F.A.Q.s: Canvas & Linen

• Which is better, cotton or linen canvas?
  
• Is it cheaper to stretch my own canvas vs. buying pre-stretched?
  
• Are canvas boards OK for permanent, finished paintings?
  
• I have to ship a painting, and it needs to come off the stretchers. What's the best way to roll it for shipment?
  
• My canvas went loose and slack on the stretchers. How do I fix it? Do I need to re-stretch it?
  
• Are staples or tacks better for stretching canvas? Should I tack on the sides or back?
  
• The label on my pre-stretched canvas says “acrylic primed”; does this mean I can only use it for acrylics?
  
• The numbering of the weights of canvas is confusing. Are higher numbers heavier weights, or vice versa?
  
• How do I remove wrinkles from my canvas?

Q: Which is better, cotton or linen canvas?
A: The choice of cloth support for your painting depends on the nature of your work. Scale, budget, desired surface and formality of the subject are all factors. Cotton duck is more economical than the best linen, and is generally available in wider rolls for monumental scale. Cotton duck has a very regular weave and light, creamy color. All varieties of Utrecht cotton duck are suitable for permanent painting.
Belgian Linen has been the first choice of fine artists for centuries. Fine linen lends formality to commissioned portraits and other ceremonial subjects (formal portraits are almost always painted on linen). Flax (linen) fibers are much longer and stronger than cotton; linen cloth shrinks more than cotton when sized/primed, but may tend to become more slack later. Linen is available in surfaces ranging from extremely smooth (suitable for portraits) to rough, textural varieties which impart a rich, organic look to paint surfaces and break up brush strokes for great effect when viewed at a distance. Belgian linen is a great choice for artists who prefer to use materials produced with environmentally sustainable farming and processing techniques.

Q: Is it cheaper to stretch my own canvas vs. buying pre-stretched?
A: Depending on how many you are preparing at once, stretching canvas in studio can be more economical than buying pre-stretched. However, the best reasons to prepare canvas in-studio are to get your canvases just the way you like them, in exactly the sizes you want, using the precise weight and surface of canvas you want. If you are just stretching a single canvas, there probably will not be any price advantage over buying a prepared one. Back to Top.

Q: Are canvas boards OK for permanent, finished paintings?
A: All Utrecht brand canvas panels are suitable for permanent painting (this is not necessarily true of other brands). Our original cotton duck canvas boards are made using sugarcane bagasse particle board, an acid-free board made from agricultural waste. Genuine cotton duck is acrylic primed and mounted using archival heat-activated adhesive. Our best quality linen painting panels are constructed of hardboard for permanence and strength, and covered with genuine Belgian linen. Both can be used for finished art. Back to Top.

Q: I have to ship a painting, and it needs to come off the stretchers. What's the best way to roll it for shipment?
A: Any time a canvas is removed from the stretchers there is a chance the artwork could be damaged. However, when rolling up a painting cannot be avoided steps can be taken to minimize the chance something could go wrong. Paintings should only be rolled paint side out to avoid compressing the paint film. When removing a canvas from stretchers, it's best to work with the canvas face down, flat on a clean cloth or sheet. Take extreme care not to puncture or tear the canvas; avoid creasing or folding, as the paint may crack. Never allow acrylic painted surfaces to touch other like surfaces or any slick, impermeable material for prolonged periods, as the high adhesive power of acrylics can cause permanent sticking, especially in hot environments. Cover oil paintings with archival glassine sheets (Item No: 39305) (acrylics should be covered with more porous paper to avoid sticking) and roll the canvas around a wide core of cardboard or PVC pipe. Wrap the roll with bubble wrap followed by cardboard thick and strong enough to offer protection from punctures; tape securely. Stuff both both ends with paper or bubble wrap and cap with more cardboard. Make certain the painting does not remain rolled any longer than necessary. Back to Top.

Q: My canvas went loose and slack on the stretchers. How do I fix it? Do I need to re-stretch it?
A: Humidity and vigorous painting technique can cause canvases to lose their tension. Use of stretcher keys (2 at each corner and in the cross braces if present) can restore tightness, but may cause problems fitting the canvas back in its frame. Re-stretch the painting if necessary. As a last resort, Tight 'n' Up spray (Item No: 47829) can be applied to the back of canvases to shrink and re-tension fabric; be aware, however, that wetting and shrinking finished oil paintings can impose stress on the paint film. Proper sizing and using sufficiently heavy canvas during stretching and priming are the most effective measures to promote maximum sustained tension. Back to Top.

Q: Are staples or tacks better for stretching canvas? Should I tack on the sides or back?
A: Both are effective. Staples are convenient and have a low profile for tight fitting frames, but tacks are easier to remove. Side stapling is more effective for maintaining a tight stretch, but back stapling for frameless presentation works fairly well. When applying staples or tacks to thick stretchers, diagonal patterning in pairs is a good way to minimize puckering and scallop-shaped patterns at the edges. The procedure Utrecht recommends is to stretch on the bias to distribute tension diagonally across the weave of the support, which further reduces the problem of puckering at the edges. Back to Top.

Q: The label on my pre-stretched canvas says “acrylic primed”; does this mean I can only use it for acrylics?
A: The word “acrylic” refers to the base of the priming, which will accept oils, acrylics and alkyds equally well. Back to Top.

Q: The numbering of the weights of canvas is confusing. Are higher numbers heavier weights, or vice versa?
A: "Number" weaves, the better quality canvases, are made of double ply yarns which use two threads each from opposite sides of the loom. This method yields canvas of superior strength and density, to retain a good stretch and accept priming well. In grading number-weave canvas, the higher the number, the lighter the canvas, so 14 ¾ ounce is called #10, while number 12 is 11 4/10 ounce fabric.
Single ply (or “single-fill”) duck uses one yarn thread from either side of the loom. #50 Cotton Duck, at 10 ounces per square yard is specially selected to offer an economical option without sacrificing permanence. Back to Top.

Q: How do I remove wrinkles from my canvas?
A: All but the deepest creases will disappear from canvas during sizing and priming. Utrecht Acrylic Canvas Sizing (Item 6326) can be used under acrylic, oil and alkyd primers to protect and further tension fabric and to remove superficial wrinkles. For deeply creased fabric, a garment steamer can remove or reduce deep wrinkles, enough for sizing to remove the remaining irregularities. Do not iron canvas or linen to avoid flattening the nap of the fabric, which is necessary for adhesion of the ground. Back to Top.

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