The Everything Art Handbook

SURFACES & SUPPORTS

Also called a “support,” your painting surface helps determine the qualities of your work—from texture, brightness, and color to longevity. Paper, canvas, and wood panels are the most common painting supports, but don’t feel pressured into a traditional approach. However, the more you understand why and how artists work with particular surfaces, the more likely you will find success with your own artistic experiments and decisions.

WATERCOLOR PAPER

Watercolor paper is the perfect surface for the fluid washes of watercolor. However, many artists like using this durable surface for other wet and dry media such as gouache, acrylic, pastel, pen and ink, and even graphite.

WATERCOLOR PAPER TEXTURES

Watercolor paper is available in three textures: hot-pressed, cold-pressed, and rough. The surface you choose depends on your painting style and the visual effects you want to achieve.

Hot-pressed paper
this paper has been pressed with heat, which creates a smooth surface. Hot-pressed paper is ideal for fine detail, even washes, and a controlled style. This paper is not especially absorbent, which results in bright colors.

Cold-pressed paper
Also referred to as “Not” or “medium” paper, cold-pressed sheets are not treated with heat, leaving an irregular surface. This versatile paper is ideal for granular textures and a more painterly style.

Rough paper
This paper is even rougher than a cold-pressed surface. The deep tooth can leave quite a bit of the paper showing along the edges and within each stroke. It complements an expressive style and drybrush techniques.

PANELS

Wood panels have been used for painting for centuries. While canvas offers more portability, wood panels are still widely used today, along with wood-based composite panels. When prepared properly, panels offer artists a firm, sturdy, and durable support for oil, acrylic, tempera, and encaustic painting.

CANVAS

Canvas is lightweight, portable, and affordable. It also allows great freedom with artwork size. Canvas is considered the most popular painting surface for oil and acrylic.

CANVAS FORMATS
Canvas Paper	Sheets of pre-primed canvas
Canvas Board or Panel	Canvas mounted on board and pre-primed
Gallery-Wrapped Canvas	Canvas pre-stretched around wooden stretcher bars; available pre-primed and unprimed

Canvas is pulled taught over a wooden frame and secured with thick staples.

ALTERNATIVE SUPPORTS

Aside from traditional paper, canvas, and panels, you can paint on a variety of surfaces—including metal and stone. Try experimenting with these unusual supports.