Masonite (Hardboard) vs. Canvas
This is my newest painting in progress
for 2016, of a young Alaskan Tundra wolf. The photo reference below
was taken at The Wolf Mountain Nature Center, where I volunteer part
time. The reason I loved this photo is because of the expression in
his eyes and his timid presence. His look gave me the impression of
thinking who is she, why is she here and what is she doing!? But the
eyes also struck me as very intense, watching every move I made! A
little chilling right? I loved being able to capture that look in
this young wolf.
"Tamarack" Born: April 22, 2015
Male Alaskan Tundra wolf from the Brooks Range region.
I decided for this painting that I
wanted a very smooth surface to work with so I went with a prepared
masonite instead of canvas. I use masonite quite often for my
paintings as I can control the amount of surface texture I want for a
particular painting. I usually purchase a 4' x 8' sheet of
Formaldehyde-free masonite making sure there are no scratches or oily
spots on the sheet. By doing this, I then can have it cut to the
various sizes I want. Some places will even cut the masonite for me
at no to little cost, making it much easier to transport in my car.
To prepare the masonite for my
paintings, I use a fine sand paper and lightly sand the surface on
the smooth side of the board to roughen it up a little before
applying my gesso. I apply a coat of gesso to the back and sides of
the board first, by doing this it will resist warping and moisture
penetration. Once that is dry, I then apply the first coat of the
gesso to the smooth side of the board, using a roller instead of a
brush. I find using a brush is harder because it is more difficult to
sand out the brush strokes vs. using a roller. However, if you want
a specific texture, it makes more sense to use a brush. I use a small
foam roller, which you can purchase at most hardware stores. Once the
first coat is completely dry, I sand the masonite with a very fine
sandpaper. Then I apply 2 to 3 more coats of gesso, sanding in
between each coat.
Now this may seem like a lot of work,
which it is! For those of you who do not want to go through all the
work involved, you can also purchase masonite (hardboard) primed or
un-primed from any art supplier. I prefer not to purchase from them
as it is cheaper for me to purchase my own masonite and have it cut
to the sizes I want. I really do not mind the work involved in
preparing it for my paintings. But this may not be for you so here
are the two art suppliers I do use for my art supplies:
Why I choose masonite over canvas? Well
I can get a really smooth surface which is perfect for the fine
detail of my subject matter's fur. Canvas has what I call dimples
that may not give me that smooth fine hair look that I want. With
that being said, I do use canvas for some of my wildlife paintings,
especially if the animal is more in the background where fine detail
is not shown as much or for short hair fur animals. When I am
commissioned to do a painting, I allow the client to select between
masonite or canvas.
Once my masonite is primed and sanded,
I am ready to begin sketching and start thinking of which base color
I would like to use. It is important to select the right base color
for your painting depending on if you would like a finished product
with a cold or warm feel. In my next blog, I will discuss my
sketching process and how I choose a base color for my painting. I
will also discuss the difference between base colors and how they
influence the painting
I would love to hear about your
painting process. Please comment your favorite materials you use and
why. Also, please feel free to leave any comments or questions!
No comments:
Post a Comment