Here at The Gold Coast Art School, we’ve been using Fredrix canvas boards in our Beginner Art Course for years. But now that Fredrix is no longer shipping to Australia, we had to find a new go-to brand. In our latest video, we tested two canvas panel options easily available at art stores: Create Art and Be Creative. Which one will reign supreme?!
Why Test Canvas Boards?
Canvas panels (or canvas boards) are essential for students learning oil painting. These boards provide a durable, affordable surface to practice on, but they can vary in quality. Our goal was to find the best replacement for Fredrix boards, for our Beginner students to use for their course work.
00:00 Why we are testing canvas boards
00:50 Testing Create Art & Be Creative boards
01:12 Canvas panel differences
02:51 Testing each canvas board
The Testing Process
We tested the Create Art and Be Creative boards to see how they hold up to the wipe-back technique, a method we use frequently in class. This technique helps remove paint from the surface to create highlights, and it’s an essential part of the learning process for beginners. We wanted to make sure that the canvas panels would give students the best chance for success.
The Surprising Results!
We were shocked by the differences in how these boards performed! One stood out for its smooth texture and ability to handle oil paints, while the other… not so much. Watch the full video to find out which canvas board we now recommend for oil painting classes. The results might surprise you as much as they did us!