Painting Light Canvas to Cover It with Dark Threads

Originally posted 2007-06-04 08:23:05. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Marilyn wrote:
Hello:
I wonder if you will be so kind as to help me.
I have a wonderful hand painted needlepoint canvas that I wish to alter a bit by painting over some of the lighter areas. I do not know what kind of paint to use and thought you might send me in the right direction. As you know, stitching over a light area with dark threads sometimes show through and we needle pointers will not settle for less than perfection.

Marilyn –

The proper paint to use when painting a canvas is acrylic paint. While many canvas designers use artist’s quality paint, for your purpose you can use the paint you buy in craft stores from around $1.

You also don’t need to use really great brushes. Canvas is quite rough and eats up brushes. You didn’t say if this was a large area, but if it is, you might think about using a foam brush. These give good results.

You will need to think the paint a little, so that it is the consistency of cream. You also need to use very little paint on the brush, otherwise it clogs the holes. I brush off most of the paint on paper before I work on the canvas.

If your purpose is to color the canvas so that “needlepoint dandruff” doesn’t show through, then pick a color close to or lighter than the color of the thread. It does not have to be a perfect match, it just needs to be in the same color family. The flecks show because the white of the canvas is such a strong contrast to the color of the thread. If the flecks showing through are in the same color family, even if they are lighter than the thread color, your eye will blend them.

While canvas designers strive to get a nice even coat of color, since you are doing this for yourself, you don’t need to be so picky. The color can be uneven, just make sure you have painted everything in the area you want to cover. Be sure there are no clogged holes. If a hole gets clogged, blow the paint out of it BEFORE it dries.

If you want more information about painting, many of the tips from designers, check out the FAQ entry on the ANG site.

Related posts:

1. Tips for Painting Needlepoint Canvas & a Great Article
2. What Do those Canvas Painters Do?
3. Why Stitch Light Threads First?
4. Sponge Painting for a Needlepoint Design Background
5. What Makes a Canvas Easy to Stitch?