What is the difference between linen and canvas

The surface texture of linen makes it perfect for oil and acrylic paint, as both mediums need a slight surface texture to adhere to the surface. In order to paint on canvas, be it cotton or linen, the fabric first needs to be stretched around wooden bars, then primed ready for paint. There are many ready made options available to artists who want a surface that they can take out of the box and paint straight onto.

The preparation process for raw canvas is the same, despite whether you are working with linen or cotton. If you buy a ready made canvas, make sure you read the product description. It will tell you if gesso has been applied already or not. Choose to paint with acrylic or oil on universally primed canvases.

For a smoother surface, which is better for painting in fine detail, sand your primed canvas with fine tooth sandpaper, then apply a few extra coats of gesso. Professional painters often opt to buy linen canvas as it is more sturdy and hard wearing, however it can be more expensive. Fewer brands supply linen canvases. You can opt to buy fabric yourself, then stretch and prime it. Painters who do this like the control they have over the outcome of their painting substrate.

Operator error, no doubt! So after much research, I discovered Beva Film. That is working much better for me. Happy painting, Camille.

A good tip, Camille — thanks! I want to be a linen snob! I have found some nice linen that has been sized already 2x but not primed. Can I prime it without stretching it again as it is on a big roll. What if you cut off a small piece, mount it to a panel or stretch onto stretcher bars, then prime it and see what happens?

Is anyone else out there a linen snob? Richard Oversmith May 21, Reply. Dan Schultz May 21, Reply. Kathy Cousart May 21, Reply. Dan May 21, Reply. Michael Patterson July 5, Reply. Dan Schultz June 5, Reply. Jill Case August 9, Reply. Dan Schultz August 9, Reply. Dan Schultz April 6, Reply. Michael Baum January 16, Reply. Susan Harris January 16, Reply. Dan Schultz January 16, Reply. Rita Cirillo January 17, Reply.

Dan Schultz January 17, Reply. Dan Schultz January 19, Reply. Juliana February 24, Reply. Dan Schultz February 24, Reply. Dan November 15, Reply. Kathleen Weber December 22, Reply. Dan Schultz December 22, Reply.

Jan April 13, Reply. Mark April 11, Reply. Dan Schultz April 12, Reply. Mark April 14, Reply. Michelle June 16, Reply. Dan Schultz September 23, Reply. Sue Messerly December 18, Reply. Dan Schultz December 18, Reply. Wendy January 2, Reply. Dan Schultz January 4, Reply. Nicolette June 20, Reply. Dan Schultz June 20, Reply.

Kristen June 7, Reply. Dan Schultz June 7, Reply. Adam June 22, Reply. Julia July 2, Reply. Dan Schultz July 3, Reply. Rita Pacheco March 30, Reply. Dan Schultz March 30, Reply. A properly prepared cotton canvas will last a long time, and is the most popular surface for oil and acrylic painting, especially among students — although it is considered too flexible for very large paintings.

It is classified according to its weight and surface texture. When it comes to tightness, cotton comes out on top. It is possible to stretch cotton tighter than linen without straining the wooden support around the canvas, and a heavy-grade cotton can make up for its lack of strength and weight. Linen is strong and durable, and remains the preferred surface for many artists. But it is expensive. It is made from the fibres of the flax plant and top quality flax is harvested mainly in Western Europe.

If you want your painting to last then a linen canvas is a sound investment. The threads that make up linen, known as the warp and weft threads, weigh the same, which means they are less prone to expansion or contraction due to moisture.

A variety of textures and weights are available in both rough and smooth finishes. Because of its strength, linen holds up to a heavy painting hand and does not become slack as easily as cotton canvas. Priming your canvas by applying a layer or two of gesso to the surface, whether cotton or linen, will help in a number of ways. The white layer of gesso — one of the most popular primers — beneath the visible surface of a painting has the effect of making all the colours in the painting a little brighter.

An unprimed canvas can also soak up all the paint, causing some of it to disappear into the canvas or clot up on the surface of it. If you are going to prime a cotton canvas and want to use either oil or acrylic colour then an acrylic gesso primer is generally used.

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