[MR] Painting canvas

[Rupert Gaddy]

STOP do not use house paint!  That is unless you make it very thin and it
is latex paint.

As a scenic designer and technical director, I can tell you that if you
want to roll or fold it very much after you paint it, you need to use a
THIN coat of latex, and even then you will experience some cracking and
loose paint after a while.

If you are doing a stone castle wall, I suggest using analine dye, or even
the Rit stuff to make your wall as lightweight and flexible as possible.
The problem with dye is it tends to wick into areas where you do not want
it to go. A thin coat of wax will solve that problem. You can melt and
paint it on, but first try just marking with a cheap candle by rubbing it
on your line a few times, it may work fine depending on your fabric and the
surface you have it on.

I suggest that you mark out your "motar lines" on your more or less white
cloth and then dye the stones with a brush if you want texture, or in COLD
water in the washer if you just want a uniform grey.....Or you can cold dye
it grey and then brush on the texture.  If you want to then color in the
motar lines, wash the fabric in HOT water to disolve the wax, then wax the
edges of the stonework...or let it run a little since mortar is seldom
uniform.......

If you do use the latex paint, (BE SURE ITS LATEX) thin it to the point you
think it is TOO thin and try that, even if you have to use two thin coats.


Hope this helps

Ld Rupert the Persistent