Most students start painting on Cotton Duck canvas (ground) because it’s the cheapest, but it is also much more difficult because the paint just sits on top of the canvas rather than sinking in. If you’ve never painted on anything else, you won’t realize this. As such, it is much more difficult to fix mistakes or paint a second or third layer into a first layer.

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I don’t mind if you use Cotton Duck, but you may find it easier if you don’t. Linen canvas is more expensive, but much easier to paint on.

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Masonite is cheaper and much easier to paint on. I paint my cityscapes on masonite and my portraits on linen.

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Linen - comes in pre-stretched canvases you can buy from an art supply store that are ready to paint on. It also comes in unstretched rolls of either primed (ready to paint on) or unprimed (needing to be gessoed).

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You can paint on unstretched canvas as long as it is primed and supported by something. I staple gun or duct tape it to a drawing board. You can then stretch the canvas if you want to put it up on a wall or leave it unstretched.

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Masonite - This is hardboard you can buy at Home Depot in sheets of 24” x 48”. They will cut it for you, or you can cut it yourself.

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You can also buy hardboard or linen panels that are primed and ready to paint on at the art supply store.

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Gesso - If your canvas/masonite hasn’t been primed, you must apply at least 3 coats of Gesso to the side you’ll be painting on. Make sure that you apply it smoothly so you’re not painting into ridges of dried paint.

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If you’re painting on Masonite, gesso the back as well so that it doesn’t warp.

Tone - If you paint on white ground, all of your colors will look too dark. You want to paint on something neutral like a middle grey or tan. You can put a coat of acrylic paint over the gesso or mix it in with your third coat of gesso. This will dry in a few minutes and will make for a great tone on which to paint.

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