We stock the wide range of primed artist canvas in various widths, weights and lengths. Our canvas is triple primed with a acid free titanium based gesso. The weights of the base canvas range from 7 oz/sq.yd to 18 oz/sq.yd. Priming roughly ads 3 oz/sq.yd to the base weight of the fabric. So a 7 oz single filled duck canvas will weight 10 oz/sq.yd. Our standard stocked widths are 63″, 72″, and 84″. We carry 50 yard rolls and in some cases 6 yard and 25 yard rolls as well. To choose from our wide selection of unprimed (raw) canvas click here.
Properties of Primed Canvas
Canvas is a closely woven cloth made from hemp, cotton, or linen. It is a tightly woven fabric that can vary in weight and texture allowing it to be ideal material for waterproof suitability. Canvas served as an inexpensive, available option that withstood weather elements such as humidity and moisture when it was primed. It has always been portable and can be quickly rolled up making it a light commodity for travel. Canvas has been used for centuries to create art, tents or yurts, and for ships sails most notably.
Historically, 16th century Spaniards made the transition from wood to canvas for paintings during an overlap of the Italian Renaissance, Golden Age, and Baroque periods. This primed artist canvas allowed painters to create artwork that lasted without cracking or swelling. The biggest issue was often mold that would set in, but it was quickly remedied when artists began priming the canvas first. The integrity of the art on canvas outlasted the artwork on other materials of the time and mixing of different elements became an artwork of its own as artists worked with this new material and paints together.
It is also important to note that the priming of canvas was a multifaceted purpose. The lead-based primer maintained structural integrity of a piece, chemically allowing a quicker drying time, and reacted with oil paints to pull into the material and with other colors.
An article from Si.edu explains:
“It is generally agreed that the ability of a metal compound to catalyze the oxidation of the oil and form a film depends upon both the solubility and the dissociation of the metal ion in the oil. In order to get enough concentrations of metal ions to catalyze the oxidation of the oil, either the metal ions must be added separately (dissolved or reacted) or the metal ions must dissolve from the pigment itself.”
Meaning as they experimented with different metals in primer, they took into account the scientific properties of and in combination with the paint properties to track how fast it dried, how well it blended, the film and texture created for the final piece, and the process of combining the materials and elements.
By the mid-twentieth century a transition was taking place to move away from lead-based primer and paint to less harmful metals like Titanium. Now the product quality of a painting is consistent and can be duplicated easily. We believe that a Titanium based primed canvas permits our clients the most consistent blank canvas to create their artwork on.
Canvas today is being used for paintings and print that families and businesses have incorporated into their homes or offices. The authenticity blended with texture gives for a quality piece to a simple moment or piece of art. How would one know if a piece is primed or unprimed or if they need prime based on the art they want to create? Reputable distributors openly label prime or raw as to take the guesswork out and focus on the quality of the canvas.
Our primed artist canvas is pre-primed with Titanium gesso and will not absorb colors or spread as much as an unprimed. It has a sharper color that is vibrant and does not bleed into the other colors. Now if the canvas is raw, but you will be using an oil-based paint then we recommend using a gesso, a type of primer that protects and conserves the canvas.
The canvas material is versatile and should not only be associated with paint and print. Other uses for canvas today are:
Next, let’s explore a primed artist canvas expert best known for his canvas works of art.
Rembrandt is a famous Dutch artist circa the 17th century. His famous pieces on canvas include The Night Watch, Bathsheba at her Bath, and The Return of the Prodigal Son. Centuries later, his work is still studied to determine the quality of canvas, the materials used and the technique to create such vivid drawings.
In conclusion, work with Canwil Textiles for your next project utilizing primed artist canvas.
