Recommended Canvas Sizes

[Enzie Shahmiri]

When ever it is time to pre-order canvases, I am absolutely "ban boozeld" (very confused) on what sizes to stock up. Currently, I have a little of everything and this made me wonder weather there is not a generally preferred size out there.

I have looked on-line at various artists work and the sizes used are as varied as the painting styles. With bulk ordering being more economical, it makes sense to acquire a better understanding what sizes are generally more suitable for the typical portrait given the listed dimensions. I was wondering if you would share your size preferences for the following:

a- head and shoulder
b- 1/2 figure
c-3/4 figure
d-full figure

Thanks!

[Debra Norton]

Enzie, I don't know if this will be any help to you, but this is what I do now, as a student, and plan to continue when I finish school this spring. I stretch my own canvases. That way I can always have the size that fits the painting best. Right now I have the convenience of having the school store just down the hall, but when I get home I plan to lay in a supply of different sized stretcher bars. I buy linen by the roll, the largest roll I can afford, keeping the price per square inch as low as possible. I use Claessens #13, double primed linen. I use the Fredrix stretchers, mostly because that's what the school store carries. The Utrecht brand is nice too, they're a little thicker than the Fredrix.

I think the reason you found so many different sizes in your research is that the size of the canvas is an important part of the composition. What I've been taught is to compose the painting first, through thumbnails, sketches, color studies, then to do the cartoon (finished size drawing in charcoal) - then crop it to the right size, stretch a canvas and start painting.

[Allan Rahbek]

Enzie,
for head and shoulders and

[Enzie Shahmiri]

Debra, stretching your own canvas is a great idea, but at the time being I prefer to buy my canvas ready made. I prefer to buy Vincent Masterwrap Oil Primed Belgian Linen canvases and have been very happy with the quality. My 2nd choice would be the Frederix Blue Label Utrasmooth canvases, they are a bit cheaper then the Vincent type.

Allan, what are you basing the 14" inch width on?

Keeping in mind that a life-size head is ca. 7.5" inch long and the torso for the average individual about 2 heads wide, I came up with these lengths for the minimum required canvas size. I am adding about 3-4 inches to each measurement to have room at the top and bottom. Of course the width will depend on the composition and how much room is required for the background.

For a life size head and shoulder, meaning head and enough torso up to the sternum (ca. 15") a 18 inch length seems to be a good size.

For a 1/2 figure life size, that's about 3.5 heads to the belly button (ca. 26.5") , the minimum canvas size should be around 30" inch length.

For a 3/4 figure , that's about 5.5 heads to above the knee, (ca. 41.5") the minimum canvas size should be around 45 inch length.

A full size figure, that's about 7.5 heads tall (ca. 56") , the minimum canvas size should be around 60" inch length.

Would you agree with this rough assessment or would you allow for more room between the figure and the canvas perimeter? If not, please give reasons.

I have painted a seated full figure on a canvas measuring 30" x 40" and framed this has taken up a lot of room. I am wondering , when it comes to full figure compositions is 60" too large for most homes?

Would you paint a full figure smaller than life size and what size would you recommend in that case?

While browsing on-line, even though this is a bit off topic, I came across this interesting read about "sight -size". For those not familiar with the term, it's when a painter places a canvas next to the sitter to paint the individual life-size.

http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:...nk&cd=17&gl=us

[Allan Rahbek]

Originally Posted by Enzie Shahmiri

Allan, what are you basing the 14" inch width on?

Keeping in mind that a life-size head is ca. 7.5" inch long ]

Enzie,
Width 14" x Height 18" is the smallest canvas that I would normally use for a child portrait. The head would be slightly smaller than life size, 7

[Enzie Shahmiri]

Ah, thanks for clarifying the sizes!

I measured my head as well and was right on the 7.5" mark. Of course people vary in head size and I am not at all surprised to hear that your head is larger. I went with an average size, not as small as that of a child's head and not large either.

Allan, do you buy pre-stretched canvas or do you stretch your own? If you buy do you order one at a time or several at once?

[Julie Deane]

Hi Enzie -

I'm doing a head and shoulders portrait for an volunteer project and the project's coordinators asked us to do them in a 20 x 24 in. format.
For a grown adult male, this seems to be a good size, especially if you want some background to show.

[Allan Rahbek]

Originally Posted by Enzie Shahmiri

Allan, do you buy pre-stretched canvas or do you stretch your own? If you buy do you order one at a time or several at once?

Enzie,
I usually stretch and prime my own canvasses and will make several while I am at it, having to heat the glue and all, it is almost the same job to make a pile of them.
I save a lot of money by doing it my self, but if I need a special size of canvas I can get one within the hour.

[Enzie Shahmiri]

Julie and Allan, thank you for your input!