Canvas Guide: Sizes, Priming and Choosing a Canvas for Painting

Canvas is the classic surface for acrylic and oil painting. This guide explains how to choose a canvas for painting: the different types, popular sizes, whether you need to prime it, and how to look after a finished painting.

Types of canvas

• Stretched canvas: canvas cloth stretched over a wooden frame (stretcher bars). Ready to hang, and the most popular choice for finished paintings.
• Canvas panels: canvas glued onto a flat board, such as the Art Studio Canvas Panel 50 × 70cm. Thin and easy to store, good for practice and studies.
• Canvas pads: sheets of canvas or canvas paper in a pad, such as the Bomeijia Artist Canvas Pad A4, A3 or the 380g cotton canvas pad. Great for learning, studies and cutting to size.
• Mini canvases: tiny canvases such as the Mont Marte Mini Canvas 10 × 8cm, or a mini display easel with canvas, for small gifts and decorations.

Is the canvas ready to paint?

Our Bomeijia stretched canvases are made from 280gsm canvas cloth that is already primed with acrylic gesso, so you can paint straight away with acrylic or oil paint. Some artists add an extra coat or two of gesso, sanded lightly when dry, for a smoother surface. That’s optional, but it is worth doing on any raw, unprimed canvas, because unprimed cloth soaks up paint and oil paint can damage the fibres over time.

Choosing a canvas size

• Small (20 × 20cm, 20 × 25cm): quick paintings, gifts and practice.
• Medium (20 × 30cm, 25 × 30cm, 30 × 50cm): popular sizes for a first proper painting.
• Large and long (40 × 40cm, 30 × 70cm, 30 × 75cm): wall art, landscapes and commissions.

Tip: a bigger canvas needs more paint and bigger brushes. If you are new to painting, start small to medium, and plan your composition with a light pencil sketch first.

Prices change, so see each product page for today’s price. Browse all canvases and easels.

What else you need

• Paint: see our guide to acrylic paints.
• Brushes: a Bomeijia brush set covers most needs; our paint brush guide explains the shapes.
• Primer: Mont Marte Texture Gesso for texture, or Art Nation Black Gesso for a dark background.
• Finish: protect the finished painting with acrylic varnish. Our varnishing guide shows how.

Caring for canvas paintings

• Keep paintings out of direct sun and away from damp walls; humidity can cause mould on the back of the canvas.
• Don’t lean anything against the front or back of a stretched canvas; it can leave a dent.
• Store canvases upright, not stacked flat with weight on top.
• Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth or brush. Never use water or cleaning sprays on a painting.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to prime a pre-primed canvas?

No. Pre-primed canvases are ready to use. An extra gesso coat is optional if you want a smoother surface.

Can I use watercolour on canvas?

Standard canvas isn’t made for watercolour; the paint beads up and lifts. Use watercolour paper instead.

Which canvas is best for beginners?

A small to medium pre-primed stretched canvas, or a canvas pad for practice.

Do you deliver islandwide?

Yes. We deliver across Sri Lanka in 2–5 working days, with cash on delivery, card or bank transfer. You can also visit our shops in Boralesgamuwa and Horana, open every day from 9 AM to 6 PM.

Not sure what to choose? WhatsApp the Haanz team on 0711 515 515 and we’ll help you choose a canvas size.

More Haanz Art Guides

Watercolour Pencils: How to Use Them and Which Set to BuyRead the guide →Oil Colours for Beginners: Paints, Mediums and First StepsRead the guide →Acrylic Retarder: How to Slow Down Acrylic Paint DryingRead the guide →Drawing Pencil Grades Explained: H, HB and B Pencils for SketchingRead the guide →

See all Haanz Art Guides