How to Paint on Canvas

Co-authored by Kelly Medford

Last Updated: April 16, 2024 References

Painting on canvas has been a tradition in the arts since before the Renaissance. For hundreds of years, artists have been using canvas to make great pieces of art in oil and acrylic paints. If you have the right materials and prepare your canvas in the right way, you can paint the way the masters of the art world have for centuries.

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Choosing an Easel

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To start painting on canvas, first thing you need is an easel. When you are buying an easel, you need to decide what the main function of your easel will be. Also think about where you will do most of your painting. If you paint on the go, you need a small travel easel. If you paint in a small space, you need a compact, medium sized easel. If you have a large studio space, you can invest in a larger, more stable easel.
If you are looking for a travel easel, the most important thing to consider is weight and collapsing features. There are many different types. You can buy a lightweight aluminum one with collapsible tripod legs. You can also get one that folds up and fits into a travel case. Try models such as The Jullian Plein Air Easel PA1 or the Daler Rowney St Paul’s Easel.

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Use a compact easel. If you have very little space, try a table easel. Use these on desks or tables of any size or height. Instead of long legs, they have a sturdy base that sits on any flat surface and don't take up room on the floor. They come in wood or metal and can be either H framed or collapsible. They can hold canvases as large as 35 inches. Most have a notched stand on the back that can shift to fit any angle needs. Try Reeve's Art & Craft Work Station or Windsor & Newton's Eden model.
- If you have a little floor space to devote to your easel but not a large studio, there are some compact freestanding easels. They give great stability for small to medium sized canvases and can fold up smaller for easy, out of the way storage. They come in metal and wood. Look for models such as Windsor & Newton's Shannon or Mabefs Inclinable.
Large studio easels are made for long term use. They are heavy duty and have the capability to hold large canvases. You can also get ones with masts big enough for you to work on the bottom of the canvas at eye level on any size canvas. Try the Best University or Santa Fe II models. ^{[1]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Getting Your Materials

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1
Decide on your paints. There are two major types of paint used on canvas, oil and acrylic. They both have their pros and cons. The one you choose depends on what you want to paint and the way in which you want to paint it. You should weigh the pros and cons of each and decide which is best for your project.
- Acrylic paints dry fast. This can help if you want to do many layers or apply crisp lines. ^{[3]
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  Kelly Medford
  Professional Artist
  
  Expert Interview. 2 July 2019.} It can be difficult when you are mixing paint and painting on large surfaces. You can get a defined edge, but color blending is hard. They don't change color over time, but they appear darker when they dry on the canvas. You can use super thin or thick layers because the paint will dry all the way through. They are also non toxic and have no smell. Acrylics also come off brushes with water.
- Oil paints allow longer working times because they take longer to dry. The extra drying time makes it harder to make crisp lines. ^{[4]
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  Kelly Medford
  Professional Artist
  
  Expert Interview. 2 July 2019.} They blend well and make easy transitions between colors. The oil can degrade the linen or cotton fabric of the canvas. The color of the paint remains the same when it dries. It will yellow over time as the oil oxidizes. Oils are toxic and have a smell, due to the use of turpentine to thin the colors.
- Although it isn't as popular, you can also use watercolors on canvas. These appear lighter and less crisp, but can give a great atmospheric quality.
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Pick the brushes. To do any type of painting, you will need to have brushes. The type of brushes that you need will depend on the medium that you plan to paint with. There are eight different kinds of brushes. They come in many different sizes and are made with natural and synthetic fibers.
- If you plan on using acrylics, you should buy synthetic brushes. The materials in natural hair brushes degrade over time because of the components in acrylic paint.
- For oil painting, natural fiber brushes are better. The bristles are harder and make more distinct marks on the canvas. If you buy synthetic brushes for oil painting, make sure they are made for oil paints. Otherwise, they can break down and build up residue.
- The four most common brushes are the round, flat, bright, and filbert kinds. If you want to do detail work, you can use the pointed round, angular flat, fan, and detailed round brushes. ^{[5]
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There are a few other things you need to paint. You need a palette or paint tray to mix your colors. You can also get a palette cover to keep your paints from drying out. You need a color chart to help you mix different colors. You might also need palette knives for mixing colors and painting large areas of canvas. You can also use an apron to keep your clothes clean. ^{[8]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Sizing the Canvas

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1
Choose your canvas. There are many things that go into choosing a canvas. You need to choose what size canvas you need and what proportions you need for your project. You also have to choose a material for your canvas. There are all kinds of sizes and shapes you can buy from art supply and craft stores. Canvases come as small as a few inch square and as large as a full sized wall. The most popular sizes of canvas range between 11 x 14 to 48 x 72 inches. ^{[9]
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- The two types of canvas are linen and cotton. They both hold oil and acrylic paint well. Cotton is cheaper, but it takes more work before you can paint on it. Linen is nicer, but it costs more.
- If you want to go one step further in making your own canvas, you can buy the fabric and wooden frame and stretch your own canvas. ^{[10]
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  Kelly Medford
  Professional Artist
  
