Tips for Painting on Canvas

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Tips for Painting on Canvas

Posted by Randy Triplett on Wednesday April 09, @12:02AM
from the having-fun- dept.

Ever consider painting a mural or banner that can be portable and go with you wherever you May roam? This article offers great cost saving tips and practical steps to take when painting a banner or hanging mural using Canvas.

If you are considering decorating a room you may want to look at painting on canvas as an option. It is durable and portable. You can take it with you if you ever move. You can also design a scene on several smaller banners, so that they can be changed periodically to create a new look, without having to go through all the hard work again. Here are some tips on working with canvas:

Canvas is sold at your local fabric shop under the name of "Duck Cloth" or "Duck Canvass". It will come in two different weights. I use the heavier weight. It is not heavier than blue jeans but is a nice weight for longevity and durability. Duck cloth comes in a variety of widths; 48 in., 60 in., and 72 in. and in 33 yard lengths. I purchase the 72 in. width.

After I determine the size of the banner (example: 10 feet x 8 feet) and add another 1 to 2 feet in width, to allow for shrinking. Any associate at the fabric store should be able to help you figure out how many yards of material you will need. Then I take it to a local upholstery shop and have it sewn professionally. They will sew two pieces together. If the size of the banner is greater than 72 in, always have them so it horizontally, it's easier to hide the seem this way. I have them sew a 1 in. hem around the entire piece, then I have a 1.1/2 in. loop sewn at the top of the banner to accommodate a rods to hang the banner from and one at the bottom to support the base.

Curtain rods purchased from your local home improvement store can hang smaller banners. When the banner is greater than the length of a curtain rod then I use electrical conduit. Conduit comes in 10 ft. lengths and can be connected together. I use the 1 in. diameter. The average cost for a piece of 10 ft. conduit is $2.00. The bottom loop is designed to help keep the banner as flat as possible. On occasion I have a request for a banner greater than 8 ft wide. If the banner width is greater than 8 ft. I have them sew a gap in the middle of the top of the banner. This provides an opening for you to connect the two pieces of conduit together.

Duck cloth is 100% cotton and will shrink around a foot. When you are ready to paint, hang the canvass by the rods you have chosen. Don't be concerned with any wrinkles because 95% of them will come out once you prime the canvass. Once it is hung and ready to be painted prime the canvass with latex primer, I use Kiltz2. Use a paint roller to roll on an even amount of primer over the canvass. If needed come back with a brush to get any areas the roller missed. This will be the shrinking agent. I have had an 18 ft. banner shrink 14 in. in width. Once the primer has dried it is ready to have a mural painted on it.

When completely finished I allow the banner to hang for 2 days before I prepare to move it. I never recommend folding a banner of any size. If it is going to be stored I recommend storing it by hanging it on a wall somewhere. If this is not possible, then get a cardboard tube from your local carpet store, cut it a few inches longer than the banner and roll the banner, paint side in, around the roll. This is only a temporary storage solution. If you have any questions or would like to find out more on decorating you may contact Randy Triplett at www.painteroffun.com.

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Re: Tips for Painting on Canvas
by Kim Davis on Thursday April 24, @01:48PM

Thank you for your article on painting on canvas.

I am a crafter who paints furniture. I would like to paint a mural on canvas to hang in my canopy at my outdoor craft shows. I am concerned about the weather. What product do you recomend to seal my mural to repel water / sunlight, etc...

Thanks for your help.

Kim

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Re: Tips for Painting on Canvas
by Carla on Saturday March 12, @11:04AM

Use and out-door non-yellowing polyurethane. Several coats. After this, you will litterally be able to walk on it. This is the process I use for floor cloths.

[ Reply to this ]

Re: Tips for Painting on Canvas
by Tammy Morningstar on Friday November 04, @10:51AM

Here’s some information on our company and our website is listed as well. We are in Fayetteville, Georgia and manufacture all of our coated rolls here at our plant. Usually all products are in stock and can ship same day (if you order early in am), or by following day. I have a local distributor that I go through so there is no sales tax on your order and you can order any amount of rolls you need…one to ??? Let me know what you think. Thank you.

I represent BF Inkjet Media, Inc. in Fayetteville, Georgia.

We attended PRINT ’05 in Chicago and had a wonderful show! We are now preparing for PMA 2006 in Orlando,(February).

Please view our website at www.bfinkjet.com. We have a variety of products that permit you to do your inkjet printing on. Our material(s) are an excellent choice for signs, banners, posters, art giclees, portraitures, etc… The website shows the products, their spec sheets and an ink compatibility chart as well.

We are a family run organization that takes great pride in each and every product we manufacture. We are also the principal patent holder for the technology that facilitates inkjet receptive coatings on both canvas and vinyl.

If you have an interest, a question or would like to visit our company please do not hesitate to contact me. I will be happy to send any sheet samples for you to review as well.

Also, available are sample rolls of each product for $15.00 each.

If I can help you in any way please do not hesitate to call or email.

Thank you for your time.

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Re: Tips for Painting on Canvas
by Shelby on Friday August 20, @06:59AM

Randy,
Hi, I'm trying to do a small project such as painting on canvass, but it not quite canvass, it's more like material in a canvass texture and also the color on the look takes on a canvass effect, but it has no where near the weight or thickness. I'm going to TRY and paint some palm trees and the ocean and maybe a light sunset. So with that in mind, what kind of paint would you reccommend and I read the part about the primer but is there anything I should put on afterward to keep the paint from cracking and peeling. Or if I use the right paint will it not do that at all. Any advice would surely be appreciated. Thank you for your time!
Shelby Dugan

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Re: Tips for Painting on Canvas
by yvonne on Wednesday November 10, @10:30AM

i would like to know if you have any recommendations for painting canvas to be used for roller shades. i'm concerned about rolling the shade and the effect it will have on the art work.

any advise would be appreciated.

thanks in advance.

[ Reply to this ]

Re: Tips shrinking canvas
by terrence on Tuesday November 23, @04:56PM

i have a table to use for clay work.
the canvas i stretched across while wet
needs to be shrunk[i don't want to remove all the staples...ouchy].how can i shrink this canvas pleassssssssssssse.
ty.
terrence

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Re: Tips for Painting on Canvas
by Kris on Tuesday May 10, @04:47PM

What kinds of paint do you use to paint a canvas?

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Re: Tips for Painting on Canvas
by eva on Tuesday January 24, @11:30PM

i hear acrylic works fine. it comes cheap too, less than a dollar a bottle. course, this is probably a little costly if you're painting a gigantic mural.

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