Adding hand-painted enhancements to a canvas print increases the glow and richness of the colors.
Canvas prints, also know as canvas gicl es, are reproductions printed directly onto canvas. They are as close to the original as possible, giving the impression of museum quality. Painting on these prints is also known as hand embellishment, and refers to painting over certain areas of the print to bring out the color or brushstrokes of the original painting. When painting on canvas prints, a few steps can help you avoid damaging the print.
Instructions
1. Attach your print firmly on an easel. Depending on the size of the canvas print, it can be set against a large cutting board or piece of plywood that's been tilted at a 40- to 45-degree angle on a table. Laying the canvas print flat doesn't allow the painter to get an objective look at the effect of the enhancement as the painting progresses.
2. Stand back and determine the areas and colors you want to enhance. Adding texture to the canvas print is possible even before you begin painting. Apply a gloss gel medium up to 1/8-inch thick. Let the gel medium dry for 24 hours, or until it is transparent.
3. Mix a small dab of gloss gel medium to the acrylic paint. This mixture gives a sheen that will match the finish, or protective coating, that was sprayed on the canvas print. Study the print to see what type of brushstrokes were used on the original painting. Short, thick strokes suggest the use of a brush that is flat across the top of the bristles. Long or thin strokes suggest brushes with bristles that come to a point
4. Apply the acrylic paint and gloss gel medium mixture to the areas of the print that you want to bring to life or make stand out. How much or how little embellishing is a personal choice. Look at the areas that you want to glow. For example, apply a thick dab of white or extremely light yellow (a mixture of white with a touch of yellow paint) on the light from a street lamp on the canvas print. This will make the light look like it's glowing from the lamp. Very thin layers of the paint and gel gloss mixture added using rich dark colors over dark colors on the canvas print will bring out their beauty. Let the enhancements dry completely before moving or framing the print.
