Patrick Miller 14 Jan 2005

Ronnie if you're using oils, then prepping the canvas with gesso is a must, as the linseed will rot the cloth.

Start by building a stretcher frame, and if its big, put a reinforcing spar in the middle. Also some 1/4" plywood cut into a triangle shape to reinforce the corners. Soak the canvas in the bathtub and wring it out. Start by stapling the middles and working out toward the corners pulling it tight all the while. They make special pliers for pulling canvas, but be a man and use your hands... :) When the canvas dries it will shrink and pull tight. Prime it with gesso and go for it. Thats how I do it and it works just fine. I have found that walmart is the best deal to buy bulk canvas in the fabric dept...but look around......good luck!

Sal Buchanan 15 Jan 2005

Hi Ronnie, Patrick covered most of your question, you'll have to get a mitre box or you can pick up electric mitre saws pretty cheap. You have to be pretty accurate with the mitred edge, if it's not exactly 90 degrees your going to have a hell of a time getting it square. You can buy proper corner clamps so you'll have to get 4 of those. I wood glue all four corners at once and clamp over night. Next morning wack a couple of nails from the sides into the corners and glue and nail the masonite triangles Brian mentioned on. I find that you can get more leverage with your feet when doing the streching of the canvas on the carpeted floor, especially with large canvases. Lay out an old bed sheet, then the wet canvas (squeeze as much water out as you can) then the frame. To keep the canvas straight, only put a few staples or nails in top and bottom, then side to side, keep rotating until you come to the corners last. Happy painting!

Dawn Schmidt 15 Jan 2005

I don't know about you youngsters, but with arthritis in my hands, those canvas pliers are indispensible to me! LOL

I'm lucky to have a friend who likes helping me stretch the canvas...one holds it tight, and the other uses the staple gun. Goes fast and you could bounce a cat off my canvas! Great info, everybody.

Patrick Miller 15 Jan 2005

PETA frowns on bouncing cats on canvas! Although I think my kitty would like it...

Sal Buchanan 15 Jan 2005

Sal laughs at bouncing cat off canvas :-)

Dawn Schmidt 15 Jan 2005

Scared the pee out of my old cat when I had a freshly stretched canvas on the couch, and he jumped up there onto it whilst tearing through the house...BOIIINNNGGGGG! (I think BooberKitty bounced off from fear, like "what the HEEELLLL was THAT?"!!!)

Sal Buchanan 15 Jan 2005

I guess cats and dogs would find a canvas very comfy if you left it lieing flat long enough.

Ronnie Fernandez 16 Jan 2005

i would like to take the oppurtunity to thank everyone who answered this post. i really apreciate it. everyone in my house is kinda artistically disinclined and its nice to be able to communicate with other artists. although i don't consider myself one i strive to appreciate it as a hobby. thanks again everyone.

Jude 17 Jan 2005

I agree this is an interesting topic I have streched canvas in the past. but now I get my canvas at walmart.

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