Jump to content

Painting Canvas Backgrounds...


kathy_brown

Recommended Posts

I have a 10x20 canvas background and I want to repaint it. It's a little

dirty from walk on traffic. Anyone have any experience painting canvas

backdrops? I have contacted some artists in my area and they are hesitant on

painting it due to the cracking that could occur from being on a roller system.

Any information or internet sites that may be of help to me is greatly

appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance!

KB

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Completely repainting a canvas backdrop is not a great idea, unless you want to use the back, unpainted side and start fresh. In that case, prime the canvas with flexible gesso and go to it. The rule of thumb is "fat over thin", start with thinned, watery layers, and move on to thicker paint as you go. That supposedly makes for the most flexible painting.

 

But maybe you want to repair what you already have.

 

If the paint is already cracking, you may not be able to anything about that. Assuming the canvas is painted with "latex" (nobody's used real latex in decades) you can try using an acrylic-floor-finish stripper to soften the paint and help heal the cracks. Xylene - used in painters' brush cleaners - can work but it's nasty stuff. Use the stuff they sell at the supermarket, instead.

 

If you need to just clean up some scuffs and heel marks, try cleaning with a mild detergent first, then repaint just the splotches that need touch-up with a either exterior-grade 100% acrylic (exterior paints have to expand/contract more, and are more flexible) OR a 100% acrylic artist's polymer paint. In either case, thinning the paint and applying it sparingly is a good idea. If you need to cover an area more opaquely, add a bit of clear acrylic medium. Just touch-up what need work. Think of it like retouching a photo and it gets easier. I never had to use anything larger than a 1/4" brush, even repairing rips and holes.

 

In general, matte paints cover better but crack more than glossies (the matte pigments have basically the same ingredients as mud).

 

If this is a solid white backdrop: Good luck!, I've never had much success refinishing one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...