Claessens Linen Rolls

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Claessens Canvas Rolls

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A Family Firm with Respect for Tradition - Up to the turn of the last century, many professional artists prepared their own canvases. As more and more amateurs took up the brush, the demand for canvas prepared by traditional methods grew. In 1906, close to the River Leie and in the middle of the Flax District, Victor Claessens founded a company to produce top quality artist's canvas. To that end he refined the tried and tested methods that had been passed down from generation to generation. Almost a century later, Claessens NV is still operationg in the original buildings in Waregem. The descendants of Victor Claessens have made conscious choice to keep a small scale approach to production and to honor the traditional methods for treating artist's canvas. Nowadays much of the work is done by machine, but the core of the production has remained unchanged. This respect for tradition and experience has made Claessens a household name amongst artists, stretching far beyond the borders of Europe.

Top Quality Raw Materials - Flax is a long stemmed plant that 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 unevennesses 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 - Jerry's offer Claessens in oil canvases, universal canvases and unprimed canvas. Oil canvases are intended solely for oil paint where universal canvases are suitable for both oil and acrylic paint. For an oil primed 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 layer of a Titanium White-based coat 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.

Please note: For the descriptions below, TPI is used for "threads per square inch."

Style 12 Oil Primed Linen Rolls - This portrait linen has a 50.8 TPI warp and 40.6 TPI weft. Single-primed it weighs 11.35 ounces per square yard, double-primed it weighs 12.59 ounces per square yard. 2 coat sizing. 82" × 6 yard rolls.

Style 13 Oil Primed Linen Rolls - This portrait linen is their very finest. It has a 57.9 TPI warp and 58.4 TPI weft. Single-primed it weighs 9.58 ounces per square yard, double-primed it weighs 10.47 ounces per square yard. 4× primed DPS weighs 11.35 ounces per square yard. 2 coat sizing.

Style 15 Oil Primed Linen Rolls - This extra strong, tight weave, medium texture linen is a best bet for artists seeking uniformity in their landscape canvas. It has 43.2 TPI warp and 36.8 TPI weft. Single-primed weighs 13.12 ounces per square yard, double-primed weighs 14.74 ounces per square yard. 2 coat sizing.

Style 20 Oil Primed Linen Rolls - A rough textured linen is the least expensive of the landscape canvases. 36.3 TPI warp and 26.7 TPI weft. Weighs 12.38 ounces per square yard. 2 coat sizing.

Style 29 Oil Primed Linen Rolls - This super heavy weight linen has a tight weave, an exceptional strength and rough texture. A best bet with mural artists. It has a 54.9 TPI warp and 31.8 TPI weft. Single-primed weighs 16.51 ounces per square yard. 2 coat sizing.

Style 66 Oil Primed Linen Rolls - A favorite of artists world wide due to its even medium texture, tight weave and strength. The world's most popular linen for landscape painting. It has a 43.2 TPI warp and 36.8 TPI weft. Single-primed weighs 13.48 ounces per square yard. 2 coat sizing.

Claessens Unprimed - By exclusive agreement with the factory you can now prime up the most famous Belgian linens in the world yourself. No. 9 similar to No. 15. 84" × 6 yard rolls.

Claessens Acrylic Primed "Universal" - Now the finest linen is available with all media acid-free double priming. No 109 has a medium texture and weave and is great for most needs. For a tighter weave try No. 166 which is the style 66 with acrylic priming. Swatches available.

Small swatches are available for any grade you would like to touch or apply a dab of paint on. Specify Style Number.