there is not any need to frame a 1.5 depth gallery wrapped canvas because of the crisp and clean presentation. The artist can also paint the sides so that the view of the artwork is seamless from different angles.
Cotton Canvas - this is the most common type of canvas in use today and is the more affordable choice. Cotton comes in a variety of weights and weaves and good for most painting techniques.
Plain Canvas - standard type for general purpose.
Duck Canvas - tightly woven fabric, durable, suitable for heavy-duty use.
Linen Canvas - made from the fibers of the flax plant, canvases made of linen tend to be very durable and are definitely more expensive. Linen canvas is also less prone to stretching and sagging than cotton. See Linen Canvas 101: Everything You Need to Know Before Buying
Synthetic Canvas - made from nylon and polyester for use with waterproof applications.
Other Canvases - include hemp (coarser texture), jute (low durability), and ramie (used in blends).
Canvas Panels - a piece of canvas glued to a rigid board like Masonite, cardboard, or wood (a backing board), generally is pre-primed, is light-weight and easy to store. The canvas panel is excellent for traveling, plein air painting, and classrooms, but will require framing when showing.
Canvas Rolls - when you desire to create your own stretched canvas, rolled canvas is an option. These will need to be stretched and primed.
Watercolor Canvas - a more recent addition to the world of canvases, is similar to cold-pressed paper but more durable and can be stretched onto a frame like a more traditional canvas. The cotton canvas has been coated in a special formula allowing the surface to be more absorbent and able to accept water-based paints. The watercolor canvas also affords the opportunity to hang the artwork without framing or being under glass.
See What Is It Like to Use Watercolor Canvas?
Art Prints on Canvas - allows artists to have their artwork presented as ready to hang much like regular paintings. Flat giclee art prints require alternative packaging or framing that the art print on canvas may not. The print on canvas also is not of the original work.
Read more about canvas types here:
13 Types of Art Canvas: Choose the Perfect Canvas for your Artwork
Expert Guide to Materials, Properties, Uses, and Selection
Canvas Size
Canvases come in any size and shape, but there are the common sizes to consider, because there are common-sized frames that are ready-made and less expensive than a custom frame. While most galleries and art shows want the studio canvases framed, the gallery wrapped 1.5 depth canvas will typically need to be painted to include the sides and are typically not required to be framed.
Standard and common canvas sizes are in inches.
ART TIP 1: I've started to be more specific in my artwork descriptions to include the depth with the size as well. For example 16x20x1.5 or 16x20x.75. I've had clients ask how deep the canvas is because they were building a gallery wall in a hallway and didn't want the deeper canvas to profile that far outward.
Mini Canvas - great for gifts, small home accessories, ornaments
- 2x2
- 3x3
- 3x4
- 3x5
Small Canvas - terrific for portraits, small landscapes, gift paintings, practice studies, plein air
- 4x4
- 5x7
- 6x6
- 8x10
- 10x10
- 9x12
Medium Canvas - popular for still life, portraits, art competitions, landscapes
- 12x12
- 12x16
- 16x16
- 16x20
- 18x24
Large Canvas - great for bold statements, dramatic compositions, detailed landscapes, excellent for abstracts
- 20x24
- 24x30
- 24x36
- 30x40
Extra Large Canvas - for even bolder statements, dramatic compositions, detailed landscapes, excellent for abstracts
- 30x30
- 36x36
- 40x40
There is a point where a large canvas is not fitting in your car, you know. I remember being in the parking lot at a local Home Goods and watching a couple of women trying to figure out how to fit an art print on canvas they had just purchased into their vehicle. I knew it wasn't going to fit, that sucker was BIG...and they finally realized it and took it back into the store to figure out their next steps.
ART TIP 2: There are plenty of artists that only paint huge works and that's fine. There are also artists that paint mainly smaller works and that's fine too. A person's studio (or car!) may dictate the top canvas size a person could potentially store or move but also consider that some art spaces and shows ask for minimum or maximum size allowances for their needs as well. These requirements could potentially limit an artist's preferred canvas size. Generally, I consider having multiple price points (canvas or print sizes) for potential buyers as the better path.
