Thursday, August 4, 2011

Ooh La La Canvas!

Amantha Tsaros, Lisa's Bunch, 16x12", (c)2011
I am very particular about the surface I paint on. I had once been told that as an artist you must stretch your own canvas or you won't be taken seriously. Yet given the time limitations I am working with, I could spend all my time sacred studio time stretching my own canvas - and then obsessing about whether or not the corners really are right angles or if the canvas is taut enough.  I toyed with hiring some young hunky lad from a local art school with a nose ring to prepare my canvas. 

One day I googled, "How cheesy is it to paint on pre-stretched canvas?" And through a bulletin board I was introduced to my new love, French Canvas.  French Canvas is a company in New Jersey and I love them. They hand-stretch canvas to order. Every canvas is perfect. Right angles, and tight tight tight. Their pricing is comparable to what you can buy ready made at the art store. There is a shipping fee but with a minimum purchase they offer free shipping.  I can proudly say that all of my works are painted on high-quality hand stretched canvas. 

French Canvas is way hotter than any artsy boy with a nose ring. (Sorry boys.)

And what say you? Is painting on store-bought a canvas a no-no? Will you think less of me in the morning knowing that I didn't get my hands dirty in the construction of my surface?
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4 comments:

  1. BettyMingLiuAugust 6, 2011 at 7:25 AM

    you've painted these lisa's bunch on plywood and it would still be beautiful. thanks for the tip about french canvas. i will have to give it a try!

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  2. UnknownAugust 6, 2011 at 8:45 AM

    Thank you, Betty. Now, plywood sounds like a good option. It would be budget-friendly, wouldn't it? I'll have to get over my fear of lumber yards.

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  3. NancyAugust 17, 2011 at 1:20 AM

    wind river arts has some great linen and canvas which they apply to gator board as well as birch wood.

    Scott Chistensen, the very successful and talented landscape artist uses these. He became tired as well of stretching canvas. These panels are very popular with fine artists in Jackson Hole

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  4. UnknownAugust 17, 2011 at 9:20 AM

    Nancy, what a wonderful recommendation. I had never heard of them. I would love to try out the canvas on birch.

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