Painting or Drawing on Canvas Ideas

Canvas is a wonderful support medium for painting and drawing because it is easy to form into project-specific shapes such as rectangles or ovals, its texture provides an extra dimension to the final product, and the weight of the material can easily hold a lot of paint or charcoal. Canvas also responds well to glues and varnishes, making it an ideal base for innovative collages or mixing media. Here are a few basic ideas of how to optimize canvas, however, the most important idea is to be creative because canvas is very versatile.

Painted landscapes work extremely well on canvas because it is possible to create three-dimensional pieces on it. Canvas material can very easily support a building up of heavy paint like oil. This allows the artist to make certain aspects pop out of the landscape like a doorknob that is rounded off the canvas, a hay roof that has layers of thatch marks in it, or waves that are literally rolling on top of the ocean. Canvas paintings also allow the artist to wrap the landscape around the edges of the canvas, which removes the need for a formal frame.

Portraits also look wonderful on canvas as the painter can play with paint thickness in various areas of visual field to accentuate lightness and darkness. Thick paint around the mouth of the subject can help portray full or pouty lips, while a forehead with a sparse paint area shows light hitting the subject. The natural texture of canvas also can provide an interesting background instead of just a solid matte color.

Drawing maps on canvas background is a very effective way to create an aged or antique look. Covering the canvas with sepia or off-white stain can help create this look. The canvas's natural imperfections will enhance the feel of the piece, especially when coupled with a florid compass design or Latin text. A black or brown ink pen should be used to trace over the penciled design.

Bold oil or acrylic flower studies in the style of Georgia O'Keefe work very well on canvas because canvas does not bleed. Unlike paper stock, canvas will not run colors together, allowing the artist to place precise colors next to one another without fear of their muddling together. Because canvas can hold thick paint easily, flower studies that require streaks of white or light colors on top of darker bases work effortlessly.

Canvas is also a great support medium for texture projects using paint or charcoal. Handprints will show both the details of the skin's lines as well as the fine cross hatching of the canvas underneath. Similarly, leaf impressions, stamp imprints and even thin meshes or laces covered in paint on canvas will stand out and be supported easily.