See Canvas Sizes: Ultimate Guide for Standard, Custom & Specialized Dimensions
Canvas Prep for Painting
Canvas, in its raw form will need to be prepared in at least a few ways, and layers before paint for the actual artwork can be applied.
Sizing Layers (Size)
Sizing is the first layer and is a clear coating applied to the raw canvas, which seals the fibers providing a barrier. Types of sizing include: Rabbit Skin Glue (RSG), Acrylic Medium (Gloss or Matte), Gelatin, and Acrylic Sealers. The sizing will prevent the canvas fibers from absorbing too much paint.
Priming Layers (Primer, Gesso)
Acrylic Gesso is a primer that gives the canvas a smooth and durable surface compatible with acrylic and oil paints. Types of Gesso include Titanium White Gesso, Clear Gesso, Black Gesso, and Tinted Gesso. There are also solvent-based oil painting primer for use specifically with oil painting. It is advised to sand with fine-grit sandpaper between layers.
Some acrylic gesso can function similarly to sizing, but the gesso isn't a direct substitute for the traditional sizing methods.
Under-painting Layer (Ground)
The under-painting is a groundwork or base layer allowing the artist to establish structure, value, and contrast. A thinned-down layer of acrylic paint (a wash) establishes shadows, highlights, and tonal values.
See Size, Primer, Gesso and Ground Explained
Painting Layers
The actual painting of the artwork is very often processed in layers. Layers are achieved in various coats of paint applied one over the other to achieve depth, texture, and richness and meaning to the artwork.
Sealing Layers
Sealing Layer is an essential step in the painting process enhancing the longevity and resistance to any environmental damage. This protection is from dust, moisture, fading over time, and surface unification. Types of sealers include Acrylic Sealant or Varnish (brush or spray applications), typically available in matte, satin, or glossy. Varnishing can also enhance the colors of the painting as well.
Topcoat Layer
UV-resistant acrylic varnish is an additional barrier against sunlight and lighting damage.
Read more about canvas preparation:
How to Prep the Canvas for Acrylic Paint: A Guide
How Do You Prepare a Canvas for Painting: A Simple Guide
To Gesso or Not to Gesso, That is the Question - this Artistry Spin blog post includes multiple Prince William Art Society members opinions and processes about gesso.
Canvas - To Frame or Not to Frame That is the Question
Depending on where you want your art career to go and the choices in canvas surfaces, there are times when framing is a must. Framing adds to the costs in pricing, the weight in shipping, and potentially the Buyer's choice when deciding to purchase.
If you plan on selling artworks on canvas, entering art shows and selling in galleries, framing artwork has specific rules that must be adhered to. On the Prince William Art Society's Display requirements page, it is required to have canvas panels, side stapled and back stapled .75 width artworks to be framed. Always read any art show or gallery's call for art requirements to know what their expectations are.
Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvases are usually exempt from mandatory framing in Calls for Art, although painting the sides is required.
A good question to ask is do artworks sell more with a frame or without, with a basic and simple frame or something more elaborate? What do you think?
See Zee Berrios' recommendation in Selling Art 1 and To Frame or Not to Frame: A Guide for Artists Selling Their Work
Shipping a Canvas
The world is your oyster because you can sell artwork and ship it to anyone, anywhere in the world. Great. Now, how do you do that? What will it cost? Do you need to insure it? Even more so, how do you send that canvas as safely as possible?
Some of the answers about shipping I cannot answer here. In my Etsy Account, I opted to only offer shipping at the national level at this time, so it is fairly straight forward to configure the shipping costs for size of painting, its weight, and location.
The artist will need to have the right supplies so that he or she can 1. Safely; 2. Professionally; 3. Efficiently - send the artwork to the Buyer:
- Glassine Paper (and/or) Plastic Palette Wrap - acid-free materials!
- Bubble Wrap - do NOT let this wrap come in contact directly with the artwork!
- Corner Protectors
- Cardboard Sheets or Foam Board
- Packing Tape/Gun
- Cardboard Box - never use a previously used box for your fine art!
