Linen is by far the better-quality because of its strength and resistance to decay. Woven from flax, the weave can show throughout many layers of paint.

Primed with an oil primer this is the classical standard for oil paintings. An acrylic primer which is less expensive than oil primer, can be used with either acrylic or oil paints. Linen is difficult to prime and stretch properly, but it offers the smoothest and stiffest painting surface, one with proven longevity.

Linen, while expensive, is the traditional choice. Some of the qualities linen has that makes it so attractive to painters are:

• Linen is the most durable fabric to put paint on. Linen's warp and weft threads are equal in weight so less susceptible to the expanding/contracting problems created by moisture.
• Linen is very receptive to sizing and priming applications.
• Linen retains its natural oils which preserve the fiber's flexibility and keeps the canvas from becoming brittle.
• Linen has a more “natural” weaved finish than cotton and is available in a variety of textures, weights and smooth or rough finish.

Cotton is desirable because of its affordable price and its ease of stretching.

Cotton duck: Much less expensive than linen, it has become the most popular support for oil and acrylic painting, especially for students. A properly prepared cotton canvas has longevity similar to linen, and is more flexible and easier to stretch properly. However, cotton is considered too flexible for very large paintings.

It is possible to stretch cotton tighter than linen, without straining the wooden support, because cotton fibers stretch more easily than linen fibers. Although not as strong as linen, a heavy grade cotton can make up for it’s lack of strength with its weight.

For both oil and acrylic painting, an acrylic gesso primer is generally used.

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What is the difference between Sizing and Priming a Canvas?
Size is a glue barrier that prohibits the ground and paint from contact with and penetration into the fabric. In the case of rabbit skin glue sizing, it adheres all the fibers to each other so that they expand and contract together and react to environmental changes as one unit rather than each thread acting independently. When different areas of the painting react separately to the environment,you would get cracking of the paint film, and similar problems.    Priming, also known as the 'ground' or 'gesso' is an absorbent coating which provides the paint a porous, reflective surface to adhere itself to. The gesso is not a size and will not seal or create a barrier: just the opposite, it is absorbent.
Primed and Unprimed Art Canvas
Unprimed Cotton Duck Canvas:	Primed Cotton Duck Canvas:
A primed canvas has a coat of priming material on it applied by the manufacturer. Even when artists buy a “Primed Canvas” , they will prime it again at home. Some of the cheaper canvas you can buy for students do well with your own application of primer as manufacturers may miss parts of the canvas and the primer may be applied a little too thinly!

Priming Your Canvas

For acrylic paintings: Acrylic paintings don’t require a primed surfaces, but if you prefer to paint on a primed canvas, it is recommended to apply two or more coats of acrylic gesso. The primed canvas remains a very flexible surface and will withstand vigorous painting techniques. Note: Do not use a rabbit skin glue undersizing with an acrylic gesso, or paint with acrylics on a canvas primed with an oil ground. For oil paintings: Never apply oil paint to raw canvas or paper. The oil in the paint can perish these materials over time if they are not protected with appropriate priming. Oil painters have two priming options: The traditional way to prime oil paintings is with an oil ground. This requires an undersizing of rabbit skin glue, then two or more coats of oil primer. Allow each coat to dry, lightly sanding between coats. Canvas or paper can also be primed with an acrylic gesso. Acrylic emulsions remain flexible, as does a canvas support, while oil paint films grow brittle and rigid with time. As a result, very large oil paintings could potentially separate from an acrylic ground or from their flexible canvas support. It is therefore recommended that you work with well built, rigid supports; this will eliminate or greatly minimize any damage to your painting. Oil gesso is a more traditional primer, distinctive both aesthetically and in its surface texture. However an oil gessoed canvas is not as flexible as acrylic gessoed canvases. When using an oil based primer, the canvas must be sized first to prevent rotting.

How About using Housepaint?

If your project is not designed to last for centuries, a good-quality, flat, acrylic house paint can do the job just fine. I do stress good-quality. The higher the acrylic content, the more flexible the painting will be. Exterior house paints have a higher acrylic content than interior.

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How to prime a Canvas yourself at home!