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I recommend Ultrasmooth to my students because of the price, period. Personally I don't like painting on it myself. It's way too absorbent, even after two additional gesso coats. And it buckles.
I can't express in words how much I dislike the Artfix canvas. I threw out a portrait I had been working on for three months because the paint just kept sliding around. This is no exaggeration, BTW. THREE MONTHS!!! I also don't like the Claessens either. They are both alkyd primed, not lead primed because of the laws in Europe. You couldn't pay me enough money to paint on them.
Conversely, I love the Rix. My favorite canvas ever and the one that marks the end of my search. Once I try something and it works I stick with it. I painted Cardinal Egan on it. That went pretty well for me. Once I achieve the results I'm striving for, I'm a very loyal guy.
Personally I don't think that most of the old masters did much if any random experimentation. The ones who experimented don't have work that still exists! DaVinci, unfortunately, experimented and as a result the Last Supper was deteriorating almost immediately upon application. Maybe he painted it on polyester sailcloth!?!?
Do you consider it pertinent scientifically, as it relates to painting, that awning cloth lasts twenty years? Are you planning on hanging your paintings outdoors in the sun. The same goes for linen holding up in landfills. Gonna bury your work for future archaeologists to unearth?Paintings are designed for different uses. Paintings need a substrate appropriate for hanging indoors and the paint needs to bond with the ground both mechanically and chemically. This happens with lead white painted on a lead ground on linen, the reason given for the longevity of 17th Century (and earlier) work.
The process of painting on cave walls evolved over the course of tens of thousands of years and eventually become oil painting on linen. People tried new things along the way and if the results were eventually found out to be inferior, they were dropped. I don't take this to be a viable rational for trying to paint on every new material that industry creates. Who wants to be the Guinna Pig? Not me! That's all I'm saying. I have a responsibility to my patrons. There are no guarantees, save for the test of time.
We are all free to do whatever we wish (as long as we don't harm others, of course). I am very happy with the results I achieve and feel quite confident that my materials will insure the archival viability of my art.
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