Reddit mentions: The best artists boards & canvas

How much are you willing to spend to get started?

Painting doesn't have to be an expensive hobby at all, so if you wanna just try it and see if you like it then here's what I would do:

Canvases

Go to a craft store like Michaels, Joann Fabrics, Hobby Lobby (I actually DON'T shop at hobby lobby for political reasons, but I want to list all the stores I can think of for a rounded example) and look for sales on canvases. They almost always have some size that is 1/2 price or buy one get one free. I prefer stretched canvases, and you can usually find ones sized 12x16 or so for a couple bucks (You might need to buy a 3-pack or something to get a good price...really depends on the store and the day) if you wanna go REALLY cheap you can get canvas-boards. The one thing I would say is don't buy something too-small or too-big until you REALLY know what you want to use it for. Trying to come up with something on a 3'x4' canvas will leave you feeling exhausted and frustrated and trying to make something nice on a 8"x5" can be really hard for a beginner. I would look for something around 9"x12" up to 12"x16" to start with. (for reference, a "regular" sheet of paper is 8"x10")

You can also shop online for canvases, but in my experience you can usually find a better deal at physical stores. However, here is a link to Amazon just to get an idea of the kind of [canvas to look for:] (https://www.amazon.com/Artlicious-Pre-Stretched-Cotton-Acrylics-Painting/dp/B01FOYPERU/ref=lp_12896241_1_14?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1484149402&sr=1-14) Higher quality canvases can get really expensive so don't be daunted if you go in and only see $30 canvases...look for the cheap ones.

Paints

For a beginner, I would stick to acrylics. I have actually only used oils a few times and there is a lot of cleanup, waiting, and in general I find them a lot harder to work with. (I also haven't given them much of a chance so if anyone disagrees with me I won't put up much of a fight.) I actually PREFER the cheap acrylics that are a bit liquidy. (Apple Barrel, or CRAFT.... here's a link just to get an idea of what container they come in: Apple BArrel Set They are usually about 1$ apeice for a 2oz bottle. You should also get a bigger 8oz or 16oz of black and white as you will probably use those a lot more than others. (If you end up painting a lot you will probably want to get 8oz sizes of your basic colors too..) For starting, I would avoid the acrylic tubes...they are more expensive, smaller usually, and (I think) a little harder to work with texture-wise. IF you don't know what you want to paint yet, or if you just wanna try a lot of different stuff, that color set I linked to is a decent palette to start with and there's enough there to mix in order to make just about any color you want. (That set does NOT contain black or white though...so if you go for that be sure to also get black and white).

Brushes

Here's the one thing I WOULDNT cheap up on. Get a decent set of brushes. Get at least one or two TINY brushes, then 3 or four of intermediate size up to about 1" wide. Any bigger than that is useful for covering a lot of canvas, but not REALLY necessary. I don't have any real tips about which brands to buy...if you go to a physical store, just look at them...if they look like super soft, furry, cheap, "kid" brushes, I'd avoid them. Look for ones with firmer bristles..clean crisp points or lines. Sometimes you can find a nice set...I think I usually spend $2 or so apeice (depends on the size) and then I have a few nicer ones I like, but it will take a while to get a feel for what your personal favorite brush size is so don't bother getting better quality until you know you will use it. I like to pick up an extra brush every time I head to the store, so I have a ton now of all sizes but at first expect to spend ~10$ to get an okay set.

Inspiration

I like to do a google image search based on a generic word. Then in the advanced image search tools you can search by color...I find a lot of interesting things that I will then either paint, or use as inspiration for a painting. I think everyone finds inspiration differently, but this is just my own way. I would avoid starting with any people/portraits/etc as the human brain is SUPER critical of any errors we detect in faces, bodies, hands, etc.. YOU can paint a car that is 95% accurate and it will look AMAZING but if you paint a face that is only 98% accurate it will look like a hideously deformed mess. (Im making up these numbers...I dont even know what a percent accuracy would mean for a painting, but I think the general idea gets across).

Technique

Whatever works for you...youtube videos, just trying it out, taking a class...I dont know! I'm self-taught and Im sure I've picked up a LOT of bad habits, but a few things I do that might be helpful that arent obvious:

• Feel free to draw lightly with pencil on the canvas for a start, sketch out your basic shapes and proportions. It's a lot easier to erase (or ignore) a pencil line than it will be to rearrange your picture once you start painting it.
  