- Kraft Paper or Packing Peanuts* - be careful if using the peanuts!
- Sharpie Marker, Scissors, Knife/Box Cutter
- Self Healing Cutting Mat
- T-Square
- Box Sizer Cutting Tool
- Fragile Stickers, Do Not Bend Stickers
- If rolling the canvas, Cardboard Tubes
- Gloves
- Weight Shipping Postal Scale
- Shipping Label Printer
Your in home Shipping Station or chosen shipping method will determine the exact items you will need. Do a deep-dive into the research of shipping by exploring these articles:
How Much to Ship a Canvas Painting: Essential Tips for Cost-Effective Shipping
ART TIP 3: Always wrap the painting with the bubbles on the bubble wrap facing OUT! The bubbles can imprint on the artwork.
How to Mail a Canvas Painting Safely: Your Complete Guide
How to Ship Paintings / A Step-by-Step Guide for Artists and Galleries
ART TIP 4: Look up some YouTube videos as well on artists shipping their artworks to watch their process AND to get some great ideas on other artist's processes. I've seen some awesome, beautifully packed artwork that include the artwork's Certificate of Authenticity, a customized hand-written thank you note and business card. Some artists used beautiful ribbons and ties. Other ideas are a discount code for a future purchase and an art care document. The key here is to make it pretty, like the Buyer is receiving a gift.
ART TIP 5: Before purchasing multiple sized shipping boxes and envelopes, decide the sizes of canvas and /or prints you are willing and able to ship. Purchasing your chosen size selections in bulk is less expensive but you will need to store that inventory in your Shipping Station. You certainly do not need a container for each size of canvas or print, so configure your options. Of course, a box sizer cutting tool will help too.
Where to Buy Canvases
Locally - check your local Hobby Lobby, Michaels, well, even Walmart has canvases (but I'd use those as more a beginner or practice canvas). See if you have an actual brand name art supply store near you like Plaza Art, Blick Art, Utrecht Art, or an arts and crafts store. Do look at your local art stores for sales events before heading out and it might be good to stock up whenever they have a great sale.
ART TIP 6: Do check local thrift stores. I recently watched a video where the creator went to various stores like Burlington, Walmart, etc and purchased inexpensive, already framed artworks with smooth surfaces on canvas and took them home, primed them and then he painted his own artwork on top. The frame would need to be taped off to protect it of course, but what an interesting way to begin.
Check your local Facebook Marketplace for well priced options too.
Online - most big brand name artist supply stores have a website and offer shipping. The selections will be -awesome-. Again, look for art sales on your favorite brands.
Of course, there's always Amazon! And Michaels offers delivery and bulk buying options.
I've read that Cheap Joe's Art Stuff in Asheville, NC closed, but a local company may have purchased it and plans on continuing the store.
Storing Canvases
We all must remember that canvases are very fragile things, and after the artist paints it, for the artist at least, a very valuable commodity. Getting paintings to and from art shows, shipping, and simply storing your unsold art inventory will need to be addressed as those canvases potentially start filling up your art studio.
Alrighty then, my fellow artists, what tips or suggestions would you add about the world of canvases? What is your favorite brand? Have you used linen canvas? Drop a comment below and let us know!
BONUS: see Canvas Sizes of Famous Paintings - Learn from the Masters
Author: Donna Liguria is the Blogmaster for the PWAS Artistry Spin Blog and Donna's Cave Paintings Blog, and an artist member of the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) in Woodbridge, Virginia. And she takes on the PWAS social media duties as well (help me!) Donna specializes in acrylic painting of landscapes, seascapes, historic locations, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com and her Donna's Esty site to shop her art.
Local Art: The Prince William Art Society is a 50+-year-old non-profit art group in PWC for the appreciation of fine art throughout the county and Northern Virginia. Visit us at any of our local art shows or join us for our monthly meetings - held on the 4th Monday of the month at the Tall Oaks Community Center at 12298 Cotton Mill Dr, Woodbridge, VA at 7:30pm (typically, but check the website in case of any changes).
Want to join PWAS? Go to https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/membership
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