What media do you use when painting canvases ?

[Tillyboo]

I've painted a couple of canvases and more people are asking about them so I'm keen to be as professional as possible as people are going to be paying for them.

I've used mixed media up until now i.e. acrylic, normal emulsion paint, glitter paint, polyfiller and all sorts of other bits and pieces. I then give the pictures a coat of matt spray varnish.

Does anyone else use normal emulsion as a base ? It's so much cheaper than using acrylics and a nicer matt finish.

I'm not sure about the longevity of colour but my pictures are just fun pictures really - not reproductions of great masters.

So, 2 questions really ..

1. Does anyone else use normal emulsion ? and how do you find it ? (the tester pots and leftover pots are ideal)
   
   
2. What other media do you use apart from acrylics and oils ?
   
   Thank-you

[moljam]

hello i use emulsion.left over bits!much cheaper.and easy.i just use big pot cheap from focus etc.

[iwouldgoouttonight]

I've painted some canvases for our house and one for a friend and used emulsion tester pots - I like the matt finish too, and much cheaper! One I did about five years ago and the colour still looks fine - I suppose the only disadvantage of emulsion against acrylics is I found it quite wet putting it on so it made the canvas a bit saggy - but if its stretched properly it should be fine.

The only other thing I've tried is do make textures using PVA glue and sawdust/sandpaper/raffia/layers of card and then painted over the whole thing in one colour which looked quite interesting.

[Tillyboo]

thanks very much, I just need a bit of confirmation that what I'm doing is acceptable I suppose.

Interesting ideas for textures !

[moljam]

oh pva paints are good too.i sometimes add string,bubble wrap,bits of cardboard etc depends on painting.

[HonoriaGlossop]

i've done some canvases for friends and family and I've used chalk pastels, which you can smudge by hand to get good coverage with, works out quite cheap and I like it cos I can't cope with paint, get more on me/the house than on the canvas.

I seal it with cheapo hairspray and it makes a really quite cheap way of doing a big-ish picture.

I think your thing of using emulsion is fine!