Are you looking for the best canvas for oil painting? Look no further. When it comes to oil painting, things can get tricky, especially if you are just starting out your creative journey. You can’t just whip out your brushes and paint and start dabbing away. One of the most important things to do is actually prep your canvas. Failing to do so can be the difference between creating a masterpiece and making a mess.
Cotton canvases are very popular among new artists as they are cheaper plus they can be stretched easily. Meanwhile, linen canvases are preferred by other artists for their durability and longevity. The drawback to this though is linen canvas is quite pricey.
Not to worry, whichever kind of canvas you are looking for, we’ve listed some of the very best brands and kinds below:
Best Canvas Brands for Oil Painting
There are many canvases for oil painting available in the market. It can definitely get overwhelming to choose the right one. We’ve included some of the most well-known brands in the art industry for canvases that you can use for oil painting:
Best Cotton Canvas for Oil Painting:Winsor & Newton
English company Winsor & Newton has been providing high-quality painting tools since its inception in 1832. You can expect amazing quality from their canvases, including the Professional Cotton Canvas.
The stretcher bars on the canvas are made from kiln-dried, heavy-duty pine. The canvas can withstand warping and moisture thanks to this. The gesso-primed canvas allows for better color coverage. What’s more, this canvas is acid-free and promises archival quality for your artwork.
Best Linen Canvas for Oil Painting: Phoenix
Now, if you prefer linen over cotton, then this product might be for you. Phoenix offers 100% natural linen canvas that is pre-primed and acid-free. With this pack, you get 4 pieces of 16 x 20-inch canvases plus 24 stretcher keys plus wood cross bar. To give you more time to create your artwork, the canvas is already stretched out.
You’ll have colors and details that definitely show as the Phoenix Linen Canvas has a finely-woven thread and fine grain. You can expect your grand oil work to last for decades to come when you use this linen canvas.
Best Canvas for Oil Painting Portraits: Fredrix
The acrylic titanium primed Ultra Smooth Stretched Canvas from Fredrix is perfect for new artists. You don’t have to get yourself caught up with priming as this canvas is ready for painting. The Fredrix brand has been around since the 1800s and specializes in canvases for decades.
This canvas uses a combination of cotton and polyflax and is triple-primed in the US. With its spectacular stretch and high-quality material, this canvas is perfect for making portraits as well as other art that requires fine details. Once you are done with your work, you have the choice to hang it up or have it framed.
Best Black Canvas for Oil Painting: Arteza
Tired of filling out blank spaces? Maybe you have a vision of creating negative space art? No matter what the reason, you can always count on a black canvas to deliver you what you need as opposed to a plain, white one.
While you are brushing on oil painting, colors will go on smoothly as the Arteza Black Canvas is made of 100% cotton. Furthermore, you can expect colors to pop out and remain vibrant throughout the years since it is acid-free.
Best Canvas Sheets for Oil Painting
Maybe you aren’t ready to start working on a canvas on an easel. That’s alright! You can practice oil painting on canvas sheets or paper instead. This will help you practice different oil painting techniques. At the same time, canvas sheets can give you a new way to create oil painting works.
Fredrix Canvas Pad
Since Fredrix is well-known for traditional canvases, it’s only fitting the company also produce a canvas pad. This 12 x 16-inch pad contains 10 sheets of genuine artist cotton canvas. It’s even already acrylic primed so you can start oil painting instantly.
Strathmore Canvas Paper
The acid-free Canvas Paper from Strathmore is designed for your oil painting practice needs. The heavyweight paper has a textured and coated surface that is similar to real canvas. You can go nuts practicing glazing, all prima, scumbing, and more with the Strathmore Canvas Paper.
Strathmore Black Canvas Paper
If you would like to try your hand on a black canvas but are not yet confident in making your mark, opt for the Strathmore Black Canvas Paper. This US-made pad contains 10 black textured canvas sheets (sheets weigh 115lbs). It may be for practice but your work will last for years on this black canvas paper as it is acid-free.
Strathmore Canvas Cards + Envelopes
If your vision requires a smaller canvas scale, check out the Canvas Cards from Strathmore. The paper company has been around since 1892 but it still delivers high-quality sheets—not to mention creative ones.
A Canvas Card pack contains 10 pieces of 5 x 6.875-inch cards with matching 80lb envelopes. Strathmore gives artists a new medium for creating art. You can make special messages on the cards and create mini-masterpieces on the envelopes, too.
Final Thoughts
Just like everything else, you need the right tools to be able to create. You can’t rely on skill or knowledge alone. If your canvas isn’t primed properly, your oil painting can simply slide right off. Not really fall down from the canvas but actually seep into the fibers. Either way, you’ll get a splotchy mess and definitely not turn out to be what you have in your mind.
When choosing canvas for oil painting, opt for tried and tested brands, such as Fredrix, Winsor & Newton, and Strathmore. After all, most of these brands have been around for ages and with good reason. However, if you feel like trying out other brands, you can do so too but don’t paint your aces on them right away.
Using another medium? See the best canvases for acrylic paint