There can be nothing better than a canvas that can capture our imagination and create a masterpiece that becomes a memory to be cherished forever. But while using a canvas there are certain issues that artists may face and one issue is the wrinkles on thesurface of the canvas (if folded).
Now we breakdown How to Flatten aPaint by Number Canvas.
In this piece, we will talk about how to overcome this issue and how to flatten apaint by number canvas. But wait a minute, what is apaint by number canvas?
To understand that, let us first understand a little more aboutCanvas and their types .
What is Canvas?
[amazon box="B09NRJMCH2"]Canvas is a fabric that is woven plainly and is made out to be of a very sturdy nature. The canvas is sturdy enough and is made to ensure that they always stand the test of time and can be preserved for a long time.
Canvas fabric material is so strong that it is also now used to make backpacks, tents, sails, and marquees. It is also durable enough that make every good canvas shoes. But, canvas is best used when it is used as the painter’s work space.
Painting on Canvas is preferred by most artists owing to the simple reason that the paints used dry and bind well to the fabric and last really long. Thecanvas fabric is stretched and attached to a frame which may be wooden or nowadays they may even be made from other materials.
The canvas is coated with a fine coat so that theoil of the oil paints do not destroy the fabric and cause it to decay. This coating is usually made of synthetic latex coating, which helps thepaints to bind and keeps the oil to seep through.
[caption id="attachment_14814" align="alignleft" width="1024"] Types of Canvas [/caption]
Coming to thetypes of canvas available , there are various types of canvases available and the most popular types are of either cotton or linen. The cotton canvases are further of two types which are either plain or duck variety. So, what’s the difference between the two – the plain cottoncanvas is normally woven while the duck canvases are more tightly woven.
You can feel a difference in the texture of the two when you touch them. The plain cotton canvas would be smoother to touch than the duck canvas.
The Duckcanvas has a comparatively rough surface and artists usually prefer rough surfaces to paint as the paint binds and fills well in the threads. Plain cotton canvases are still the favorites of artists who are pros in theart of classic painting styles.
Types Of Canvas Explained
[amazon box="B07MZF7L79"]The other type that is the linen canvases which is made from the fibers of a flax plant. Since the process of extraction of linen is comparatively complex, they are also more expensive than cotton canvases. But despite the high price, linen canvases are the canvases that are most preferred by many accomplished artists.
Linen is a better surface to paint on since it retains the natural oils that makes the fiber flexible thereby protects thepaint on the canvas from breaking off or cracking.
It is therefore, you will find linen to be used for archival uses and forcreating artwork that is to be placed in museums or as an item of interest of high-end painting collectors.
Apart from the above two most popular types of canvas, there are other synthetic types as well that are nowadays available. Cotton is a good material to makecanvas fabric but it is not water resistant.
To overcome this, cotton is blended with synthetic fibers so that the resultant surface becomes water resistant and even water proof. It is therefore a choice of many artists who love to preserve and protect their work from any future water damage.
Now that we have seen the type of canvas fabric materials let us now find out more about paint by number canvas.
What is Paint by Number Canvas and How to Flatten a Paint by Number Canvas?
Painting is an art and it is the creation of an artist. The quality of apainting by and large depends on the artist not what the canvas is made up of. Andlearning to paint is not a one-day affair. It takes time to master the art as in the case of every other art.The Paint By Number approach is apainting methodology developed to help the beginners learn to paint. Using apaint by number canvas even a beginner can paint a painting that looks to be created by a professional artist.
In this system, an outline of a picture is drawn on a plain canvas or a surface. The picture is divided into shapes and portionsnumbered with a specific number. Each number represents aspecific color .
The colorkit with number is separately available. So, all the budding artist needs to do is pick up the brush and pick up the color as per the given number and color the area numbered as such.
This Paint By Number approach is used in the paint by number kits that contain the paint by number canvases andcorresponding colors . These are a very helpfulkit for the budding painters and artists who wish to learn painting either for fun or to accomplish themselves as a painter.
These kits are available on Amazon. Buy one now:
But, there is one issue that all theseartists that use canvas to paint face. The issue is these canvases develop wrinkles and that may make itdifficult to paint . These are fabrics after all and they are bound to develop wrinkles. So, coming back to the initial question – how to flatten them or make them wrinkle free.How to Flatten the Paint by Number Canvas?
Often the canvases are of huge sizes and they need to be rolled for transportation or storage. Even if you are using thecanvas and try to fix it on your frame , it may still develop wrinkles even by normal handling.So how do you flatten the canvas and remove the wrinkles? Before that how do you flatten or make your clothes wrinkle free? Did that ring any bells?
You guessed it right. Themethods of flattening the canvas is more or less the same that you use to make your clothes wrinkle free along with a few other methods which are listed below:
1. Iron Your Canvas
[amazon box="B08LMJ77WW"]You might want to try to usewater and steam while ironing your paint by number canvas. But, doing that may destroy the print on the canvas. So, you better not. Instead, resort to plain ironing and press the iron hard against the canvas to remove the wrinkles.
Pressing the iron hard against the wrinkles would ensure that the wrinkles go off without using any water or steam. That is pretty much we do when we remove the wrinkles off our clothes as well.
2. Make your Canvas Tight
When putting them up on a frame, ensure that they are stretched and held as tight as possible. This ensures the canvas is smooth and tight and the last wrinkles are gone as well. Do this by holding thecanvas tightly until it is fully stretched and looks absolutely smooth and wrinkle-free.3. Iron using a Damp Cloth
Many times trying to get the wrinkles out may be difficult. You may have to use water to remove the wrinkles and you would not want to do that. So what do you do? The best thing is to remove the wrinkles from the flip-side. Make the canvas lay face down, then place a damp cloth over it and iron it. You will see that the wrinkles vanish like magic.4. Do Not Always Roll Them
Make sure that you are not always rolling them too much when you store them. Rolling them to store them may develop wrinkles on the surface of the canvas.We advise that you keep them flat and on frames as much as possible. Yes, you may have to roll them again and carry them while you are on the go. But if you do, you will have to start the process of flattening them all over again.
How to Flatten a Paint by Numbers Canvas - The Conclusion
In conclusion, we can say thatPaint By Number canvases are the best for people who wish to learn to paint. Even for someone who is a pro and who wants to createmasterpieces . One issue in terms of wrinkles is a matter of concern with many artists.Use this piece to understand the nature of canvases that youpaint on and ways to flatten and make them wrinkle free. Get your own paint by number kit fromLedgebay onAmazon and venture into a world of beautiful creativity.