Canvas Suggestions (Please?)

[Sleep_Eden_sleep]

Hey guys, I'm planning on doing several big pieces for school projects and basically my portfolio. And when I say big, I mean a few feet wide by a few feet tall that I can frame. The thing is though, I'm not exactly doing paints yet. So I'm currently limited to mediums such as charcoal, graphite, and conte. What would be the ideal canvas or surface to do my projects on? I haven't really familiarized myself with what's out there so I would really appreciate any helpful suggestions. I was told that cotton and linen canvases take conte/graphite/etc just as well as it does oil/acrylic paints - is that true? As far as I know now, the cotton/linen canvases are my only options.

Thanks in advance for any helpful answers.

[rpace]

There's really no reason to use canvass for those media, I mean, you could, but it's kinda be like buying a new computer to just use the calculator.

Illustration board can come in large sizes, and watercolour paper can be purchased in even larger sizes. If you want the rigidity afterwards for a particular sort of framing, mount the piece to foamcore or masonite.

~Richard

[Seedling]

Go to your local art store and ask to see the biggest paper they have in stock.

[geckochan]

I agree that you can get very large and wonderful quality papers. If you do however want to experiment with canvas, for it's finished, ready to hang nature, I've found pencil blends very nicely just on regular canvas. You could also get some cheap masonite from your hardware store and gesso and sand it for a nice smooth surface - although this may be wasting time.

[Seedling]

If you do however want to experiment with canvas, for it's finished, ready to hang nature, . . .

If you are using prefab prestretched canvass, the options are rather limited, and the quality sucks. You get a lot more choices if you stretch your own canvas (you pick the cloth, the size, what it is sized and coated with, and how that surfaces is treated, such as sanding) but it's going to cost a lot and it's going to be a lot of work to make. Canvas really isn't a choice medium for drawings, because, among other perils, it goes bouncing around beneath the pencil.

[scott*altmann]

This Serov portrait was done with charcoal on canvas. Lots of artists have used conte/pastel and charcoal on canvas with great results. Unfortunately, I am limited in what I can tell you , because I like drawing on paper :)
If you decide to go with some paper with large dimensions contact these folks:
http://www.nycentralart.com/
Huge paper selection and very knowledgeable staff.
Show us the work when it's all done ;)

[AmeCassee]

And when I say big, I mean a few feet wide by a few feet tall that I can frame.

I'm sorry, I am in the major where a few feet by a few feet is really tiny, so forgive me when I say I found that hilarious. :P

I cannot really state anything thats not already been said, except I do not believe anyone said anything about rolls. Buy a huge roll of paper, use it to your specifications. Its great, and considering I myself am not one for huge projects it gives your limitless possibilities.

Good luck, and have fun!