how do I prep a canvas for oil painting?

Answer 1

Hey Lynn,

Here is a web site that describes the process for stretching and using gesso to prep the surface, if not using another style (i.e. staining).

"Both cotton and linen come primed and unprimed. Unprimed means that the fabric has not had the undercoat of priming material necessary before you can paint on it; however some artists have chosen to paint on unprimed canvas, calling their work 'stained' canvas; perhaps because they prefer the natural color to the harsh white of gesso, the priming material most commonly used. Primed canvas, then, means that the canvas can be bought from a roll of fabric with the necessary gesso priming already on it. Or, you can do the priming yourself, with either commercially prepared gesso, or with rabbit skin glue, a more complicated process which involves mixing and heating the rabbit skin glue. I won't cover the process for rabbit skin glue here; it is a process which needs to be done correctly, otherwise at some point its surface will crack, before or after the painting has been finished. Professional artists generally prefer to buy canvas unprimed, and prime it themselves. I feel that primed canvas has a too-smooth finish, and lacks the natural feel of unprimed. " - more at the site