Yesterday I tried out something completely new and I realised how easy it is to become stuck in a rut when it comes to painting!
I came across by chance on Facebook a group which was set up for people who paint in watercolour on CANVAS!
I was amazed to think that you could do such a thing. Wasn’t a primed canvas a slippery customer, not at all receptive to water and watercolour paint?
YES – of course it is. But if you first treat the canvas with Daniel Smith’s watercolour ground you obtain a surface which is very receptive to watercolour paint – in fact, it is absolutely its best friend!
I tried it out on one of my favourite subjects, the Hare. Here is my very first watercolour on canvas. I highly recommend you give it a go. It’s SUCH fun!
![](https://b2545542.smushcdn.com/2545542/wp-content/uploads/img_4136-809x1024.jpeg?lossy=1&strip=1&webp=1)
![](https://b2545542.smushcdn.com/2545542/wp-content/uploads/img_4136-809x1024.jpeg?lossy=1&strip=1&webp=1)
My second work was this Poppy painting. I was pleased with this too – the intensity of the colours is far greater than when you paint on paper, and the paint can be moved around and removed or put back on just like oils.
![](https://b2545542.smushcdn.com/2545542/wp-content/uploads/red-poppies-on-canvas-695x1024.jpg?lossy=1&strip=1&webp=1)
![](https://b2545542.smushcdn.com/2545542/wp-content/uploads/red-poppies-on-canvas-695x1024.jpg?lossy=1&strip=1&webp=1)
You can also use watercolour pencils or ink on this surface, which lends it to fantastic mixed media opportunities.
Give it a try! You won’t regret it!
Here’s my video on YouTube showing the full process.
The resources I used for this painting were the following:
Daniel Smith Watercolour Ground
Subscribe to my YouTube channel to see more tutorials and examples of working with watercolours on canvas as I explore this exciting technique further!