Artfix : French Linen : 216 cm wide

Artfix Linen has been handcrafted for over 30 years in Provence, France, by the Narozni family. The warm, dry climate is ideal for the slow, even drying of primed canvas surfaces. Artfix Linen has superb archival characteristics: each canvas is guaranteed not to peel, crack or flake, and will not fluctuate or lose stability due to changes in humidity and temperature.

Artfix linen is made from a strong, tightly woven extra fine grade fabric that is double-sized to protect the material from the adverse effects of oil primers and oil paints. Up to six layers of ground ensure an utterly flawless support surface. Multiple coats of hand-applied universal primer provide the qualities and characteristics of traditional lead-based ground without its toxicity. This surface provides unique absorbency, allowing paint pigment to sink into the surface of the canvas, increasing the dimensionality and depth of the painting and providing a glow that radiates from within the painting when over-painted with thin glazes. The range also includes a selection of clear-sized and unprimed options.

Linen, by nature, is stronger and durable than cotton and is proven to stand the test of time. Although more affordable and the most popular today, cotton canvas is not as strong and deteriorates faster than linen.