When it comes to painting your next piece of artwork, there is no better surface than canvas. With its fine balance of texture and receptivity to acrylic, it's no wonder this surface has been preferred by artists for centuries.

To achieve great archival properties and a reliable fabric that showcases your artwork in the best possible light, you need to choose a quality canvas.

The 10 Best Canvases For Acrylic Reviewed

1. Darice Stretched Canvas

Between student and artist grade canvases, you'll find budget-friendly brands like Darice. Offering trademark aesthetics typically found in high-end surfaces like Masterpiece Artist Canvases, these Darice canvas surfaces are perfect for artists looking for a great surface to work with their acrylics.

One noteworthy feature is the double-primed acrylic coating, which provides a smoother and toothier surface, giving your acrylics and brushes more control than bargain brands. Additionally, wood stretcher keys are included (typically not found at this price), allowing you to tighten the canvas to your preference.

As a brand trusted by artists since 1954, you'll love this surface for acrylic painting.

Pros

Double primed
Stretcher keys included
11 sizes available
Variety quantity sizes available
Moderately priced

Cons

Some quality issues mentioned about staple tearing

2. Blick Premiere Canvas

A leader in online art stores, Blick Art Materials not only sells various art supplies but also makes them. While most artists might pass over a store brand, doing so with this stretched canvas would be a mistake.

The Blick Premiere Cotton Canvas is more affordable than others on our list and is a professional artist grade surface. Constructed from hand-woven fabric, it's an uncompromising surface that will make your acrylic paint and brush work shine.

Featuring three different depths (.875”, 1.5”, and 2.375”), you have ultimate selection for display purposes. These canvases have also been triple primed for ultimate surface tooth. Available individually or in multi-packs, they're great for demanding artists.

Pros

Triple primed
3 depth options
India sourced cotton
Sharp and straight corners
Handmade

Cons

None

3. Masterpiece Artist Canvas – Monet Pro

Once you paint with your acrylics on an artist grade canvas, you'll likely never want to go back. This Masterpiece Artist Canvas (part of their Monet Pro line) has a uniform 100% cotton woven canvas with a double primed coating for a portrait smooth surface.

With a tooth that's extremely receptive to both your acrylic and brush, you have complete control over the medium's movement. Built with archival qualities in mind, the canvas has perfect corners and won't slack over time. The wood is also sustainably sourced to prevent long-term environmental impacts.

Pros

Uncompromising quality
Sustainably sourced wood
100% cotton
Double primed

Cons

Expensive

4. Arteza Stretched White Canvas

Arteza is a big name in the stretched canvas world, serving both hobbyists and student artists. Their stretched canvas is an extremely affordable pick when purchased in bulk, available in a variety of dimensions to suit any need.

The canvas is made from 100% cotton, primed with acrylic gesso (acid-free), and offers a 100% refund if you're disappointed. The stretched cotton canvas provides ample tooth and texture, with a nice light spring for your brush.

Pros

100% cotton
Customer satisfaction guarantee
Primed with gesso
Perfect for acrylics
Variety of sizes available
Affordable

Cons

May be a bit too rough of texture for some

5. Daveliou Stretched Canvas

Artist grade quality stretched canvas by Daveliou is a perfect canvas for oil painting, especially for intermediate level artists. With a 3-ply canvas back-stapled to a kiln dried wooden frame (to prevent excess slack), it's a great surface to showcase your artistic abilities.

Using their own laboratory grade primer, the surface has ample tooth for your brushes to latch onto with absolute ease. Naturally water-resistant, it's perfect for plein air painting. Backed by a 1 year guarantee, this surface is a perfect upgrade from panels.

6. Conda Artist Stretched Canvas

These Conda stretched canvases are perfect for beginners looking to try acrylics on a new surface without breaking the bank. At just over $1.50 per surface, it's one of the cheapest options available.

These canvases have been triple primed for greater tooth and include wooden wedges to adjust tension. While some artists found the texture too rough, you can add your own layer of gesso to smooth it out. Despite some quality issues, these are perfect for artists of all ages starting with acrylic painting.

Pros

Perfect for kids / absolute beginners
Triple primed
Cotton canvas

Cons

Aggressive texture

7. US Art Supply Black Stretched Canvas

U.S. Art Supply is known for its wide array of art supplies for student level artists, and this black stretched canvas is no exception. Dyed to black fabric, it's perfect for creating starry landscapes or deep space galactic scenes.

Like the Conda canvases, these are triple-primed, so you won't have to worry about the canvas sucking up all your acrylic paint. The wood is also sustainably sourced to reduce environmental impact.

Pros

Perfect for night time scenes
Triple primed
Sustainably sourced wood
Inexpensive

Cons

May develop some slack with time

8. Art Alternatives Stretched Canvas

This primed, unbleached stretched canvas by Art Alternatives is the perfect surface for portrait work when prepped properly. While not triple primed, applying a base layer of gesso can create an incredibly smooth surface.

Available in several size options, you'll find the perfect pack for your studio. These low-cost surfaces are perfect for budding artists of all ages. The canvas depth is .5”, making them perfect to hang on your wall once completed.

Pros

Extremely affordable multi-pack
Great smooth surface when primed yourself
Unbleached cotton for natural look
Perfect for beginners

Cons

Some inconsistency in quality reported
Economy fabric

9. Creative Mark – Stretched Canvas

Featuring a 1.5” or 2.5” depth, this intermediate level stretched canvas is perfect for displaying your acrylic artwork without a frame. The deep profile adds dimension to your final piece, with perfectly folded corners and no excess slack.

Like most stretched canvases, Creative Mark canvases are triple primed. For greater control, add a layer or two of your own gesso. Overall, it has trademark craftsmanship that should withstand the test of time.

Pros

Deep profile
Looks great frameless
Triple primed

Cons

Moderately priced

10. Masterpiece Artist Canvas - Elite

At nearly $80 for a single canvas, this is what well-funded high-end artists use for an uncompromising surface. From perfect corners to seamless construction, artists have been happy with the results.

The Belgian Linen fiber creates a sturdy fabric with a taut surface for your brush and acrylic to work on.

Pros

Meticulously constructed
Belgian Linen surface
Taut surface
Perfect corners
Professional artist grade

Cons

Expensive

Always Buy In Bulk When Possible

If you're taking your artwork semi-seriously, we recommend purchasing your stretched canvases in bulk. This saves money in the long run and helps you learn the nuances of a particular surface for better brushwork control.

When buying in bulk, ensure the canvases are wrapped individually to reduce tearing and scuffs during storage.

Primed Canvas For Tooth And Absorption

While canvases can come with up to three coats of primer, we suggest adding an additional coating of primer before painting. A coating of gesso builds up the tooth on the surface, typically better than the manufacturer's application.

Additionally, your own gesso can be sanded to a smoother surface. This is important if you've found primed canvases too rough or if the canvas sucks up all the paint, making detailed straight lines difficult. A primed and sanded surface fixes this common problem.

Choosing The Best Canvas For Acrylic Painting

We spent considerable time researching and reviewing the best canvases for acrylic painting. Canvases can differ significantly in wood construction, priming, fabric quality, and more, all contributing to a surface that showcases your best artwork.

Whether you're a student, intermediate, or professional level artist, we've provided suggestions for surfaces that work well with your next acrylic painting.