Traditionally, oil paintings have been painted on linen canvas stretched on a wooden frame, sized with rabbit skin glue, and primed with white lead. But there are a few drawbacks with this traditional material.

Firstly, it is relatively fragile and can easily be punctured or dented.

Secondly, it is flexible, and as it flexes, the paint layers adhered to it flex as well leading to cracking over time.

Thirdly, it is dimensionally unstable and can change size, and therefore tension, dramatically with changes in temperature and humidity which, again, subjects the paint layers to mechanical stresses that eventually lead to cracking. This can also lead to wrinkles in the corners of the painting which necessitate adjusting the wooden frame, a process which also applies a mechanical stress to the paint layers.

Finally, even a very well prepared linen canvas will eventually deteriorate and, assuming the painting is valued enough and the paint layers are intact enough, have to be carefully removed and replaced. This is an incredibly delicate and expensive procedure.

Today, an increasing number of artists are using Aluminium Composite Panels to solve all of these problems. ACP is essentially two extremely thin layers of aluminium sheeting with a core of ABS resin sandwiched between them. The panels are perfectly flat, dimensionally stable, and very tough. They don’t warp or crack with exposure to moisture or changes in temperature. They don’t rot or corrode over time necessitating removal and replacement. ACP is most widely used in the sign industry.

Dibond is the brand name locally and I adhere archival grade canvas (high quality, designed to last) to one side of a 4mm thick Dibond panel using conservation grade adhesive which is especially designed for this purpose. A 3mm thick panel is recommended for the size of paintings I produce but I prefer the thicker board for its added strength.

Before painting, I apply several coats of primer as done with traditional linen canvas panels. This preserves the linen canvas, provides for a better adherence of the paint and reduces the likelihood of cracking and colour fading.

The result is a canvas/aluminium panel that retains the “look” of linen canvas, that is more permanent than traditional linen canvas stretched on a wooden frame and which is lighter than wooden panels which also bow and which gather moisture.

In doing all this, I am confident that those who purchase my paintings will have a painting on an art panel that will last far longer and will degrade less than traditional materials.