| Mixed Media Canvas Art |
| What is canvas - a look at different Types of Canvas |
| Mixed Media Art Canvas
~ Artist Canvas is a plain weave fabric
~ it can be made from thick and durable cotton, linen, jute, hemp, or synthetic polyester
~ Canvas comes in different densities and different strength of the weave
~ Canvas can be obtained treated or untreated ( either flame or water sesitance treatments, as well as stretched or unstretched )~Traditionally canvas was used as a support surface for oil painting ~ in modern times canvas paper has been developed that can be fed through an inkjet paper
~ canvas when stretched on "canvas stretcher bars" gives the surfaces a slight bounce .. ie when you apply paint to it it will give way more rather than a flat rigid surface like paper
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| What kind of canvas to use for Mixed Media Art ? |
Mixed Media Art Canvas
~ For practicing loose canvas on a roll is a very economical way of buying , it can be collaged onto stretched canvas later on or stretched onto canvas stretcher bars as a complete mixed media art painting when you are happy with it
~ Another alternative is canvas board also sometimes called canvas panels ...which is literally canvas mounted or glued on a heavy card board, rather than on a frame. It still provides a rigid
support, can be mounted and framed but is available cheaper in all sort of
experimental sizes ....
~ Pulp Board is an even cheaper alternative .. much like a flat panel canvas board but on pulp molded paper surface ...these are often heavily textured much like an embossed pattern and come surface primed with gesso ~ using canvas that is already primed ( meaning usually 3 layers of primer have been applied to the base canvas fabric that allows paints to adhere to it rather then for paint residue to sink through the fabric )
~ Pre Stretched Canvas is canvas that has been stretched over specifally designed canvas stretcher bars made from wood so they look like an empty painting on a frame
~ Quality varies here..and depends on the grade of canvas used and the quality of the wood for the stretcher bars . Often for fine art purposes seamless binding of the canvas so that it looks visually appealing when hang is another factor. For the Mixed Media Artist even the cheapest stretched canvas can become a playground for the imagination easily ... ~ often stretched art canvasses are worked on an easel as it is easier to navigate the bounce . A Simple table top easel can work fine. If you dont have an easel it is quite easy to pop up to the top end of the canvas with some books and stabilise the end with some heavy wood blocks to create a makeshift raised surface . Oftentimes I am quite happy to work on a flat surface though especially when applying acrylic transfers.
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| Advantages of Using Art Canvasses |
Mixed Media Art Canvas
~ canvas can take some beating...so
if you start of painting on it, or collaging or transferring or whatever...
and then it turns out you dont like it ...you can sand it down if it is
quite textures, put a layer of white gesso over it and start again
~canvas is not as vulnerable as paper and with loose canvas you have the added advantage of being able to stitch into it too for further embellishing ..... |
| Tips for Getting Started with Mixed Media Canvas Art |
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Mixed Media Art Canvas
~ I think choosing a canvas size that suits the style of work you like helps a
lot... my first canvas was way to big for what I like doing...but somehow I
thought it had to be big to hang on a wall... I quickly discovered that I
just dont like working in larger sizes and felt not at all inspired to stick
with it ... ~ So if you are used to working smaller pick something of a smaller size more akin to your card and paper arts to start of with
and then simply pretend its paper... giggle
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Mixed Media Art Canvas |
