Canvas is the most common support medium for oil painting. Before the 15th century, all oil painting was done on wooden panels, but by the 17th century canvas had definitely taken over. Venetian artists in the 1500s began painting on sail canvas, because it was readily available and of consistently good quality.
Modern canvas is usually made of cotton, and comes in two types, plain and duck. Duck is more tightly woven and therefore makes a better support for paintings. The term 'duck' comes from "doek," a Dutch word for cloth.
Early canvas was made of linen, a sturdy brownish fabric made from flax fibers. Linen is particularly suitable for oil painting as it has a very even weave and is less affected by humidity than cotton.
All types of canvas must be prepared to accept paint. Canvas is stretched on some type of support and primed with a finish, usually gesso (traditionally a mixture of calcium and animal glue) to prevent too much paint from sinking into the canvas.
Archival quality defines materials formulated to have both the chemical and the physical properties to ensure they remain usable for long periods. Even though manufacturing methods have changed, the principles involved in making quality artist canvas have not. Fredrix is popular with professional artists because they provide a consistent quality. Each canvas is individually inspected and the Fredrix archival seal guarantees that the canvas is protected against acidic deterioration. The professional grades of Fredrix canvas are made from both cotton duck and linen and are still primed by hand.
Many famous artists use Fredrix. Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) is arguably one of America's most recognized artists. According to Fredrix website, on November 29, 1955 the legendary artist wrote to Fredrix proclaiming that after trying almost every conceivable canvas out there, the Fredrix brand was his first choice of artist canvas for his illustrious artwork. Other artists who favor Fredrix include Jane Seymour, Tom Lynch and Curtis Hooper.
Acrylic paints and pastels can be applied to the same canvases used for oil painting. Some recent innovations by Fredrix include canvas primed for use with watercolor paints and a full line of print canvas for desktop and large format inkjet, grand format, litho, and silk-screen printing.
Print canvas is primed with a universal acrylic titanium formula and a specially formulated clear top-coat for printing ink receptivity. This provides for a finer, more consistent texture, especially good for fine art reproductions.
Fredrix other artist products include different types of pre-stretched canvas, many of which are 'gallery wrapped' meaning that the canvas is smoothly stretched over the sides of the support, and therefore the painting can wrap around and the piece can be hung without being framed. These products include oval, round and convex canvases and a trademarked product called a "float canvas," a unique design with steeply angled stretcher bars that create a dramatic floating effect when hung on the wall.