Whilst a lot of attention is given to choosing different oil paints, it is easy to neglect picking the best canvas to go with them. A good quality surface to paint on is as important as the paint itself, as it will affect the texture and longevity of the finished piece.
There are other factors that might affect your choice of oil paint canvas. Traditional stretched canvases are an excellent choice for large scale work, because they are lighter in weight and don’t have the risk of warping that larger panel sizes can suffer from.
Canvas is flexible, so the painting is less likely to be damaged too. However, they are expensive and bulky, so if you prefer to paint smaller, panels might be a better option, especially if you prefer a smoother surface. Oil paint papers, also included in this guide, are ideal for making studies and practising your painting, whilst being much easier to store.
If you want to start painting and need kitting out, check out our guide on the best art supplies. We also have looked at the best art easels if you need an easel to paint at as well.
The best oil paint canvas available now
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+ Very high quality
+ Easily adjustable
- No extra large sizes
Winsor & Newton's professional canvases offer a heavyweight, quality surface, coming in at 480gsm (16.9oz). The frame is made of pine, with a cross brace in larger sizes, making it less likely to warp. The cotton surface can be stretched very tightly. These stretched canvases are a bit pricier than student quality ones, but their quality makes them a solid option for more serious projects.
+ Excellent quality
+ Oil primed surface
- Expensive
Masterpiece produces very high quality pre-stretched canvases that are a great option for big projects and professional commissions if you don’t have the means to stretch your own canvas. These canvases come with an oil primed surface and are made of linen, which alongside a high build quality, ensures that they will last a long time.
+ Excellent quality
+ Lightweight
- Very textured
Winsor & Newton's Artist's canvas boards offer quality at a fair price. The board is stronger than a lot of canvas boards, and doesn't bend easily. However, it is still thin enough to be lightweight. The surface takes paint well, though it does have a strong canvas texture that can interfere with details. If you prefer smoother surfaces, it might be a bit much at small sizes, but should be fine for the larger panels.
+ Neutral tone surface
+ Good quality for price
- Only square-shaped
- Limited sizes
Pebeo's canvas boards use a natural linen that offers a neutral warm grey to work on. They are fairly tough and handle heavier paint well. The surface quality is excellent, as the texture doesn't interfere with the painting either. The backing board is strong and sturdy, and doesn't show any signs of warping. The only big downside to these canvas boards is that they only come in square sizes.
+ Very sturdy surface
+ Easy to use
- Surface a bit slippery
- Less suitable for finished work
Canson's Figueras oil paint paper is affordable, but strong enough to handle fairly heavy paint. It has a canvas-like texture and is easy to cut. It holds oil paint well and doesn't curl or soak through. It does have a slippery-smooth feel that is common to oil paint papers, though it has more tooth than most. Canvas papers are good for studies and beginners, as they are easy to use and don't take up much space – just tape them to a drawing board.
+ 100% cotton surface
+ No slippery texture
- Fairly absorbent
- Not so good with heavy paint
Arches oil paint paper is an excellent surface to work on if you prefer oil paint papers. It is 100 per cent cotton, so it should last well, and comes ready to paint on. The paper feels more like watercolour paper than other oil papers as it has less texture and a more absorbent surface. The paper has a nice tactile feel, but may cause more oily mixtures to 'sink' and lose their lustre a bit. Otherwise, the lack of texture makes applying flat colour and details a breeze.
What should you look for when buying an oil canvas?
Canvases are made out of cotton or linen. Linen is tough and handles thick paint well, but cotton is more affordable. Remember, while cotton can be stretched tightly for a taught surface, it may loosen in larger frames.
Traditional canvases comprise of canvas stretched over a wooden frame, creating a slightly springy surface. These are the best oil paint canvases for larger artworks, as they can be taken off the frame for storage, are lightweight, and stable over time.
Canvas boards are comprised of canvas stretched over and glued to a solid board. These are much thinner than canvases, and have a firm surface.
Canvas papers are specially treated papers for oils that emulate canvas. They are great for beginners, or quick studies, as they are affordable, and won't take up much space.
Does oil paint need a special canvas?
General paper isn't strong enough to hold up to oil paint so you'll want a special canvas to work with. Linen and cotton canvases are the most common, although canvas papers are available.
How we choose the best oil paint canvas
When comparing the best oil paint canvases, we’ve looked at different use options, price points and the quality of different canvases available for artists.
There is wide variety of different surfaces for artists to paint on. Here we have focused on canvases that are most suited for use with oil paint, and have included traditional canvases, that come pre-stretched, which are good for larger scale painting, canvas boards, which are a good option for smaller scale work whilst maintaining the texture of a canvas, and oil paint papers, which tend to be more affordable and serve as a great option for quick studies or sketches in oil, as well as being easy to store.
From these categories, we’ve picked a couple of options to offer choices for different price points and varied surfaces that might suit different painting approaches.
How we test the best oil paint canvas
We’ve tested these canvases ourselves, specifically for use with oil paint, and compared them to a selection of different surfaces to see how well they perform, and how stable the surfaces are, avoiding any that are prone to warping, or don’t take oil paint well.
For the stretched canvases, we’ve checked general build quality of the frame and how well it is stretched before painting on it, ensure it is a stable painting surface. For canvas boards and paper, we’ve looked at the different textures and how they feel to work on, as well as ensuring that these surfaces do not buckle.
Oil paint can behave differently depending on how a surface is prepared, with some artists preferring more absorbent surfaces whereas others do not. When testing these canvases, we’ve selected a variety, picking surfaces that hold the paint well without being too ‘slippery’ to paint on.
