Understanding canvas options: Boards, Rolls, Sheets, and Papers

What is a canvas board?

Canvas boards are made of stretched and primed cotton canvas, glued to a stiff backing. Because they’re portable and more robust than traditional canvases, they’re a great option if you’re painting al fresco. You can use them with oil or acrylic colour. Canvas boards are a good choice for beginners, or if you have more experience but want a surface for studies.

What is a canvas roll?

If you want to create your own custom-sized canvases, you can buy a roll of canvas and stretch and prime it yourself. Canvas rolls come in cotton and linen, are available primed and unprimed and can be used for both oil and acrylic paintings.

Using stretcher bars to create a canvas with the right tension requires time, the right tools and experience, however, so canvas rolls are not a good option if you’re a beginner. Winsor & Newton offers ready-stretched and primed canvases on solid wood frames in a wide variety of sizes.

What is a canvas sheet?

Canvas sheets are pre-cut pieces of canvas, and can be used in the same way as canvas from a roll. Again, if you’re new to oil or acrylic painting, you’re probably better off choosing a canvas that’s already prepared.

What is canvas paper?

Canvas paper is not technically canvas, but paper that’s been embossed to give it a canvas-like texture. It can be used with oil or acrylic paint, and comes in a pad, making it ideal for painting outdoors. It’s also suitable for beginners looking to get used to the feel of canvas before starting work on the real thing.

Winsor & Newton offers non-absorbent canvas-texture paper designed specifically for use with oil colour, and an acrylic paint version with a slightly shiny surface, for maximum colour brilliance. There’s also a canvas-texture paper that’s suitable for use with both oil and acrylic. None of the papers require any priming or preparation.