A strong, woven cloth commonly made of either linen or cotton thread and traditionally used for artists’ supports. The best-quality canvas is made of linen; other materials used are cotton, hemp, and jute. It can also be manufactured from man-made materials such as polyester. Its surface is typically prepared for painting by priming with a ground. This protects the fibres and prevents the absorption of oils from the paint. For use as a painting support, canvas is usually stretched over a stretcher, a wooden frame specially made for stretching artist’s canvas, and then tacked or stapled. Since canvases constructed in this way, paintings are susceptible to tears or punctures. For this reason, many artists choose to mount the canvas to a rigid panel, made of either hardwood or some composite material. This way the artist has both the textural qualities of the canvas in his painting and the strength and safety of a rigid panel. Early canvas was made of linen, a sturdy brownish strong fabric. Linen is particularly suitable for the use of oil paint. In the early 20th century, cotton canvas came into use, which is often referred to as ‘cotton duck’. Cotton stretches more and has an even mechanical weave. It is preferred by most modern and contemporary painters today; although linen is still popular with many professional artists especially those artists that work with oil paint.