The role of canvas texture in hand-painted oil paintings is mainly reflected in the following aspects, and these roles jointly determine the final expression effect and artistic value of oil paintings:
First, it affects the adhesion and expressiveness of pigments
Pigment adsorption and thickness: Canvases with different textures have varying abilities to adsorb pigments. The surface of a coarse-textured canvas is uneven, allowing the pigment to better adhere to the raised fiber gaps, making the pigment layer thicker and enhancing the sense of depth and three-dimensionality of the color. For instance, when depicting the texture of mountain rocks, a coarse-textured canvas can allow pigments to accumulate, simulating the rough feel of the rocks.
The presentation effect of brushstrokes: The texture of the canvas will affect the presentation of brushstrokes. On a smooth-textured canvas, the brushstrokes are relatively flat and delicate, making it suitable for depicting the delicate texture of skin or a calm water surface. Coarse-textured canvases, on the other hand, enhance the undulations and variations of brushstrokes, making them more expressive. For instance, when depicting trees in the wind, the brushstrokes on a coarse-textured canvas can more vividly reflect the distortion and struggle of the trees.
Second, shape the visual effect of the picture
Enhance the layering of the picture: The uneven surface of the coarse-textured canvas can create natural differences in light and shadow reflection, making the picture present rich layering changes from different angles and under different lighting conditions. When depicting distant mountains in landscape paintings, a coarse-textured canvas can make the distant mountains more hazy and spatial in the changes of light and shadow, enhancing the depth of the picture.
Create a special artistic atmosphere: Canvases with different textures can create a unique artistic atmosphere. Fine-textured canvases give a sense of refinement and delicacy, making them suitable for depicting elegant and serene themes, such as classical portrait paintings. The coarse-textured canvas, on the other hand, brings about a rough and unrestrained artistic effect, making it suitable for depicting grand and passionate scenes, such as oil paintings with war themes.
Third, adapt to different painting styles
Realistic style: Fine-textured canvas is a common choice for realistic style oil paintings. Its smooth surface enables the paint to be evenly applied, facilitating painters to delicately depict the details and texture of objects, such as facial expressions of figures and the wrinkles of clothes, making the picture more realistic.
Expressionist style: The Expressionist style emphasizes the expression of the painter’s inner emotions, and coarse-textured canvases can better fit this style. Painters can make use of the texture of the canvas and apply techniques such as thick coating and scraping to infuse intense emotions into the picture, making the work more impactful and appealing.
Abstract style: Abstract style oil paintings emphasize the free combination of colors, shapes and lines. Canvases of different textures can all offer rich creative possibilities for abstract painting. The concavity and convexity of the coarse-textured canvas can echo the abstract colors and shapes, enhancing the dynamic and tension of the picture. Fine-textured canvases can make the color transitions more gentle, creating a unique abstract atmosphere.
Fourth, it affects the preservation and durability of the work
The adhesion between the pigment and the canvas: Appropriate canvas texture helps the pigment to better penetrate and adhere to the canvas, enhancing the adhesion between the pigment and the canvas and making the work more stable. If the canvas texture is too fine, the pigment may not penetrate fully, causing the pigment layer to peel off easily. However, if the texture is too coarse, the paint may accumulate excessively in the recessed areas, making the surface of the picture uneven and also affecting the preservation of the work.
Anti-aging performance: The uniformity and stability of the canvas texture will affect the anti-aging performance of the work. Uniform texture can make the pigment distribution more even and reduce the local aging problem caused by the uneven distribution of pigment. Meanwhile, a stable texture structure can better withstand the influence of external environmental factors, such as changes in temperature and humidity, thereby extending the preservation life of the work.