Brushes, paints and canvas
My materials for large-format paintings on canvases over 2.8 square meters
The painting surface:
canvas and stretcher frame for large format
For my large-format paintings, I use a special type of canvas: when the canvas is stretched over such a large area, it requires exceptional stability. In the muslin I've chosen, an extra thread woven diagonally ensures that the canvas can be stretched evenly, is less susceptible to temperature fluctuations, and has high tear resistance.
The muslin is already primed; I simply need to cut it to my desired size from the roll. A painting on muslin is typically stretched onto a stretcher frame. This keeps the painting surface taut and free of ripples. I use gallery-quality stretcher frames with a depth of 4 cm. These are predominantly made of high-quality pine with rounded edges. The quality of the wood lies in its ability to absorb very little moisture and resist warping. The stretcher frame consists of four 4 cm thick, interlocking frame strips, which are further stabilized by a double cross brace formed by the center strips.
Intensely colored acrylic paints
I prefer to use acrylic paints for my oversized paintings, and therefore use them predominantly. Their exceptional pigment strength and lightfastness are what make them stand out, resulting in high color intensity. Although I have almost all the colors from the Galeria series in stock, I mix my own custom shades to perfectly suit each painting. These acrylic paints allow for artistically demanding work and are ideally suited to the mixed-media techniques I've developed.
Large brushes and spatulas
I apply the paints to the canvas using brushes of varying sizes and palette knives. The large canvas allows for broad strokes and the use of larger brushes and palette knives, resulting in a correspondingly intense painting effect. The resulting surface texture is an important element of the painting, expressive and comparable to an individual's handwriting. Once the paints are completely dry, they are durable and surprisingly water-resistant.