Other > Hints and Tips

Why these canvases are so cheap.

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thegrindre:
I've mentioned elsewhere on the forums that Micheal's sell their own art supplies called Artist's Loft.
Their gesso is only $6.99 for a 16 oz. jar.
Their normal selling price for their canvases is $19.99 a pack.
My 8x10's come 10 to a pack. Their 9x14's come 7 to a pack and so forth. They put them on sale for half that on occasion and is what I bought for $1 a canvas. Yup, $9.99 a pack.
I've just discovered that they are NOT triple primed. I'm not so sure they are even double primed.

While trying to smooth the imposto effects on a painting of mine for re-painting, I had chipped off a chunk of paint revealing the canvas underneath. I could see through the canvas so I turned it over to notice bare cotton canvas un-primed. I then grabbed the other 19 I bought and looked at their backs. All had bare canvas.
I'm not complaining but just wanted to let everyone know that these will need to be primed with more gesso before you use them.

This now raises questions in my mind. What about the bare canvas underneath the stretcher bars? How do I go about getting that primed as well? Will my canvases rot later down the road in years if that part of the canvas is not primed?

 :thankyou:

nolan:
If you use box canvasses then it's best to either buy the triple primed canvasses or seal the back yourself with a gesso

thegrindre:
I can't afford $6 or more for a canvas just to end up throwing it away as I practice!  :heeha:
That's one of my questions. How do I go about priming under the stretcher bars?
Is there some trick to it or some secret as to how?

 :thankyou:

dennis:
If you have triple primed the canvas front, sides (sometimes the small overlap at the back) then that is all that is necessary to ensure that your painting will more than outlast your lifetime.

It is not necessary to triple or even double prime the back. One coat will be enough just for that extra protection if you live in a humid environment. This stops mould forming on the back, as sometimes happens on bare canvas.

nolan:
you don't have to prime under the bars, just paint right up to and against them is fine

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