• Paint the background/sky/etc first. Even if you have a big foreground object, it will be a lot easier to make a nice sky with a fluffy cloud or whatever that is then partially covered by your cool sailboat than it will be to try to paint the cloud JUUUUST up to the sailboat's sail, and then fill in the little bit you can see between the mast and the sail and then continue the cloud on the other side, than it would have been to just paint the stupid cloud first, and then paint your awesome sailboat over the top of it.
  
• Don't get attached to a part of your work. (This is the hardest thing...) If you are painting a face, and you paint this AMAZING eye, but once you finish it you realize its kind of too far to the left...you can't keep it...you need to move the eye. IF you are painting to LEARN, then you need to rework this in order to gain good skills. IF you are painting to make AWESOME ART then you need to rework this because the eye is wrong and it wont be awesome! (Hey! Why are you painting a face in the first place?! I told you not to do that at first!)
  
• Whiskey
  
  All that said, good luck! Hope you like it!
  

> Why are most portrait paintings made using oil rather than acrylic? Should I be using one or the other?

Oil is probably the most flexible of paints in terms of the number and variety of techniques you can use with it.

> Should I be using one or the other?

There's more to choose from in paints than just oils and acrylics! Gouache (a matte, fast drying paint that reactivates when you get it wet again) and casein (the oldest paint known to man, it uses milk protein as it's medium, dries a bit slower than gouache) are both good options for beginners, with gouache being the cheaper of the two. You can use either of them on good watercolor paper; 140 lb paper is a good compromise, as it's not as a expensive as heavier papers but is heavy enough to hold up without buckling badly, even more so if you stretch it first.

Watercolor is also inexpensive, but is probably the most difficult to do well and is very unforgiving; you don't really get to fix your mistakes with watercolor.

Ultimately you will want to experiment with different paints and find the one or ones you like most. (I, personally, am not a fan of acrylics. I don't like the way it handles; it feels like painting with melted plastic to me.)

> What is the cheapest way to practice painting? I bought a few canvases yesterday and was surprised to see how expensive they can be! Also I was surprised by how much paint I was going through.

Gouache on watercolor paper, like I said before, is a good, inexpensive way to start out.

If you want to use other paints, though, don't buy canvases while you're practicing. You can use pretty much any paint on gessoed paper that's relatively heavy, or even stiff cardboard.

When I took oil painting back up again not that long ago I did several pieces on gessoed bristol board which I had lying around. When I'd had enough of those I switched to these 8x10 canvas panels and a big pack of mixed size panels; in bulk they're much cheaper than stretched canvas and are easier to store.

When you're starting with a new paint you're unsure of, just get a tube of ivory black and titanium white and do some grayscale studies with it. You can get comfortable with the handling of the paint without spending a ton of money, and it's always good practice for developing your sense of values.

If you then want to do portraits, you can then move easily into a Zorn palette using the black and white you already have, plus yellow ochre and a good, opaque red like cadmium red medium. (Zorn used vermilion for his red, which is wildly toxic and which no one makes any more.) The color pieces I did on bristol board earlier are Zorn head studies done with that palette, and I also used it for this portrait and this one.

Add to the Zorn palette a good blue like an ultramarine or cobalt and you've got a pretty good starter palette. Add in a burnt umber and you can mix your own black if you want, using the blue and the umber, and swap out the yellow ochre for something less earthy like a cadmium yellow medium if you need something more primary colored. You end up with a small, focused palette that didn't cost you an arm and a leg and that you can mix anything but really intense secondary colors with. And since you don't need those often, you can just pick up small tubes of them as needed.

With paints that aren't too fast drying, like oils, you can collect up all the left over paint on your palette at the end of the day, mix it all together, and make a rich grey-brown that you can use to desaturate any other color on your palette or just lighten and darken anywhere you need a neutral color. Sealed in a airtight container you can use it for days, weeks, or longer depending on the paint. If you end up with more than you can use, just do some grayscale studies with it!

> What can I do to develop a better eye for color?

Start with just black and white. Then do some paintings with just black, white, and one other color; this one, my first one on a canvas panel, was just black, white, and red, as was this one I did next. And just slowly build up your number of colors from there. Do a lot of painting with just a primary palette, too; black or burnt umber / white / red / blue / yellow, where you have to mix everything else from those. You won't be able to get super intense colors that way but, again, you really want to keep most of your colors more desaturated anyway.

