When it comes to painting, there are all kinds of different surfaces one can paint on. The most popular would be a canvas, which can be made from a variety of materials.
Then, there is the faux canvas, which is becoming more and more popular with artists all the time. This type of canvas is lightweight, making it easier to transport and display.
But, is faux canvas the right type of canvas for your art?
In this post, we will take a look at traditional canvases versus the increasingly popular faux canvas. You will learn about the materials used to make traditional canvases, why faux canvases are popular and more.
Are you ready to learn more about canvases? If so, let’s get started!
Faux Canvas and Canvas Comparison
| Factors | Faux Canvas | Canvas |
|---|---|---|
| Price | An inexpensive option | Prices vary depending on size, format, and material |
| Good for beginners | Yes | Yes |
| Use with most painting mediums | Yes | Yes |
| Strength and durability | Not made to last, tears easily | Can last for many years, resistant to tearing |
| Weight | Very lightweight, less bulky than regular stretched canvas | Lightweight, but bulky |
What is Canvas?
Generally made from cotton, canvas is a woven fabric that is plain, yet very strong and durable. Canvas can also be made from other materials, including linen.
There are many uses for canvas, with it being used to make everything from handbags to boat sails to, of course, painting canvases.
So, how is canvas made? It is a process that involves two sets of threads or yarns being woven together. This creates a very strong material that will take a lot of abuse and that will last for many years.
The weft yarns are woven in alternating patterns, and the warp yarns are woven on top and beneath one another. This creates the durable fabric that we know as canvas, and the thickness of this weave is the determination of the durability of the fabric.
Canvas is so durable that it has long been used to make sails and other items that are used aboard ships. There are weaker canvases, but these don’t hold up as well over the course of many years.
Of course, we are more interested in the fact that canvas is used by artists for painting. Because canvas has such a thick weave, it is impervious to punctures and rips.
This makes canvas an ideal surface for painting on. Thinner materials tend to be much more fragile and will become damaged or degrade over time.
The two most common types of canvas used by artists are made from cotton and linen, with cotton being the most popular. It is widely available at art supplies stores, and you can even find canvases at dollar stores.
I prefer to get mine at art supplies stores because they are pre-treated with gesso, so that is one less step I have to bother with when I want to dive right into painting. Cotton canvas is the most affordable type of canvas for artists because it is lightweight and offers a great painting surface.
Most artists choose stretched canvases because they are ideal for most painting mediums. You can even use watercolors on canvas as long as you first prime the canvas with a watercolor ground.
Stretched canvas has another advantage, which is that it doesn’t need to be framed. The canvas is already on a frame, and you can hang your artwork as soon as the paint dries. If you prefer to use a frame, you may like using canvas panels or canvas boards, which have canvas stretched over rigid boards.
Many artists also like to use linen canvas, because it is a much higher quality than cotton. This is not a canvas that would normally be used by beginner and amateur artists, as it is quite costly.
The fabric used to make linen canvas has a much stiffer texture than cotton, making it an ideal surface for painting.
Pros and Cons of Canvas
Pros
- Ideal painting surface
- Cotton canvas is affordable
- The stretched canvas is ready to hang
- Comes in many sizes and shapes
- Canvas boards are lightweight and easy to transport
Cons
- Linen canvas is expensive
- Stretched canvas is bulky and difficult to transport
- Canvas panels are limited in size and format
- Canvas panels and boards must be framed
What is Faux Canvas?
Faux canvas is basically a fake canvas. It looks and feels like a regular stretched canvas, but the materials used are more like paper than fabric.
In many cases, faux canvas has a lightweight core made of foam. This provides the canvas with some sturdiness, but it is still nowhere near as sturdy as a traditional stretched canvas.
Nevertheless, faux canvas is becoming more and more popular all the time, especially with beginning artists who are on tight budgets. Faux canvas is much less costly than a regular stretched canvas, and it has other benefits.
Faux canvas is extremely lightweight. This makes it much easier to be able to transport this type of canvas so you can enjoy plein air painting, or painting outside of your studio.
This type of canvas is quite resilient, but obviously not nearly as resilient as a canvas made from cotton or linen. I do like the fact that this type of canvas is very lightweight because it makes it easier to hang and display paintings.
In fact, many faux canvases have a peel-and-stick backing, making them even easier to hang. You don’t even need to use nails, which is great if you live in an apartment and are not allowed to put any nail holes in the walls (although I have been guilty of using thumbtacks from time to time).
One of the biggest problems with using a faux canvas is that you can’t expect your paintings to last for several years or decades. Because it is made with lesser-quality materials than a traditional canvas, it is not going to hold up to a lot of wear and tear.
Another drawback is that this type of canvas just doesn’t have the same appearance and feel of a traditional canvas. But, if you don’t have a huge budget for art supplies, you may want to use faux canvases to save money.
Pros and Cons of Faux Canvas
Pros
- Less expensive than traditional canvases
- Lightweight and portable
- Easy to hang
Cons
- Made with less durable materials
- Less luxurious look and feel
- Not meant to last for a long time
Conclusion
With so many different types of canvases available for painting, you should never be at a loss for something to paint on. My preference is to use cotton stretched canvases, mainly because I can get five or six in a package for around $20.
Faux canvases may not be as strong and durable as a traditional stretched canvas, but this doesn’t mean they should be discounted altogether. There are many good reasons to try using this type of canvas, especially for beginners.
Whichever type of canvas you choose, the main goal is to have fun painting.
Sari Green is a semi-professional artist and professional writer. She has been hosting paint & sip parties for the past couple of years, and truly enjoys helping other people to create their very own masterpieces. She loves to create, and you never know what she’s going to come up with next!