Tim Vitale and I carried out a series of experiments on a small suction table here at CAL in order to begin to characterize paintings on canvas from the point of view of permeability and of drying. Similar experiments had been carried out on paper and textile supports and we were interested in correlating these findings with data that we might be able to gather on composite structures such as paintings on fabric supports. When treating paintings on a suction table or with a local suction device, the permeability of the layer structure effects the way in which the work dries as well as the possible success of consolidation or stain removal techniques. Furthermore, as more treatments are carried out involving the moistening of paintings on suction tables, we felt it would be of some interest to examine the drying of paintings on the same equipment. The experimental design used here was in keeping with the previous research and was devised simply to give us an overall indication of the permeability and drying of paintings.