Painting simple still lifes of primary colored objects is very good practice. Wooden blocks like these are really good for color studies; set up a few of them, put a piece of black cloth or paper behind them, shine a desk light on them, and paint the colors as accurately as you can.

> 1) If I just want to practice, do I have to size the wood, or can I just go straight to 2-3 coats of acrylic gesso before painting?

I buy canvas paper for that. Ex: https://www.amazon.com/Fredrix-3501-Canvas-Pads-16-Inch/dp/B000YQGG3A



> 2) Also for practice, does it matter if I use something tougher like marine plywood, or is normal plywood okay? What's the cheapest hard surface I can get away with practicing?

it does not matter if you want to trash it. it should be something like a regular surface though.

> 3) For more polished attempts, is 1/8" thick marine plywood suitable for pieces that are 9x12"? (sized and gesso'd) I know warping is an issue for larger pieces, but considering 9x12" isn't that big, and marine plywood is pretty expensive, I'm hoping it's okay.

It's probably ok. I'd spend some time studying the business of board prep and proper woods.

> 4) I've been having what I call "false starts" because I'm so afraid of wasting such costly materials. My background so far has been digital, so nearly everything needed to be bought. Is this anxiety normal, and any advice on how to get over it?

Yes.

Just paint. Start with black and white, then add color after you feel comfortable.

> 5) Are there any sort of containers to avoid using when storing mediums or solvents? I currently have glass jars with metal lids, but would plastic jars with plastic lids be all right, or glass jars with the airtight lids lined with rubber?

Glass jars w/ cork would be good - you can get those from some new age stores which do incense & oils n stuff. https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Glass-Bottle-Cork-Top-3-4oz/dp/B007EEQ0BI

I buy Hobby Lobby eyedropper bottles, myself. I fill the bottle and store the main jar in a darker place.

https://www.hobbylobby.com/Art-Supplies/Painting-Supplies/Palettes-Tools/50mL-Dropper-Bottles/p/57410

> 6) I have a very tiny room, so space is a problem for me. Is it okay to have my painting area in the same room as where I sleep if I take precautions? (not leaving solvent or medium out, washing or dipping brushes, storing rags in a metal container/washing rags at the end of the day)?

Linseed oil isn't an issue. Only the solvents are problematic in terms of offgassing. Make sure your rags are stored in a way that doesn't cause fire.

> 7) Any advice on where and how to cut costs? I've taken to using some cheap materials for some stuff, but everything else seems so costly. Here's my starter set checklist:

> ~ Gamsol

Good solvent. Don't cut costs and use hardware store stuff.

> ~ Galkyd/Liquin

You don't need this.

> ~ Winsor & Newton limited palette (6 tubes)

k.

> ~ Golden Gesso + sandpaper + 2 varnishing brushes

To be honest, I just buy canvases from Dick Blick. I have done the gesso and prep, and it doesn't do anything for me most of the time.

> ~ A set of hog hair brushes, filberts, flats, rounds in small and medium

Can skip the filberts. You'll probably want large.

I would not skimp on brushes. I advise Dick Blick Master's line of red sables and hog hairs. They are a big part of what makes you able to do controllable work.


> ~ palette (cheap piece of glass)

I use a $7 hobby lobby palette.

> ~ cheap canvas boards for practice (inquiring at a local hardware for wood panels to save money)

seems legit.

> ~ 2x palette knives

You probably should get a set so you can figure out how you want to manipulate paint, unfortunately. Saving that: yes, 2x is good.

> ~ a handful of airtight jars and containers

You typically don't need those....

> ~ paper towels and used clothing for rags

Yep.

> ~ DIY'd: brush rack for holding/drying used brushes, table easel

Yep. I cut a semicircle out of an amazon box to lay the brushes flat for holding drying brushes (this way water doesn't run into the wood while it dries); for actual longer term storage I have some glass containers from hobby lobby. If you eat peanut butter faster than I do, you can buy glass jars of peanut butter and use them instead.

Oil painting is a spendy hobby to get started.

I would prefer good brushes, good oil/solvent, and a few but good tubes of paint over anything else. You can cheap out on pretty much everything else; if you can get good wood and properly prep, that's close to ideal for painting longjevity once you can figure out how to cradle it.

