A canvas painting is a difficult, yet rewarding thing. It is an activity that pulls our inner artist. Traditionally the canvases were painted with oil or acrylic, using several techniques: loose canvas on a roll, stretched over a frame or attached to a plate. The artist’s canvas can be made of cotton, linen, jute or polyester. Knowing how to paint on a canvas guarantees you a memorable piece of art.
Steps to follow:
1
Choose a screen for your work. To work with thicker oil or acrylic paint the ideal is a thicker canvas, while if you are thinking of making a lighter painting or using glass technique use a softer canvas.
2
Apply a thin first layer to the bottom. Prepare a mixture of fairly diluted paint with water and use a large brush to spread it over your new canvas. It is advisable to make the brush strokes in horizontal lines, from left to right. If you are thinking of painting with oil, this first coat should be done with plaster.
3
Choose a focus point for your painting. Don’t choose the center, it’s not as visually interesting. If you are painting a landscape, for example, choose an edge and then place the point two centimeters to the left or right of the center of the canvas. It will attract much more attention this way.
4
Make an outline with a thick pencil or charcoal. This can be done by free hand and drawn directly on the canvas, or draw the sketch on a sheet of paper and transfer the drawing to the canvas with transfer paper.
5
Apply the first thickest layer over the drawing, starting at the top working down, one object at a time. The first layer should be made with the lighter colors, since it is still wet and can be mixed with other colors.
6
Draw the strokes carefully, always in the same direction from the top to add darker shades and place reliefs. Do not rub the paint back and forth with the brush. Apply the fine details with a small, pointed brush.
If you want to read more similar articles to How to start painting on canvasWe recommend that you enter our category of Art and Crafts.
Tips
- Artists who want to start practicing their techniques use canvas boards. Or if you want you can even use plain paper or other materials to start and practice painting with your free hand until you start getting more comfortable.
- Stretching your own screen is a fun and economical option for creating your works.
