Help preparing a canvas

[Shepherdess]

I have to prepare my canvas to put my felt piece on. I always see people gesso a canvas. why do you do that? do I need to do it? I am thinking a small can of latex paint is what I will use to paint it. will I be able to sew through it without damaging the paint? I have never mounted a felt piece before.

[MTRuth]

The gesso covers the cloth of the canvas so the paint will go on smoothly and not sink into the canvas. It allows for better color saturation etc. If you are doing a solid color with latex paint, you probably won't need to gesso the canvas. You should be able to make a hole through without damaging the paint and your holes should be behind your felt piece anyways so they won't show. How big is it? If it's fairly small, you'll just need to do a couple of holes at each corner otherwise you'll need more holes for a bigger piece of felt to be supported well.

[Shepherdess]

thanks Ruth. Its a big piece. its 16x24. I was planning to sew all across the top. a couple of stitched down the sides and an few across the bottom. and the corners of course.

[zed]

Most bought/prestretched canvases come already primed, if it feels chalky, it probably already is. Would the latex not just peel off?

[Pandagirl]

I was curious, too, why you chose latex Ann. Gesso would give it a matte surface the felt might hang on to a little better. Is it a color choice?

[Shepherdess]

I only say latex because it's what is most available. would oil be better? I am open to suggestions. yes I want the canvas to be coloured. White is to stark.

[Pandagirl]

I think oil would take forever to dry. Stick to the latex if that's what you have. Maybe try a patch in the middle that would be covered and see how it looks and feels.

[MTRuth]

I don't think the latex will peel off. I have used it before to paint on canvas and it worked fine. I think acrylics would be the easiest but if you don't have those, go with what you do have. A sample as Marilyn suggested would be a good idea.

[MTRuth]

P.S. Spray paint might also be an option.

[lyn]

I use acrylic paint (slightly watered down) on stretched canvas.

If you don't put anything on the canvas, you'll find it marks easily and the marks don't wipe off.

You don't have to paint the whole canvas - work out where your felt will be - you don't have to paint under it because no-one will see! A large piece of felt may cover three-quarters of the canvas and that's a lot of unnecessary painting.

[Shepherdess]

Good point Lyn, most of it will be covered.

[zed]

Spray paint is a really good idea, you can get good undercoat colours. Do you want it shiny or matt? I have some acrylic paints that are more matt, I mix them with my other acrylics for painting backgrounds, and especially for picture frames. Even 'school' or 'squeezy' paint could be useful, the powdered or ready mixed stuff, for making acrylics less shiny.

[Shepherdess]

I will have to go steel some paint chips and spend sometime picking the colour from the ones you sent me Zed. I toap or beige seemed to look best.

[zed]

You could take a couple of canvases to the DIY/hardware places, act like you're thinking of re-decorating and ask if they could spray/paint them for you as a sample so you can decide which colour you want to use

[Shepherdess]

Its a pretty big canvas to be that cheeky with Zed. I am going to go get a bunch of colour cards in the right colour range and then figure it out. My hubby says I should ask $500 for it so I guess I shouldn't be to cheap with the finishing. I haven't decided if I will be that bold yet.