Good paint lasts, doesn't have useless additives, and behaves well. I always recommend using single pigment paint for reasons of controllability. Good oil doesn't get in your way, good brushes help you. For budget conscious painting, I believe Gamsol is the best company dollar for dollar, but you can do yourself a solid with Art Treehouse as well.

All this reminds me, I have to put together a "learner's" order for a family member who's into art. :)

Hi there! I think Acrylic paints are a great starting point for anyone as they allow experimentation with layers and dry really quickly, in around 10-15mins actually! Here's a small list of starting equipment I think would be best:

• Set of basic acrylic paints containing at least the primary colours. This should be fairly cheap to pick up.
  
  
• A starter pack of half decent paintbrushes. Make sure they're of good quality as fraying brushes are a nightmare for detailing. There are some good sets on Amazon for around £10-£15.
  
  
• A pack painting boards or canvas. Painting on paper with acrylic causes it to warp and curl when it dries so boards or canvas are the best. You can get a pack of 5 quite cheaply.
  
  Other from those basic things there are a few other supplies needed which you may already have such as; jars or cups for water and a ceramic plate or plastic pallet for mixing the paints.
  
  I've included a few links to brushes and things below. Have fun and good luck my friend!
  
  Brushes
  Paints
  Boards

I'm gonna be working Black Friday, but lets be real, Cyber Monday is what it's all about! I can't wait to buy a present for my little sister. She has down syndrome, and loves movies, singing, cats and being silly. I may buy her this she had a Lilo bobble head that was part of her everyday set up (she has a specific set up for the play room, where she queues up the next 3 movies she is going to watch, the last one gets covered by a pillow-I like to think to keep it a surprise), the Lilo was set up on the floor on top of The Lion King CD. I'm pretty sure our dog trampled the toy, and I know she'd be thrilled with a replacement. This looks like it has much more stability. And, she's 24, so it's classy and age appropriate. Betcha weren't expecting a novel! I'd love a canvas!

You know what else is highly therapeutic, man? Painting! If you haven't ever really tried it, you dont have to be very good, maybe watch a couple quick technique & color mixing videos on YouTube if ya want but I highly recommend spending about $20 on a brush set, some acrylic paint and some small ~8x10 canvases -- see if ya like it! I suggest acrylic paint because I find it easier to work with when starting off and I prefer it to oil & watercolor paints anyway but that is just me. Acrylic paint is very easy to work with and mistakes are easily fixed.

I recently got back into painting after I hadnt painted for years, since high school. Very relaxing to put on some music or a podcast and just chill while painting whatever I feel like. Here are some amazon prime eligible items that could get ya started!

Acrylic paint - 12 colors - $7
15 quaity paint brushes - $6
Set of three 8x10 canvases - $6
Or you could get a canvas pad book. This one is $6 & has 10 canvas pads

Think about giving it a shot!

This is a common myth that hermit crabs NEED to submerge to drink/fill their shell/clean. They drink with their small claw, dipping it in the water and lifting it to their mouth. They don't fill their shell underwater -- they suck water in through their setae (tiny hairs) and this allows them to slowly add the water to their abdomen, maintaining their preferred PH. Filling underwater would mess up their PH, so they likely have a way to seal off their shell if they do decide to go under. It's possible a saltwater pool could help with mites, but they do fine with their smaller inner claws removing dirt and grooming themselves (you can see them if you look into their shell at the right angle). Also some species in the wild don't even have access to saltwater. So they don't need pools, but some crabs do like to submerge as long as the water quality is good. Spizam71 goes into a lot more detail about this on my post.

I set up some pools myself before I learned they don't need them. If you'd like to go ahead with it anyway I used two of these tupperwares, they're 4"x4"x2.25". Took me a while to find tupperware deep and big enough for them without taking up too much space (I have a 10 gal). They're a bit pricy though, and if you have more space I'd probly get something a bit bigger. For entry/exit you can get some craft mesh and set it up however you want, I just cut it to size and hot-glued it to the sides. Not the best method for easy cleaning though, I've seen others make a little tee-pee and drape it over the side. You can get some small rocks/gravel and put them in the bottom. A sea sponge is good in the saltwater pool for maintaining water quality and allowing them to crawl out, same goes for live java moss and/or duck weed in the freshwater (duckweed needs natural light, java moss doesn't). If the water quality isn't to their liking, they're a lot less likely to submerge (from this video). Completely change the water out once a week.

