Painted tapestries

Tapestries had several roles in medieval society. They were a visible display of the wealth of an individual, as well as being insulation against cold and damp when hung on a wall or over a window.

I have done several tapestries.  My tapestries are painted because I cannot weave or embroider. I have taken canvas, and covered it with a layer of gesso. The application of gesso does several key things:

• It prepares the canvas by providing a much more even (and smooth) surface for the paint, which  results in an more even rate of absorption for the paint.

• It minimizes "bleed over" from one color into another due to the wicking action of the canvas fibers.

• It also provides a solid background, which reduces the 'splotchy look' when the tapestry has light (even sunlight through a pavilion wall) behind it.  The splotchy look comes from the paint not being evenly applied dues to the minor variations in the surface of the canvas.

I use acrylic paint in 8 basic colors, which have are mixed with water and each other to produce the different shades. The colors were red, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, black, and white.

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