How to choose the best canvas for painting: different types of canvas for acrylic and oil painting.

 Choosing the right canvas for your project. How much should I spend on a canvas? Different canvas types? Do I need expensive canvas? Cheap canvas alternatives, and different qualities of canvas. 

What is artist canvas?

Canvas, or Stretched Artist Canvas, is an artist painting surface made from primed or coated, usually cotton canvas fabric, which is  stretched, or framed, over wooden stretcher bars, giving the surface a 3D effect.

Canvas has been used for hundreds of years by artists, painters, students, professionals, and beginner artists as the surface of choice for acrylic and oil painting.

Milo canvas and canvas panels cover all canvas supply needs, explore the different sizes and qualities to see which stretched canvas surface or canvas panel is right for your next work of art. Milo canvas includes everything from small 5x7 canvases to large canvases, up to the XL canvas size of 36x48, which is a museum quality deep canvas.

What’s in a canvas?

Canvas consists of primed or unprimed cotton, polyester, or linen fabric, wrapped over a wooden frame and used for painting.

Primed canvas is fabric that has been coated with gesso, which is a surface coating cured into the fabric that absorbs the paint while protecting the fabric and allowing some texture on the primed surface. Gesso is usually white in color, however some artists also like to work with black gesso as well as unprimed canvas.

Stretched canvas must be firm, sturdy, well-made, durable, and archival, which means that the product and materials will last for a long time.  

Different Types of Canvases

Milo Art Supplies offers several different types of canvases. Economy Super Value Pack Canvas, Milo Pro Studio Canvas, Milo Pro Gallery Canvas, and Canvas Panels.

Super value pack canvases are more affordable in price and come in larger multi-packs, usually in packs of 12, 10, 8, and 6 packs. Super value pack canvas is great for art projects, beginner artists, students, and professionals alike. The Milo Super Value Pack Economy Canvas is 8oz in weight and uses a 5/8” pine wood stretcher bar.

Studio vs Gallery Canvas

Milo Studio and Gallery canvas uses a heavier, more durable canvas fabric than the value pack canvas. How thick or heavy is the Milo Studio and Gallery Canvas? The Milo Pro Studio and Gallery canvas has 11 oz primed weight canvas fabric, which is more durable and great for larger size canvases. The Milo Studio Canvas range from 18x24 inch canvas to 30x40 inch canvas in packs of 4. The Milo Gallery Canvas includes XXL canvases up to 36x48 inches big!

The Studio canvas stretcher bar measures ¾” thick, made of high quality pine wood. The Gallery Canvas stretcher bar frame is a thicker, 1.5” profile. The thicker canvas frame profile is great for larger size canvases and is very sturdy.

What are Canvas Panels/Canvas Boards?

Canvas Panels are painting surfaces which the primed canvas fabric is folded and secured onto a firm rigid board and used for painting. Canvas panels usually come in packs and are more affordable than stretched canvas. Canvas panels or boards are usually must more thin than a stretched canvas, but work great for all types of art projects.

How to buy canvas online?

Many artists buy canvases on the internet to save time going to the store. Check out Milo Art Supplies to shop art supplies online and find great deals on art materials and canvas for painting.