Top Quality Raw Materials Flax, a long stemmed plant, is harvested and then steeped in water making it easier for the golden, soft fibers to be stripped from the woody bast. Flax is grown mainly in the district around the River Leie where Claessens NV has always been based. Claessens principally produces canvas from flax (more commonly reffered as linen). This provides the best quality and is the most durable.

Meticulous Inspection When the cloth arrives at Claessens NV it is still raw and unprocessed. It is first checked with great care for any weaving faults. Abnormally thick threads and lumps are scrupulously removed. The cloth has to be flawlessly smooth, as any nevennesses might mar your painting. The cloth is then shaved and dusted. Any final irregularities and bits of fluff are removed by machine, and the cloth is now ready to be treated.

The Right Type Of Canvas We offer Claessens canvas in oil canvases, universal canvases and umprimed canvas. Oil canvases are intended solely for oil paint where universal canvases are suitable for both oil and acrylic paint. For an “oil canvas”, zinc white is used as the primer, bound with linseed oil. After that canvas is put into a drying room for three days where it air dries naturally. At that point the canvas is once again sanded and a coating layer based on Titanium White is applied. The canvas then has to go back into the drying room for a further ten days. “Universal canvases” are given two primer layers of Titanium White and are bound with a synthetic glue. The canvas is is then dried in an air-dry oven. Most of the treatments are done by machine, but according to traditional methods. In special instances and for some large size canvases this entire process may be done entirely by hand. When the canvas is completely dry, it is cut into 10 meter lengths, carefully rolled up, wrapped in damp proof paper, packaged and sent out to customers. The story of the canvas is then finished and the story of the painting can start.

A Wide Range of Canvas Artist’s canvas come in surprisingly many variations. The texture of the weave can vary form coarse to very fine. Specific treatments produce specific variations. We are proud to offer a diverse range of these canvases in varying sizes.

#12 Portrait linen with a 50.8 thread per inch warp and 40.6 weft. Weighs 11.35 oz. per square yard. Single primed 82” x 6 yard rolls; 2 coat sizing. Great for portrait painting.

#13 Portrait linen with a 57.9 thread per inch warp and 58.4 weft. 2 coat sizing.

#15 Extra strong, tight weave with a medium texture. 2 coat sizing.

#20 The most economical of all Claessens Linen rolls. Rough textured linen with 36.3 thread per inch warp and 36.7 weft. Single primed 2 coat sizing.

#29 Super heavyweight linen with a tight weave, exceptional strength and rough texure. 54.9 thread per inch warp, 31.8 weft. Single primed 2 coat sizing.

#66 Even medium texture, tight weave and excellent strength. 43.2 thread per inch warp and 36.8 weft. Single primed. 2 coat sizing.