Since man walked the face of the earth, painting has been a great way of expressing oneself. It is also a great way to earn money and have fun while at it.
There are several materials needed for painting. Picking the right ones is a very important yet confusing job at the same time. One needs the best oils and brushes to produce the desired results. However, a high-quality canvas is an ultimate basis to produce luxury art.
With a wide variety of surfaces available in the market, there are so many factors you should keep in mind when you go shopping for a canvas. Texture, fabric, prime or no prime will all come into play. That said, you will need a trained eye to pick the crème de la crème from the available varieties. Know your desired results and choose wisely as you go through our amazing selection that come highly recommended.
1. Winsor & Newton Quality Stretch Canvas
When it comes to art supplies, Winsor & Newton is a household name. Their versatile, medium texture surfaces have served artists for decades. This high-quality range is made from the finest grade cloth. This masterpiece surface which is an art in itself is hand-stretched for best tension. It also has expertly tailored corners and weighs 7oz.
What better can steal the heart of a gifted artist than an archival, acid-free canvas? This expertly designed surface is primed with ultra-pigmented titanium dioxide primer. It is also constructed with all mixed media applications in mind and it is not limited to any form of acrylic and oil.
Pros
- It is available in a wide range of sizes both metric and imperial.
- It has superior coverage and performance.
- It comes as a ready to paint surface.
- It is warp-resistant because of its solid spruce wood.
- Its specifications are improved and in every detail.
- It has wooden corner keys.
- The quality is just what you can expect of cotton canvas.
- It has balanced absorbency and improved adhesion.
- Uncompromised color vitality.
Cons
- It cannot be shipped to addresses outside North America.
- It is pricey.
2. Old Holland Claessens Oil Primed Belgian Linen Canvas
This 100% Belgian Linen is woven from natural flax from Belgium. It is made exclusively from natural products with differences in color, composition, and texture. This unique blend gives it a unique sophisticated end product.
This production which is highly inspired by Flemish and Dutch Masters methods is designed with two coats of oil primer. Each coat, artistically applied with a knife, takes three days to naturally air dry. What makes it even more interesting is its carefully sanded parts which are then finally primed with a Titanium White based coating.
This canvas comes with stretcher bars of around 13/16”. For optimum strength during work and display, it is back stabled with expertly folded corners. If you love folding away your canvas when not in use, this is perfectly perfect for you as you can easily re-stretch it as desired.
Pros
- It is museum quality.
- The canvas can be re-stretched if desired.
- It is a top-quality with archival support.
- Made exclusively from natural flax.
- It is easy to use.
Cons
- Customer complaints about stretcher bars tightening issues.
- A bit expensive.
3. Blick Super Value Canvas Pack
This primed ready to paint canvas comes in popular sizes. Its pleasantly surprising surface is primed with three coats. It goes easy on those artists who are wallet-conscious. Perhaps it is the pure cotton that makes it undeniably irresistible, but its kiln-dried wood frames are perfect as well.
Blick Super Value Canvas Packs are made from natural materials with a prime weight of 8 oz. This canvass, however, doesn’t sound all that too good to be true as it has its inherent weaknesses. Its stretch bars may shift and change over time due to weather conditions.
Pros
- Made from kiln-dried wood frames.
- It is of good quality.
- It is pocket friendly and affordable.
- They come ready to paint.
- Both oil and acrylics can be used to paint this surface.
- Made from natural materials.
- They are properly packaged.
- They are square and tight.
- It comes in popular sizes.
Pros
- If you are planning for your painting to be around long, this is not a good idea.
- Its bar stretches tend to shift over time.
- Affected by time and weather changes.
4. Fredrix Archival Stretched Watercolor Cotton Canvas
This revolutionary canvas is 100% cotton. Its watercolor surface unique texture is a naturally woven fabric. This special construction is designed in a way that you can lightly lift out pigment. Which is a great thing in essence as you can wash out your painting surface. This canvas also allows you to scratch or scrape it for unique effects.
It is available in selected popular sizes and it delivers unique look all at the same time. This exciting to work on surface is versatile and durable. It is stretched on a standard bar and its edges are exceptionally stable free. Perhaps you can fall in love with the fact that you can wet this canvas or staple without ever damaging it.
Pros
- It is versatile.
- It cannot be easily damaged as you can rewet, scrape, or scratch it without damage.
- Beautiful and naturally woven fabric.
- It is 100% cotton.
- It is available in selected popular sizes.
- It doesn’t buckle or tear like a paper.
- You can frame, it with or without glass.
- It is acid-free.
Cons
- It is strictly watercolor based.
- Not durable.
5. Masterpiece Tahoe Cotton Canvas
If you are on the lookout for something that is between a medium and heavy-weight canvas, this is your go-to product. This acrylic primed masterpiece works well with aggressive painting techniques. It is easy on brushes and it has an archival quality to it.
Another awesome attribute to this great surface is its PH-balanced nature. It is acid-free and it works in sync with both oil and acrylic paints. You will fall in love over and over again with its impenetrable surface. It is so tough and closely knitted that it does not allow paints leaching through.
There is also something about its Museum-Wrap method worth writing home about. It is highly balanced and tighter than other methods. Its finishing is just excellent with folded corners. This gives you the ability to re-stretch if there be any need to.
Another outstanding attribute to this great surface is its smooth and supple texture. It is unlike other heavyweight canvases. Tahoe Cotton Canvas is superbly clean, paintable, and staple free. It is just a perfect art for painting art.
Pros
- It is perfect for a frameless display.
- It is versatile.
- It is highly impenetrable thus holds paints.
- It has a smooth and supple texture.
- Its finishing has folded corners.
- It yields balanced tension tighter than other methods.
- It is acid-free.
- It features a 3D profile that prevents lines and indention.
- It is triple primed.
Cons
- It is a heavyweight.
- It is costly and not favorable to rising artists.
What to Look for When Buying a Canvas for Oil Painting
When shopping around for the best canvas to paint on, there are a lot of things you should consider. A good art is a good art even if it is painted in an exercise book, a good piece of the canvas gives your art life and luxury.
Assuming that you have decided on the material and the size of the canvas you want to invest in, the next thing you would want to closely look at is the texture. Every canvas has been designed with a certain degree of roughness. You wouldn’t want a canvass with clearly visible roughness. You want your strokes to be smooth and precise and you want the results to be clear of any rough effects.
You should also consider if your canvas is primed or unprimed. A good canvas is primed with a layer of gesso especially the roughly textured. You can either buy unprimed canvas or prime it for yourself. However, most canvases in the market come already primed.
One other important thing you should never overlook while shopping for a good canvas is if it is stretched or unstretched. Canvases come in different ways, but you get to pick according to your liking. They can come stretched on frames, as big rolls or even as pads. The unfortunate thing about this feature is, stretched canvases come only in standard sizes and rectangular shapes. If you have something different in your mind, you will have to settle on the unstretched and DIY according to your liking.
The task of picking an ideal canvas for beginners can be confusing as mentioned earlier. It is not as easy as buying a dress or a designer bag. You ought to do research and have a clear picture of what you want. Otherwise, you can never go wrong with whatever we have listed above for you whether you are a beginner or not.