The Paint to Use on Canvas and How to Use It

A blank canvas can feel intimidating, and the first question most beginners ask is simple: which paint should I use? The two paints made for canvas are acrylic and oil. Both work well, but they behave very differently. This guide explains the difference, how to prepare your canvas, and how to start your first painting.

Acrylic paint: the easiest start

Acrylic paint is water-based while wet and becomes water-resistant once it dries. It dries quickly, usually within minutes for thin layers, so you can paint layer over layer in a single session. Brushes clean up with water and mild soap as long as you wash them before the paint dries.

• Good for: beginners, students, school projects, quick studies and mixed media.
• Keep in mind: the fast drying time makes slow blending harder. Work in smaller areas and keep a spray of water nearby to keep the paint workable.

Browse our acrylic paints for tube sets in different colour counts.

Oil paint: slow drying, rich blending

Oil paint stays wet for a long time, often days, which lets you blend colours smoothly and rework a painting. It needs solvents or oil-based mediums for thinning and brush cleaning, and a painting must dry fully before it is varnished.

• Good for: portraits, landscapes, soft blends and artists who like to work slowly.
• Keep in mind: paint in a ventilated room, and follow the "fat over lean" rule: each new layer should contain a little more oil than the one below so the painting does not crack.

See our oil paints if you want to try the traditional medium.

Preparing the canvas

Most ready-made canvases are already primed with gesso, a white base coat that stops paint soaking into the fabric. If your canvas is unprimed, brush on one or two thin coats of gesso and let each dry. You can also tone the canvas with a thin wash of a neutral colour so that bright whites do not distract you while you paint. Find canvases and pads in Sketching Pads & Canvas.

Choosing brushes

Synthetic brushes suit acrylics because they hold their shape in water-based paint. Natural or stiff bristle brushes are traditional for oils. A starter set should include a large flat brush for backgrounds, a medium round brush for shapes, and a small round brush for detail. Shop paint brushes here.

Your first painting, step by step

1. Sketch the main shapes lightly with a pencil or thinned paint.
2. Block in large areas with thin paint, working from dark to light.
3. Build up the middle tones and colours in layers.
4. Add details and highlights last, with a smaller brush and thicker paint.
5. Let the painting dry completely before varnishing or framing.

Caring for a finished painting

Keep finished canvases out of direct sunlight and away from damp walls. A coat of varnish, applied once the paint is fully dry, protects the surface from dust and makes colours look even.

Which paint should you choose?

If you are new to painting on canvas, start with acrylics: they are forgiving, quick to dry and easy to clean. Move to oils when you want longer working time and softer blends. For more art supplies, explore the full Arts collection at Muslim Stationery Mart, or call us on 0336 1287540 for advice.