Total Paint
1.83 fl oz
Area
320.0 sq in
Gesso
6.40 fl oz
Prime First: Always apply 2 coats of gesso primer before painting.
Thin Coats: Multiple thin coats provide better coverage than one thick coat.
Coverage Varies: Transparent pigments like yellows need more coats.
Buy Extra: Purchase 10-15% more for mixing waste and touch-ups.
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Inputs
Result
320 sq in area. Acrylic at 350 sq in/fl oz needs 0.91 fl oz per coat. Two coats = 1.83 fl oz. Gesso at 100 sq in/fl oz needs 3.2 fl oz per coat, two coats = 6.4 fl oz.
Inputs
Result
864 sq in area. Oil at 400 sq in/fl oz needs 2.16 fl oz per coat. Three coats = 6.48 fl oz.
A 16x20 inch canvas (320 sq in) needs approximately 0.9 fl oz of acrylic paint per coat or 0.8 fl oz of oil paint per coat. For 2 coats, you need about 1.8 fl oz (53 ml) of acrylic. You also need about 6.4 fl oz of gesso primer for 2 prep coats.
Apply at least 2 coats of gesso primer to any canvas before painting. Sand lightly between coats with fine sandpaper for a smoother surface. Pre-primed store canvases typically have one thin coat — adding 1-2 more coats improves paint adhesion and color vibrancy.
Oil paint covers slightly more area per fluid ounce (~400 sq in/fl oz) compared to acrylic (~350 sq in/fl oz) because oil paint spreads thinner. However, oil paint requires much longer drying time (2-14 days between coats) while acrylic dries in 15-30 minutes.
| Property | Acrylic Paint | Oil Paint |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | ~350 sq in/fl oz | ~400 sq in/fl oz |
| Dry time | 15–30 min | 2–14 days |
| Cleanup | Water + soap | Mineral spirits/turpentine |
| Color shift on drying | Slightly darker | Minimal shift |
| Blending window | 5–15 min | Hours to days |
Yes, purchase 10-15% more paint than calculated. Extra paint accounts for palette mixing waste, test strokes, touch-ups, and the fact that transparent pigments (yellows, reds) need more coats than opaque ones (titanium white, cadmium colors).
For a circular canvas, the area is π × r², where r is the radius (half the diameter). A 12-inch diameter circular canvas has an area of approximately 113 sq inches — about 65% of a 12×12 square canvas. Our calculator handles this automatically.
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Last Updated: Mar 26, 2026
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