Overall they don't need pools, just access to freshwater and saltwater (even then they could probably get their saltwater from food). It is something for them to do though, so it could be beneficial for their happiness. Maybe that's why people recommend it.

Are these on paper? If so, make sure you're using paper appropriate for acrylics, so you don't have to worry about degradation, and you'll have a much easier time achieving depth of colour/shading. You don't necessarily have to move to stretched canvas, especially if you're just starting getting a hang of the medium and just want to play around. You can also use primed canvas pads (eg). They're similar similar to watercolour or sketch pads and have a primed side.

Your second piece is cute and would make a nice illustration, especially for something like a children's book. There's definitely a story there.

Have you painted before? Looks like you're having a good time trying out the new medium, and are making good use of techniques and the material. Good luck!

• Classy Girls by The Lumineers I'm not sure why I like this song so much, but I love it anyways.
  
  
• Pizzly Bear
  
  
• A frog goes into a bank and approaches the teller.
  He can see from her nameplate that her name is Patricia Whack.
  "Miss Whack, I'd like to get a $30,000 loan to take a vacation."
  Patty looks at the frog in disbelief and asks his name. The frog says his name is Kermit Jagger, his dad is Mick, and that it's okay, he knows the bank manager.
  Patty explains that he will need to secure the loan with some collateral.
  The frog says, "Sure. I have this," and produces a tiny porcelain elephant, about an inch tall, bright pink and perfectly formed.
  Very confused, Patty explains that she'll have to consult with the bank manager and disappears into a back office.
  She finds the manager and says, "There's a frog called Kermit Jagger out there who claims to know you and wants to borrow $30,000, and he wants to use this as collateral."
  She holds up the tiny pink elephant. "I mean, what in the world is this?"
  .
  .
  .
  The bank manager looks back at her and says...
  "It's a knick-knack, Patty Whack. Give the frog a loan. His old man's a Rolling Stone."
  
  
  
  Edit forgot to like my item :) - http://www.amazon.com/Winsor-Newton-Stretched-Artists-Canvas/dp/B002Q60NEO/ref=sr_1_1?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1374639676&sr=1-1&keywords=canvas

So my book question didn't really factor into my decision, because I had an answer in mind from reading another of your comments haha.

I think you should help your dad get back into oil painting with a cute "paint nite"!

For the actual gift, you should buy oil paints, brushes, and canvases. (Although please bear in mind I have never used oil paint, so you may want to check in with a craft store like Michael's on what is best... I just sorted by good reviews and pricing!)

Also in the package, you should include a "Paint Nite with /u/Notaprizetobewon" coupon! For the paint nite, pull up a Bob Ross video and paint together. Then, you can trade paintings with each other as another unique little gift, and hang them somewhere special. Or hang them together!

If you have any craft stores that sells oil paint, they might have coupons, or start ordering on amazon now!

• you're gonna need a canvases, I recommend 16x20, since they are cheap but fit the size needed for landscape, again, craft stores may sell them in packs of 5 for $20 or 25 AUD. Or https://www.amazon.com/US-Art-Supply-Quality-Stretched/dp/B01KOND892/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1492312761&sr=8-2&keywords=16x20+canvas
  
  
  
• liquid white, a 236ml cam should be good, I doubt any craft store other than hobby lobby, (but that's an American store)has it. https://www.bobross.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=R6207
  
  
  
• 200ml Windsor newton paint is the best for your buck, it's uncommon for craft stores to have it, I would get sap green, titanium white, phthalo blue, van dyke brown, cadmium yellow. https://www.amazon.com/Winsor-Newton-Winton-200-Milliliter-Titanium/dp/B0044JPSDW/ref=sr_1_1_sns?ie=UTF8&qid=1492313012&sr=8-1
  
  
  
  
• For the paint brushes, it would be extremely expensive buying 10 brushes, so maybe your local hardware store has horse hair brushes, they should be $8 USD each (10 AUD) http://www.homedepot.com/p/Purdy-1-in-XL-Dale-Angled-Sash-Brush-144080310/100386391
  
  
• And amazon has fanbrushes and knifes. https://www.amazon.com/Martin-F-Weber-Number6-Blender/dp/B0027AEDLI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492313813&sr=8-1&keywords=6+fan+brush
  
  
• Your crafts store may these for less. https://www.amazon.com/Loew-Cornell-J-23-Painting-Knife/dp/B0009RNUR4/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1492313993&sr=8-4&keywords=Painting+knife
  
  
  
• Paint thinner, you're local hardware store should have it in the painting section, buy at least 2 of the one gallon jugs (3.78 litres x2)
  Then while you're there too, you should get a few bucket to put it in.
  
