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As we say on the Isle of Wight - Whoppin' gurt canvas
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Message
Posted
I have unpacked, and you know, I may even use, a 60cm by 80cm canvas: not sure what that is in real measurements. I rarely - make that almost never - paint to that size; I couldn't even work out how to adjust my easel to take it at first (embarrassing stupidity..). It'll have to be an acrylic, because it's not a particularly high-grade canvas, and oil paint on it could crack. If I ever get round to finishing it, or starting it, for that matter, it'll be the biggest canvas I've used for 50 years. It will at least test my theory that big paintings are easier to do than small ones, and possibly expose it as taradiddle; we'll see. If you see nothing from me for a while, you'll know why, then.
Why, I hear you ask, did you take on so Herculean a task? Well, I'll tell you. I was given the canvas some years ago, by an artist who was gravely ill and, very sadly, died a little later; and, more prosaically, there's a damp patch on the wall I need to cover. If it turns out as badly as I fear it might, therefore, at least I have a use for it.
Posted
ps - I have another ten of these things.... I promised them to the late Murray Ince, but I'm afraid he joined the rush to the hungry tomb as well: reminded of him just today, when I looked at the forum and saw a link to an article on gouache; it was written by Murray: he was a very popular tutor on the Isle of Wight, and is very much missed by all of us; a funny, wise, and lovely man. He and I agreed to differ on water-miscible oil paints - I think they're horrible, he founded a society in praise of them: not a lot of room for compromise there, but we didn't come to blows over it! I did tell him he could paint a good picture with a mix of tea and candle-wax, and perhaps that helped.
Whoever said the good die young had that right - I'm still alive, by the way: which must tell you something. Anyway - reading Murray's article again I commend it to anyone who'd like to paint in gouache; an attractive medium, and Murray was extremely good with it. He was encouraging me over a picture of mine I didn't think had worked around a week before he was taken ill and died.
Posted
I’ve painted a few larger canvasses this year…. Fancied a challenge and hoped it would help me to loosen up my paint style a bit (it didn’t..). 80cm tall is the largest I’ve tackled. It’s more of an issue fitting it into my tiny (and cluttered) painting space than it is painting on it. Someone gave me a giant drawing board (on adjustable stand) last year. I use that as an easel as it’s so much easier to turn the painting sideways or upside down when I need to.
I’ve never tried gouache, as yet. Maybe you should paint your whopping’ girt canvas in gouache 😀
Posted
Gurt, not girt. We have to get these words right......
I wouldn't paint with gouache on a stretched canvas, because it will crack if flexed. I know people do, and of course paper is also flexible; but the degree of flex matters; I'll have to read Murray's article again.
I am also extremely restricted in painting space, and wondering how I'm going to manage a canvas of this size - I should hire a studio, but, you know - mean as tongs....
Posted
You'll enjoy it Robert, just get a big brush and get stuck in! I did a canvas last year that size and it was most fun I've had in ages. I paint in my kitchen (sorry, studio....) and could barely move but I managed. The hardest bit is starting because that big white expanse is staring at you but as soon as there is paint on it you're in control and the enjoyment kicks in.
Posted
That’s a nice medium size canvas, medium for me at least - just a nice size to express yourself, and yes, you do need to scale up your brushes…but you know that!
Get rid of that white canvas with a watery wash of neutral grey acrylic, a cloth or strong kitchen paper is best for this…(Blitz), draw out your composition, and then rapidly block in some areas of tone, or colour, or preferably both, again using a cloth etc… within 30 minutes or less the canvas can be transformed!
Only at this stage would I be getting the brushes out…
That’s how I would tackle it, Robert is equally as experienced and will have his own way of proceeding!
My choice these days is to work on 50 x 60cm Belle Arti canvas MDF boards, I find them extremely good quality and a manageable size. I have used 1000 x 1200cm stretched canvas in the past, many times in fact, but I find that size far too big these days.
Posted
This got me thinking about canvas and surfaces in general. I expect the cheaper manufacturers (ie best I can afford) have a bulk amount of canvas material they use for all sizes of stretchers/boards. Thus the weave size to stretcher size is very large for small frames, but just about right for the mahoosive (equivalent to gurt) type that you have Robert.
Would be interesting to have a thread (sorry!) on surfaces - their pros & cons etc. I looked online at the various outlets and in the end got bewildered by the choices: linen, cotton, plywood, clay, aluminium, mdf... then sealants, gessos, primers.
Possibly this is what puts freshers off oils. Or perhaps its horses for courses?
Posted
Norette - I think a thread on surfaces would be helpful because I have meandered from canvas on board , through stretched canvas to plywood and MDF over a long period . I confess that I havn't picked a brush for a while due to problems of space and storage , soon to be resolved , so In some ways I feel I shall be starting again from scratch . One question I have is whether to use a smooth surface if doing a painting with small details as I have found in the past that a canvas can distort my small brush strokes .
Stephen Weight
Posted
Stephen… if you’re after crisp, sharp edges to your detailed brush strokes, then a smoother surface would obviously help here.
Can I suggest that you try these Belle Arti MDF boards from Jackson’s, but with a fine linen cover instead of the canvas that I buy.
Alternatively, use a 3mm piece of MDF with a couple of coats of acrylic gesso applied - sanded down between coats with an 800 grit sandpaper!
Posted
I use an old Harris housepainter's brush for applying washes of acrylic over large areas; slightly different technique with oil, because I don't use solvents, and the paint is stiffer - a very, very slight addition of Linseed oil helps, but rub it off, blot it off, "Tonk" it off before painting on it. A thread on surfaces might well be useful - e.g., I'd like to know if anyone has used Aluminium based surfaces, and how they've found them.
A while ago, I thought (this has to be age!) that I'd never used the Belle Arti boards that Alan recommended, then looked at the back of half a dozen or more of my paintings and found that I had (and they were among my best ones). So I entirely endorse what he has to say about them.
Posted
It sounds like you've embarked on quite an artistic endeavor with that large canvas! Working on a canvas of that size can indeed be a different experience compared to smaller ones. It offers a unique opportunity to explore and experiment with your artistic expression.
Your reasons for taking on this project are touching and practical. Honoring the canvas given to you by a fellow artist and using it to cover a damp patch on the wall are both meaningful and practical motivations. Even if the final result doesn't meet your expectations, the process of creating art itself can be deeply fulfilling.
Remember that art is a journey, and each piece, regardless of its size or outcome, contributes to your growth and creativity as an artist. Don't be too hard on yourself, and enjoy the process of working on this canvas. If you ever decide to share your progress or the finished piece, I'm sure many would love to see it. Happy painting!