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Both sides of paper the same?
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Posted
So far, I've used Arches, Bockingford in all its forms, the Langton, Fabriano (though only the lowest of the grades they offer), Whatman - once upon a time, Saunders, Hahnemuehle, Schoellershammer, Canson (including a sample you sent me, Alan). Of these, by far my favourites were Arches, and Hahnemuehle: although Saunders Waterford is also lovely stuff.
Now this may suggest that I've been searching for the 'right' paper; up to a point, that's true. But it's also the case that a good many of those papers were free samples included with various magazines. With some of them, it doesn't much matter which side of the paper you use - with others it does, and only more experience on my part, because I'm not a watercolourist primarily, is going to tell me. I know I got very fed up with the lower grade Fabriano, and am about to plunge into a buying splurge when I've thought through which paper to buy.
Posted
Does this site sell quality canvas's ?
because I've been buying really cheap ones from Home bargains to learn on, EG I got this three foot by two foot for £6, what price would one expect to pay for a decent canvas?
also I'm new to canvas painting so at what stage do you say RIGHT! I'm good enough to invest in quality paper?
Posted
This site - if you mean POL - doesn't sell canvas, no. But if you subscribe to one of the magazines, there are adverts in them for canvas suppliers, or take a look at The Canvas Store website - just Google it.
As to what you would expect to pay for it, well - depends on size as well as quality; the Canvas Store has a range of Loxley canvases, which I like. I can't offhand remember the prices - I always try not to look until I've chosen what I want, just in case I then decide against it because of cost.... Canvas is good for acrylic; if you're looking for oil paint supports, though, try to get hold of a polyester canvas (which are quite rare) or a more rigid panel. A lot of people use cotton or linen canvas, all the same. Or there's oil painting paper, even.
Paper for watercolour (you CAN get canvas for watercolour, by the way: I've never done that, and most people don't: but it can be done) - well, if you're starting out to intermediate (and I would always yield to Alan Owen's advice here) I'd try 140lb Bockingford, which you can get in loose packs, or glued or wire-bound in pads: if you get a glued pad, it saves you any worries about stretching the paper or cockling. Or The Langton is a good, basic watercolour paper, offered in blocks. You CAN get 'practice paper' - but I think I'd find that so frustrating that I'd give up rather quickly. Only you can decide when you're ready to move on to high quality paper, which will likely be made of cotton rag rather than wood-pulp - I would say when you've reached a level of proficiency but feeling you can't go any further with the paper you're currently using.
Posted
I have been using the Loxley canvas boards since they can be bought in packs from flea-bay and because they are thin don't take up too much storage space. I don't know what other peoples thoughts are on the pros and cons of these versus canvas but I think they seem a good option.
I did do some on cheap canvas's from China but the artists quality ones were much better, they have deep frames and feel much more robust than the cheaper ones but still didn't break the bank because they were small sized, I wouldn't know what reasonably sized reasonable quality ones cost.
Posted
I'm using canvas boards more and more just lately. They are so convenient, particularly when painting outdoors with say a pochard box. I've mainly used the W&N artist's quality boards, but over the last six months or so I have been buying the Gerstaecker brand from Great Art. Obviously of German origin so no surprise that the quality is spot-on, equal to the W&N boards. I've also used Loxley in the past with no problems.
You really need something with a thickness of 3mm, which most of the decent brands seem to be - even at the 24 x 30in size I have no problem on my H-frame easel in the studio. Any larger and I revert to my preferred Daler Rowney stretched canvas. (never buy cheap stretched canvas).
GA have just had a 20% extra discount sale (on top of their already discounted prices), so I've stocked up with a few hundred pounds worth of the Gerstaecker ones, a variety of sizes including a fair few smaller sizes for when the weather gets warmer and I'm out and about on my travels. Enough boards I hope, to see me into the summer months and maybe beyond, depending on how inspired I get!
Talking of the Daler Rowney stretched canvasses, I negotiated a price with Richard Bromley of Ken Bromley Art Supplies last year, He gave me a really good discount on 50 of the 24 x 30in ones, so if you want to buy a bulk quantity, it's always worth a telephone call!
Posted
Continuing on the same theme, I've just had part one of my two scheduled deliveries from Great Art. As well as the Gerstaecker boards, I also ordered a selection of Clairefontaine natural canvas boards. 75% cotton 25% polyester. They are a natural beige colour and have a transparent coating or primer I suppose it is. The grain looks slightly coarser than the others but with them already having a colour, I am hoping to paint straight on top, without, as I normally have to do, wipe over a colour wash to kill off the white. I can't paint on a white canvas.
Has anyone tried them?. I'll give one a trial run in the morning and see how we get on with them. I'll pop it on the gallery if anyone's interested in having a laugh. I've ordered about 30 or so of these so they will have to work! If they are a bit course, I will have to put a coat of gesso on top, but that wasn't the idea.