Canvas is a dense, cloth like fabric, upon which classical artists layer paint to create enduring works. Prior to the 20th century, all artists used woven linen canvases. However, with the advent of cheaper cotton, many artists opted to do away with expensive linen canvases. Modern painters can choose from a variety of pre-prepared cotton and cloth backdrops. Some aesthetes, such as Francis Bacon, preferred to paint on bare, unprepared canvases. Modern painters don't often have the patience or skill to prep canvases with the meticulous care that the old classical masters did. Flemish masters, in particular, spent months priming their canvases. They primed to prevent texture from "showing through" in the final piece. Masters painstakingly applied a kind of white paint to give their canvases a glossy finish. Today, painters still prime their canvases with a coating called "gesso." Home painters should beware that non-primed and non-acid-protected canvases can easily deteriorate, sometimes within the span of a decade or less. Artists may pull their canvases taut across a wooden structure known as a stretcher. You can purchase canvases "pre-stretched" or, if you're more ambitious, you can build a wooden stretcher of your own as a unique art project. A perfectly prepared canvas should be able to take in paint without revealing any underlying texture. Of course, you still must apply the paint evenly to get a good final result. Learning proper brush-stroking can save you hundreds of dollars in terms of ruined canvases and junked art projects. Watching videotapes of seasoned canvas painters ply their trade is an excellent way to learn. | 
