Painting with watercolor on stretched, wet media canvas.
I've been curious about painting on canvas for a few years now. I'd seen stretched canvas labeled for watercolor and "wet media" on Amazon and other online art stores, but the reviews by artists who paint on paper were uninspiring. Still, I love painting watercolors and presenting my work without glass, so I've remained hopeful that someday, a good watercolor canvas might become available.
I paint on high-quality 300lb cotton paper, usually Arches brand. For my smaller pieces, I typically paint on watercolor blocks, and for my larger pieces, I stretch sheets of paper onto gator board. (Let me know if you want to learn more about that process.) Then, I cut the edges of the painting to fit on a wooden cradled panel, which I've stained or painted in a matching color. Then, I use adhesive to attach the paper to the wood panel, and, finally, spray the surface of the painting with an archival, UV-protectant varnish. This process makes a lovely, glass-free, contemporary display.
I like the finished product I get with this method, but it is a true challenge to properly place larger paintings on their wood panels! I've ruined paintings in the past this way—the painting was just too big to be easily placed flat on the panel before the adhesive began to dry. Ugh and ouch. So, I've avoided painting large, but pre-stretched canvas might be a game-changer for larger paintings.
Recently, I was hosting a First Friday art walk. I met another talented watercolor painter who was generous with her information and resources (but asked not to be mentioned), and I decided to give painting on canvas a whirl.
I purchased a few smaller canvases. I prefer to pay extra for the wider canvas—1.5 to 2 inches deep—so that the paintings can be free-standing or hung on the wall. Then, I set up my paints and...completely screwed up the first painting. Although I knew from my chat and by watching a few YouTube videos about watercolor canvas that the process is different from painting on paper, I had no idea how different it would be! I wish I'd taken a picture. Fortunately, one of the delicious benefits of painting on canvas is that it is erasable. I took a magic eraser to the first painting and cleaned off the mess I'd made. Try that on paper!
So, what is so different about paper versus canvas? Here are my observations. Canvas stays wet longer, so there is more time to mix paint directly on the surface to make the lovely blends and gradients unique to watercolor. But here is the big thing--you get one layer with canvas, maybe two. To get the depth of color and texture I'm used to, I paint multiple layers on paper, starting with a light bottom layer and working up to the darker values. This cannot happen on canvas. Multiple layers don't work well. It's a trade-off. I can paint large and have more time to mix paint onto my layer, but I only get one.
Additionally, I found the stark white of the canvas unpleasant, and I am used to my colors drying a bit lighter on paper. I had to make a lot of adjustments to my techniques. Here is my first (well, second) attempt:
It was a fun experiment, and I learned a lot. I often dream about my art—what I should paint next or an idea for a 3D piece—and that night, I dreamed of using fixative to allow layers on canvas. I did some research online, and a few people have tried it. So I decided to give it a go. I waited for my first layer to dry and sprayed workable fixative over the painting. It helped! I was able to get more of the depth I love with painting on paper. Here is the painting:
Painting on canvas is undoubtedly faster than painting on paper, and it doesn't require as much forethought and planning. The colors are vibrant, and I enjoy the drips that run down the sides of the panels. Watercolor painting is challenging, and starting on canvas could be a way for beginners to have better results as their skills increase. I will continue to paint on canvas, but I won't give up my paper!
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