Canvas For Painting – Custom Size

Choosing what colors to use on canvas can feel overwhelming especially when every tube in the art store looks inspiring. But the truth is, whether you’re working in oils, acrylics, or mixed media, some colors are simply more versatile and suited to canvas painting than others. Building a thoughtful palette not only enhances your workflow but deepens your understanding of color mixing, harmony, and expression.

1. Start With a Core Palette That Mixes Well

Most painters begin with a core set of colors that allow them to mix a broad range of hues without buying every tube on the shelf.

A reliable starting palette often includes:

• Titanium White – the workhorse for lightening and creating highlights.
• Primary Colors — red, yellow, and blue; these are the building blocks of all other colors.
• Earth Tones — like yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and raw umber; these are useful for natural shadows and muted shades.

These choices give you the flexibility to mix tints, shades, and tones across many subjects on canvas.

For example, one recommended basic oil palette includes Titanium White, Cadmium Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red, Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Umber, and a green like Phthalo Green, a combination that allows mixing virtually any hue you need.

2. Understand Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Colors

Primary colors (red, blue, yellow) cannot be made by mixing others, so they form the foundation of your palette. From these you create secondary colors (green, orange, purple) by mixing two primaries. Beyond that, combined primary and secondary hues form tertiary colors, offering nuanced tones for landscapes, portraits, abstracts, and more.

Learning to mix your own secondary and tertiary hues not only simplifies your palette but also deepens your understanding of color relationships and harmony.

3. Consider Warm and Cool Variants

One trick seasoned painters use is to balance warm and cool versions of the same primary color. For example:

• Warm Yellow (like Cadmium Yellow) and cool Lemon Yellow
• Warm Red (like Cadmium Red) and cool Alizarin Crimson or Quinacridone
• Warm Blue (Ultramarine) and cool Blue (Phthalo or Cobalt)

This setup helps you mix cleaner colors with more subtle control, a strategy that’s especially helpful when layering and glazing on canvas.

4. Don’t Forget Neutrals and Earth Tones

Neutrals like black and brown are invaluable for adjusting values (light and dark) without muddying your colors. Browns like burnt sienna and raw umber make beautiful muted tones, especially in landscapes and realism. You can also mix your own blacks using blues and earth tones if you want richer, less stark shadows.

5. Expand Your Palette Slowly

Once your basics feel comfortable, you might expand your selection to include:

• Specialty blues like Cerulean or Cobalt for vibrant skies or water
• Greens like Sap or Viridian for landscape work
• Purples and violets for floral or atmospheric effects

This gives you ready-made hues when you need them without overwhelming your palette at first.

6. Match Colors to Your Style and Medium

Different mediums may influence color choice: acrylics dry faster and often feel brighter on canvas, while oils offer richer, deeper hues with longer blending time. Some artists even use toned canvas grounds (a faint wash of a warm or cool color) to influence the mood before they start painting.

Ultimately, suitable colors for canvases are ones you understand and can mix confidently. Start with a core set of primaries, earth tones, and a balance of warm and cool variants. Then refine based on your subjects, style, and creative goals. This approach keeps your palette manageable and your artwork more intentional and expressive.