Claessens Canvas & Linen

Claessens are a Belgium company that have been producing top-quality artist's canvas since 1906. They continue to use traditional methods passed down the generations and although they use machines the core production process is unchanged. Claessens still occupy their original buildings in Waregem. Find a variety of Claessens canvas and linen types available including oil primed, universal primed and unprimed in a range of textures.

How Are They Made?

The first step towards producing the canvas is the collection and preparation of the plant fibres. Claessens use a range of raw materials including flax, cotton and jute as well as synthetic options such as viscose fibre and polyester. The majority of their canvas' are made from flax which has a superior durability and quality.

Claessens have a thorough quality control where the fabrics are checked for faults and abnormalities. Then adhesive layers are applied to the material and dried in a warm-air oven. Once ready the canvas can be primed with Claessens own oil, acrylic or tempera paints and carefully dried over a number of days. The final step is for the canvases to be inspected and then rolled.

Different Types of Claessens Canvas

Oil primed canvas has been specially prepared for use with oil paints. The primer is a 'Zinc White' and bound with linseed oil and has been air-dried naturally. The oil canvas is then sanded and painted with another layer this time of 'Titanium White' and dried again. It takes several days for this priming and drying process to be completed.

Universal primed canvas is suitable for both oil and acrylic paint. The two primer layers are 'Titanium White' and due to the paint being water-based the canvas can be dried in a dry-air oven.

The Claessens linen and canvas is a popular choice for artists due to it's high quality and the company's respect for traditional methods.