  And you're pretty much set, if you have any questions let me know.

I did some similar sizes for a similarly nerdy bunch and backed them with canvas panels.

I just used very good fabric glue to adhere to the back all around and wrote a message on the back.

They were like nerdy post cards!

Good luck and have fun!

I've done quite a few of these. Butt joints are OK, half-lap joints are better.

These are prints, not paintings. No danger of cracking paint. Also, the synthetic canvas used for the prints isn't terribly flexible. It will stretch enough to allow for mounting tight on the frame, but not enough to distort the print.

You'll want these, BTW. Stretching the canvas is much easier with them, and the result much nicer.

If a near by place sells it, get a small set of [12 acrylics] (http://www.amazon.com/Reeves-Acrylic-Paints-Assorted-Color/dp/B00251IKQ8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375862560&sr=8-1&keywords=12+acrylic), a small starter set of [paint brushes] (http://www.amazon.com/Princeton-Series-Brown-Handled-Brush/dp/B000H431OQ/ref=pd_sim_hg_54) and some small [canvas panels] (http://www.amazon.com/Canvas-panels-inch-pack-12/dp/B00251AWQ4/ref=pd_sim_hg_22) or a [deeper canvas] (http://www.amazon.com/Fredrix-5031-Stretched-Canvas-36-Inch/dp/B000Y3EST2/ref=pd_sim_ac_82) if you wish to hang them up . be sure to price check these near by, as a place near me sells canvases at a almost a third of that price

I personally found acrylics easier to get into. you can water them down to get a watercolor feel, or keep them thick for more of an oil's feel and are much more satisfying and easier to pick up then colored pencils. They also dry quickly. Then just get some cheap plastic plates to use for a pallet and set up anywhere you have space.

His jerky method is one of the few things on the show that just doesn't seem to work. As you've mentioned it's crazy expensive now (didn't he say $.99 per?) and no matter which kind I tried I got filter fibers stuck to the jerky.

I've had much better luck with plastic canvas stapled to some cheap wood frames I made up. Still works great with the box fan, easier to clean, and nothing stuck to the food.

From some limited experience, you may have had TOO much liquid white on the canvas. Trying using less next time.

To get a clean white color, I find that I have to clean my brushes OFTEN. If my colors start to blend together, I either run the brush on my palette until the brush is clean or use a paper towel to wipe the paint off.

Looks like you "blurred" the clouds out with the "one hair and air"? Might have pushed too hard and blurred all the color together. Also combined with your lavender problem earlier, your white might have taken out all the dark accents. I had a similar problem with my Emerald Water painting background. The shadows are just as important as the light/highlights.

You might need a new fan brush. I just got a new one to test, but I looked for a stiffer bristled brush. The fan brush I was originally using was probably too soft (and originally meant for watercolor/acrylic). https://imgur.com/a/IqxBpt7

Need to load more white paint to get the snow drifts I think. Get that "ridge" of paint on.

Also, in my general experience, something with less colors tend to be harder.

You can always gesso over a canvas to continue practicing, or art stores will carry canvas paper. Basically gesso'd paper. https://www.amazon.com/Strathmore-25-309-Canvas-Paper-Sheets/dp/B0027AGL90

Hope your next painting goes well!

Thank you! I've done a few on canvas pads like this https://www.amazon.com/Fredrix-3501-Canvas-Pads-16-Inch/dp/B000YQGG3A

But this was my first on a stretched canvas. Also I won't be selling this one... (it was my Christmas gift to my mom!)
Hopefully I can paint some that will sell in the near future though!

3mm mdf on amazon returns with several options.

