Surface Matters!

3/4/2025

As spring approaches, I am busy preparing oil painting surfaces. I've written many posts about stretching canvas and oil grounds, but I am again reminded of the importance of the painting surface. The painting surface dictates the brush control and how the paint moves, so different surfaces can yield a range of results. If you're like me, the surface and technique can be just as interesting as the subject matter of the painting. When I'm in museums, I often get close and stand to the side of the painting to look at an oblique angle to see the surface quality, shine and texture.
Remember that painting is a craft and it can be studied scientifically to find the materials that best suit the individual and provide longevity. I've tested out dozens of surfaces, but I always want to use the best materials that I can. As with anything, there is always personal preference so it's important to test out different surfaces to see what you favor and what works.
Let me add some info about the beauty of oil grounds. Oil grounds are the traditional surface for oil painting and they come in a wide variety of textures and absorbencies and are usually single-primed or double-primed (more coats means a smoother surface). If you look at a painting in a museum before about 1950, it was painted on an oil ground. The glue sizing has changed over the years, but the Old Masters, 19th century painters, post impressionists and abstract expressionists all painted on oil grounds. And it's my personal mission to get oil painters to switch back to oil grounds instead of the acrylic "gesso" grounds which are prevalent nowadays.
  I like certain commercially prepared linen rolls, but lately, I've been going back to applying my own oil grounds by hand. You may ask why would you apply your own grounds? For me, I feel more invested and a part of the process when I do it myself. I also prefer oil grounds that have been applied with a palette knife instead of a brush--A lot of commercially prepared oil grounds are brush applied, which creates a more even surface and doesn't leave much tooth (not my cup of tea!). I've had good results on a range of surfaces, but I want a certain feeling and degree of quality to them (I feel this way about watercolor paper also).
  Another thing that I like to do is to tone my canvases. This is a pretty common practice, but it's good to test out a variety of tones. I prefer a light neutral gray, made of ivory black which I apply with a rag and a little OMS. I tone it beforehand and let it dry so it doesn't mix in with my colors.
If you are wondering why painters tone canvases--it's to take away the white surface; if you have a white canvas, you can't go lighter in value so it can be tricky to gauge your values. Working off of a light or middle value makes it easier to key your color values. I also find that it seems less daunting to work on a tone instead of the stark white surface. However, as oil paint ages it becomes more translucent so some artists prefer to keep the white canvas to help keep the painting bright as it ages.
  One last thought: don't be intimidated by using high quality materials. I know that sometimes it feels like you should preserve them and that it's a waste to use them, but remember that high quality materials will help make the painting process easier.