Picking the best support for you comes down to experimentation. The three primary supports are board, canvas, and paper. There is a lot of information to cover in this post, and so in order to cut down on its size I have provided simple explanations along with videos and additional reading links.
Board
The Merode Altarpiece, Robert Campin, 1425-1428
Board is the oldest form of oil painting support and was the support used by Early Netherlandish painters, such as Jan van Eyck and Robert Campin, back in the 1400s far before Italians ever thought of using oil paint.
If you want your painting to last through the centuries, a board is the way to go. Your painting will last longer than even on canvas and have a lesser tendency towards cracking. Boards also allow you to create a variety of textures.
There is one con to boards: warping. Warping will not occur with smaller boards, but larger boards will warp if paint is only on one side. In order to avoid warping paint a large X with gesso from corner to corner.
Purchasing or Making your own Board
You can purchase pre-made, ready-to-paint boards from a variety of companies. I personally use Ampersand Gessobord. They use renewable sources and come in a variety of sizes. You can read more about and purchase them here.
Below are two videos that show you how to make your own board by purchasing masonite. You can purchase masonite at hardware stores such as Lowes or Home Depot. You can also purchase more expensive wood panels such as MDF, pine, or walnut. These options will be heavier, but less prone to warping.
I make my own boards when I am looking for a specific size that I cannot purchase. I clean the board and then use a roller to apply three coats of gesso. I like the texture the roller makes and I do not sand between layers. You will find your own way of prepping your boards. Some people sand, some don't, some make crazy textures, and some want it smooth. It is all up to you.
Canvas Board
I would recommend staying away from purchasing canvas board. While it is cheap, the paint does odd things on it and it can be frustrating to get the paint to work the way you want it to. Making your own canvas board, however, is a different story. If you like the feeling of canvas, but want a harder support behind it, make a canvas board from masonite and linen or cotton.
Canvas
Canvas is by far the support of choice today. There is a misconception, however, that you must purchase super expensive canvas in order to have the best painting possible. This is only kind of true. The more expensive the materials the better they will work with paint. However, even the likes of Caravaggio were known to use burlap...so, really it comes down to your wallet and the texture you like on your canvas. Building your Own Canvas
Building our own can save you money in the long run, especially if you plan on making huger canvases. In the short run, not so much. It is a lot of material and a lot of time to put in up front, but once you do the cost can even back out.
Stretcher bars: You can purchase your stretcher bars or make your own. The videos below will help you pick which way you want to go.
Inspriation of St. Matthew, Caravaggio, 1602
Canvas Fabric: There are usually two options, cotton or linen. You can purchase each primed or raw and at different weights.
Cotton: Is affordable and easy to stretch. You will want to purchase a heavy grade, 100% cotton fabric. Cotton will have more of a texture and will not be as smooth. You will, however, be able to get your canvas nice and tight around the stretchers.
Linen: Is the more expensive material and is more difficult to stretch. Linen will last longer and sag less with time. You will also get a nice smooth texture with linen.
Beyond just the basic linen/cotton canvas divide there are so many options when it comes to canvas it can be very overwhelming. Here is a list of canvas, and here you can read in more detail about that list. These lists not help you be less overwhelmed...but at least they are something to read?
You can't go wrong with purchasing a Blick product, so that may be a safe starting point. Fredrix is also a great product, I don't know much about the Caravaggio or the Utrecht line.
Building Videos
Below are two videos about making a canvas. The first shows you how to make a small to medium canvas using pre-made stretcher bars. The second shows you how to make a large canvas and how to make your own canvas stretchers. I would watch the second one, even if you are not planning on making your own stretchers, because he really shows you how to fold and staple the canvas well.
When finished creating your canvas, seal the canvas from oil paint by using three layers of either acrylic gesso or oil primer. To read more about products to use while priming and sizing a raw canvas, read here and here. If purchasing the already primed canvas you can skip this step.
Paper
Paper that is oil friendly is a relatively new product. You can purchase a plastic, synthetic paper called Yupo, or use a cotton based paper. Both allow you to draw directly onto the paper and then paint.
They are both a little strange to use. The Yupo is especially difficult to figure out, I tried once but gave up. Yupo is mostly used for watercolor, but the effects for oil can be lovely, such as with these paintings by Randall Tipton:
For more on how to pick a support read here. For more about painting check out my main Tips and Techniques page.
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