Try this, you could inquire before purchasing:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01E5YICCE/ref=s9_dcacsd_dcoop_bw_c_x_1_w

Also maybe this:

https://www.dickblick.com/products/hardboard-panels/?clickTracking=true&wmcp=pla&wmcid=items&wmckw=14945-1008&gclid=Cj0KCQiAiKrUBRD6ARIsADS2OLmrH6TiTQ2PSY-sETOF4Bl5L-tRVPe73QDpC4EN90b7YRykAcjuUOMaAi7oEALw_wcB

I've a friend who does laser cutting and he gets his at:
http://www.artistcraftsman.com/

Good luck!

These canvas panels can be used for so many things. A lot of creativity can grow here!

/u/bumblebeerose, come get creative! :)

Thanks now I can Reddit good.

What you could do Is use mdf (that stuff clip boards are made of) and drill holes into it. You could even use a 2d printer to print a template out. Mdf is a lot easier to work with than plexiglass.

You can find some here

Paint: 12 piece - $8.96

Brushes:12 piece - $7.99

Knifes: 5 piece - $6.74

[Canvas:(12) 8x10 - $11.99] (https://www.amazon.com/CANVAS-PANELS-12-PACK-Painting/dp/B01FCHZOII/ref=sr_1_4?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1503068681&sr=1-4&keywords=canvas)

Paint Thinner: 34 oz. - $13.69

Total: $49.37

All of this should last you a while. You can share with your spouse too. Maybe get two sets of brushes though. You can do it. I never have painted anything in my life because I was scared how I'd waste my time on how it would turn out. You just have to do it! Loved every painting I have done. You will never like everything detail about you art (happy little accidents) but you will be happy with the overall outcome. Plus it is so relaxing!

Your OP was so good that I thought I'd help link these:

• Adjustable aluminum easel - $17
  
• 12-piece brush set - $8
  
• 24-color oil paint set - $20
  
  
• 12-pack 8"x10" canvas set - $12
  
• 5-piece plastic knife set - $5
  
• 8-oz paint odorless paint thinner - $8.50
  
  $70.50 total plus tax.
  
  Feeling lazy? Here's an entire set for $70.83.
  
  Obviously I don't vouch for any of this stuff and you can get cheap things but... yeah. Thanks OP. Now I want to paint.

I used to use a box I made out of stretched canvas boards I used whatever I had for lights (most often it was just a regular desk lamp). I DID upgrade to a clamp light (like what you'd use to light a garage, or keep poultry warm.) I could use the light pointed at the canvas board, but because it was a thick material, it would diffuse beautifully. And the boards were cheap enough, that I could throw one out if it got dirty-or if I wanted to paint one black. It was essentially a DIY softbox studio.

My apologies for the quality of the images-these are YEARS old and were taken with a kodak DX7590

Example 1-Orange in a bowl

Example 2-Strawberry

You can buy mini studio's now, some with integrated lighting. They are usually inexpensive. I always preferred to make my own, because I could control some aspects of the light. (Angle, intensity, color, etc)

Cheap canvas pads is what I have been using for studies and practice as I have been learning. The Strathmore canvas pads are pre-primed and I think would work great for your purposes.

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Strathmore-Canvas-Glue-Bound-Sheets/dp/B000KNNVJY?ref_=w_bl_hsx_s_off_web_2601417011

Fredrix 3501 Canvas Pads, 12 by 16-Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000YQGG3A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_i391DbXPFMMA5

This is the brand I use. I take masking tape and tape it at the edges to an art board.

Another nice thing about them is that once they are dry, I can store them much much easier.

It's a fun change from canvas! Here's the link - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001145310/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Something to roast marshmallows on! :)

Item

if it says 'japan' on it, you got a good one.
this one is a cheap chinese knock off that looks identical.
https://www.amazon.com/US-Art-Supply-Chrome-Canvas/dp/B00PSKPDMC/

Maybe something like this? The problem with plastic canvas is that it doesn't come in very large sizes though. I'm not sure how big a piece you need.

https://www.amazon.ca/Perforated-Plastic-Canvas-Count-Pkg-White/dp/B001145310/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=plastic+canvas&qid=1556455805&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

Lots of options like this.

Looks like plastic granny grate. Here's a link to some: https://www.amazon.com/Darice-10-Piece-Square-Plastic-Canvas/dp/B0018N29Z2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1509738217&sr=8-2&keywords=plastic+craft+square

If you're looking for cheaper options, there's always canvas paper too to practice on - something like https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000YQGG3A/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Most art supply stores will carry packs of canvas panels such as these. Much cheaper than actual canvas but still textured the same.