Using Canvas Boards
Students ask me often if canvas boards are worth messing with, do they get in the way of improving their painting skills, or prevent them from moving ahead. I think canvas boards are great. If you’re starting your painting career you need to cover as much canvas as possible. Buy them by the box and cover hundreds of them. They’re cheap, you can use them and toss them or if you paint something half way decent on one you can soak the back with water and peel the canvas off and glue it to hardboard. The cardboard has acid in it and will eventually damage the canvas. I had a great Uncle that painted in the 20s and 30s, used canvas boards and they’re still in good shape.
When the canvas boards get bigger than 14 x 18 they tend to warp but the smaller ones are great to practice on. You won’t worry about ruining or making mistakes on expensive canvas. I use them for color studies for larger painting. The canvas isn’t the greatest but it’s fairly absorbent and has a good tooth for smaller paintings.