Why & How To Tone Your Canvas

Learn how to get over the fear of the blank canvas. This article explores the benefits of toning including my 3-step process on how to do it. 

4 Benefits of Toning Your Canvas:
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• Provides a starting point
• Creates movement
• Makes the canvas less intimidating and more approachable
• Roller marks can inspire your next move

When I began painting, getting over the fear of the blank canvas was one of my biggest challenges.
For me, the blank canvas carried the expectation that I had to create something worthy of it, a “masterpiece”, and that I had to spend time and energy planning exactly how I was going to give shape to the ideas in my head.

I decided that the best way for me to get over my inhibitions was to tone the canvas right away. This made the canvas less intimidating and more approachable. In my mind, toning the canvas made it “less perfect”. It also created movement, and it took away the burden that I had to know exactly what I was doing before I made my first mark.

Google “Should I tone my canvas?” and you will get a multitude of opinions. My approach is rather unorthodox. For me, toning a canvas has everything to do with movement and beginning the work, more than having to take into account what the painting will look like when it’s finished.

I start by choosing one of either two colors depending on my mood: Yellow ochre for a warmth or Payne’s grey for coolness. 90% of the time, I chose Yellow ochre because I think it’s a beautiful earth color and it lends itself well to my pallet.

​Keep in mind that you can tone your canvas with any color.  If Yellow ochre doesn’t appeal to you, chose a color that does. We are so much more likely to enjoy the painting process if we work with colors that we like instead of colors we don't like.

3 Steps to Tone Your Canvas:
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1. Chose a color that resonates with you
2. Squeeze the paint directly onto the canvas (I prefer to place the paint on the lower left side of the canvas)
3. Use the roller to spread the paint evenly. (Remember to paint the sides of the canvas also.)

Additional Considerations:
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• There is no need to tone your canvas perfectly flat. Quite often, the lines, bubbles and textures that the roller creates during the toning process can serve as inspiration or insight for your next move.
• If choosing a color to tone your canvas feels daunting, keep in mind that the toned canvas is mostly (if not completely) obscured as a result of the multitude of layers I add during my process.
• Paint the front as well at the sides of your canvas. Read more about this topic in my upcoming article: "Should I paint the sides of my canvas?"
• A thin layer of acrylics will be dry in 15 minutes. Additional time may be required for humid climates.
• Mix toning color (Yellow ochre) & medium (Modelling paste) to tone and texture at the same time.​
• Instead of toning the entire canvas, try toning only a few sections instead. I’ve purposefully left entire sections of white canvas in some of my finished pieces.
• For me, toning is a tool to create movement and a place to start. If you don’t want to tone your canvas at all, you can simply begin.

For upcoming Fearless Abstract Painting workshops please click HERE.

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