Cotton Duck Canvas

When I'm working on an art project, I'm in outer space. A space that doesn't know hunger, exhaustion, cold or hot. It's a great escape!

I started creating art on cotton duck canvas about 15 years ago.

First I started painting floor clothes, and that lead me to creating art on fabric for walls.

Painting on fabric is less expensive than buying stretched canvas.

I like the rustic character of the cotton duck canvas after it's been painted.

I use unbleached cotton duck canvas, cut to my desired width and length. I like how the natural color comes through on some of my projects,

I painted the lizard for our grandson Nate's bedroom. It fits in well since he has a pet lizard too.

• Unbleached cotton duck canvas
• Indoor or outdoor white primer
• Pencil
• Acrylic paint
• Thin wood
• Glue
• Picture frame hangers with prongs

Primer is used so the paint doesn't sock into the fabric. The primer also makes an easier service to paint on. I don't always sock the fabric in primer, dry brushing gives me the surface I need to paint.

I lightly sketch my drawing or design on the primed piece of cloth. I say lightly sketch because it's easier to cover the pencil marks with paint.

I use small bottles of acrylic paint purchased from craft stores. It's a cheap way to have a lot of different colors and they go a long way. The paint cost $1-$2 a bottle.

Thin pieces of wood are used to hang the art piece to the wall. Paint stir sticks work really well. Cut the wood to desired size and glue to the top of the fabric. Do not glue to the very top, drop down a couple inches.

Press picture frame hangers with prongs into the wood pieces for hanging. You can buy the picture frame hangers from a craft store, six hangers for $1. Velcro can also be used to attach the canvas to the wall.

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