After the 16th century, canvas became the main material for oil painting. Among the many linen and cotton fabrics, pure linen is the most ideal canvas.
(1) In addition to synthetic fibers, linen is the strongest type of textile. Its fiber strength is high, it is not easy to tear or puncture, and it can be scraped and pressed by the palette knife.
(2) The dense linen cloth woven by warp and weft threads has good coloring properties.
(3) Linen is woven by twisting linen into threads. The surface is not as smooth as chemical fiber and cotton, and has a vivid uneven texture. Painters often use linen as a subtle and interesting material beauty.
(4) Linen and linseed oil are derived from the same plant, have the same chemical properties, and can support each other.
(5) Linen is divided into single-thread weaving (SW) and double-thread weaving (DW), which are easy to be processed into various specifications of different thicknesses, different thicknesses and different textures. Coarse-textured linen is suitable for painting with large brushes and scrapers, and is an ideal canvas for expressing bold and hearty brushwork. The medium density linen is flat and has a uniform texture, which is most suitable for the expression method of rubbing and dyeing in the realistic style. Fine-grained linen is mostly used in small prints and is suitable for fine-grained painting styles.
(6) In terms of preservation and restoration, oil painting on canvas is superior to oil painting on other supports, among which linen is the first. Flax generally grows in cool and humid climates, with Belgium and Ireland being the main sources of flax.
(7) Production of linen: Mature linen is harvested from root to leaf, left to rot, leaving solid fibers, and then woven into cloth. Due to the different texture and thickness, the linen sold ranges from about one meter to more than three meters in width, and the width of special products is more than four meters.
Pure linen is more expensive, so there are cheaper varieties such as semi-linen and cotton-linen blends. Because cotton and linen expand and contract with humidity, mixed textiles are not suitable for large canvases.
