This heavy-weight raw cotton canvas is ready for preparation with the ground of your choice. The canvas is very strong and has both substantial body and tooth. This product works great for staining techniques that involve pouring thinned paints onto the raw canvas which can result in abstract color combinations. Staining achieves a fluid and spontaneous convergence of the image and the fabric, an effect that is not possible with gesso prepared canvases. Please note that applying oil paints to raw canvas can be caustic to the canvas fibers.