  Expert Interview. 2 July 2019.} However, most people buy their canvases pre-stretched.
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Pick your size. You size your canvas by painting a type of glue to the surface of the canvas. This helps fill in the holes in the fabric of the canvas. This is so the paints aren't absorbed and misshapen when you start. The type of size you will need depends on the kind of paint you are working with. If you are working with acrylics or watercolors, you don't have to size your canvas. Many painters do to make the canvas stable for painting. If you are working with oil, you need to size to avoid color fading.
- The most traditional way to size a canvas is using rabbit skin glue. The most popular size for oil is poly vinyl acetate, or PVA size. You can use either one. If you use rabbit skin glue, you will have to mix it with water before you use it on the canvas. ^{[11]
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Apply the first coat. Pour a generous amount of your size onto the surface of the canvas. Using a large brush, paint the size across the canvas until all the sizing is spread evenly. Allow to dry for 30 minutes.
- Make sure you do this in even, straight strokes. You don't want your size to be uneven.
- Remember to apply the size to every side of the sides of the canvas as well. This will prevent degradation over time. ^{[12]
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Apply a second coat. Pour more size onto the canvas and paint it on with the same brush. Make sure you rub this layer into the canvas to fill in any holes in the canvas that haven't been filled. As you finish this second layer, take your brush and move along the surface in even strokes to make the surface smooth. Let it dry.
- If your size looks a little thin, you may need a third layer. This depends on the quality of the size you choose to use. ^{[13]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Priming the Canvas

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1
Understand the technique. You prime your canvas to finish getting it ready for painting. You use a paint like material called gesso. The gesso creates a surface for the paint adhere to once it's applied. ^{[14]
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Kelly Medford
Professional Artist

Expert Interview. 2 July 2019.} Once your second layer of size has dried, you need to prime your canvas. The primer you use will depend on the medium that you intend to paint with. They come in white or translucent colors that provide natural lighting for your painting.
- Oil, acrylic, and watercolors all have different types of gesso associated with them. However, acrylic gesso is now used most for both acrylic and oil painting. It is also used underneath the ground needed to paint watercolors on a canvas. ^{[15]
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Pour the gesso, such as Opus acrylic gesso, on your canvas. Paint it on the canvas in even strokes with a large brush. Wait 30 minutes to 1 hour for the gesso to dry.
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Apply more layers. Turn your canvas 90 degrees. Apply another coat of gesso in the same manner you applied the first. Let dry and repeat until you have enough layers.
- You need three layers of gesso for acrylic paint. You need four layers of gesso for oil paint.
- If you don't want to bother with sizing or priming, you can buy pre-primed canvases that don't need the size or gesso applied to them. ^{[16]
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Some painters prefer a smooth surface for painting. If you do, add one layer of gesso to your sized canvas. After the gesso dries, rub a piece of coarse sandpaper across your canvas. Apply as many coats of gesso as you need on top of the first. Sand between each one and after the last. ^{[17]
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5
Prime the canvas for watercolors. If you want to use watercolors on the canvas, you need something extra on the canvas. Apply two coats of gesso in the same manner you applied it for acrylics and oils. On top of that, apply an absorbent ground such as Golden's Absorbent Ground.
- Using a brush or roller, paint the ground on the surface in a thin layer across the canvas. Wait 30 minutes to 1 hour between coats to let it dry, then apply another layer. You should apply 5-6 layers of the ground to the surface of the canvas. Let the ground dry for 24 hours before you start to paint. ^{[18]
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Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Painting the Canvas

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Some paintings require a background color. ^{[19]
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Kelly Medford
Professional Artist

Expert Interview. 2 July 2019.} This will be different depending on your subject matter. If you need one, you have to start off with this. Using a large brush, paint your background color across the canvas. Make sure this is before you start to apply your other paints or sketch out your image. ^{[20]
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Now that you primed your canvas , you have your brushes, and you have chosen your paints, you can start work on your canvas. You should already have an idea of what you want to paint since you have chosen the colors that you need. At this point, you can sketch the outline of what you want to paint across the surface of your canvas before you start to paint. If you are working on a more abstract, free slowing work, you can just begin painting on the canvas. ^{[21]
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Apply the high and low lights. If you are working on a subject, you need to start with the low and highlights. Apply the darkest and lightest colors that you are going to use onto the sketch you made. From here, you can build up the middle ground shades on top of them, blending them as you go. ^{[22]
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- If you are using oil paints, make sure you clean your brushes with turpentine between uses. If not, you will get paint build up and it will ruin your brushes. If you are using acrylics or watercolors, rinsing them out in water is fine. ^{[23]
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Expert Q&A

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Question

What kinds of paints can I use on canvas?

Kelly Medford
Professional Artist
Kelly Medford is an American painter based in Rome, Italy. She studied classical painting, drawing and printmaking both in the U.S. and in Italy. She works primarily en plein air on the streets of Rome, and also travels for private international collectors on commission. She founded Sketching Rome Tours in 2012 where she teaches sketchbook journaling to visitors of Rome. Kelly is a graduate of the Florence Academy of Art.

Kelly Medford

Professional Artist

Expert Answer

You can choose either acrylics or oils to use on canvas. Acrylics are great for beginners because they dry quickly. Oil paints take a lot longer to dry, but they're easier to blend together.

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Where can I buy an easel?

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You can find an inexpensive easel on Amazon, or you can buy one at your local craft store, like Michael's or Hobby Lobby.

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Is there a way to add a paint color that had been forgotten onto a canvas?

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If you can blend the color in along with other colors really well and still have that color look vibrant, that would work.

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How to Paint on Canvas

Steps

Choosing an Easel

Getting Your Materials

Sizing the Canvas

Priming the Canvas

Painting the Canvas

Expert Q&A

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