Canvas Stretching Service Near Me? The 103 Latest Answer

Prices are listed for sizes up to the dimensions below.

Digital photo prints on special surfaces The prices for framed art prints depend on the size of the artwork. Art prints can also be purchased unframed at a lower price. Custom finishes can be purchased with or without a frame. Digital photo prints on special surfaces Sizes up to Glass Metal Wood Acrylic Acrylic with spacers 5 x 7 $25 $25 8 x 10 35 $35 $45 $35 $45 11 x 14 45 $45 $55 $45 $55 16 x 20 $75 $75 $85 $75 $85 20×30 $135 $135 $145 $135 $145

Framed photo prices include a conservation quality mounted art print, clear acrylic for conservation and a handcrafted frame. Art prints can also be purchased unframed at a lower price. Framed photos sizes up to framed photos 5×5 $39 5×7 $49 8×10 $69 11×14 $79 16×20 $99 20×28 $129 24×36 $139 32×40*$194

Framed Canvas Prints Price includes art on a high quality acid-free canvas and a hand-made float frame. Art on canvas can be purchased without a frame at a lower price. Sizes up to Thin Wrap (3/4″) Thick Wrap (1/12″) 7 x 7 $55 $55 8 x 10 $57 $57 11 x 14 $65 $65 16 x 20 $78 $78 20 x 28 $102 $102 24×36 $116 $116 32×40 $203 $203

Canvas prints do not need to be stretched. Here are some instructions for mounting canvas prints.

When printmakers think of canvas, they usually think of stretching.

For a list of frequently asked questions, please click here

This traditional process requires the printmaker to either pay someone to stretch the canvas for him or take training to learn how to stretch.

However, it is possible to produce canvas prints that can be turned into beautiful framed prints without stretching. And since canvas doesn’t have the same requirements as a paper print, it can be displayed without glazing (glass) for an exciting, unique look:

This process is performed with a wet mount of coated canvas on a substrate such as Gator board. In the photo above you can see a 28″ x 28″ canvas print that has been mounted and framed on Gator.

What is Gator Board and why not just use a foam core?

Gator Board has a much more durable finish and can take a wet mount without damage.

Gator is very stiff by design and comes in a variety of thicknesses. I work with 3/16″ and 1/2″ for my work. Gator does not deform over time and resists flexing, and due to the product’s rigidity, it does not show ripples when the canvas is mounted.< A foam core is not a great solution as it is much softer and can easily cause bruising or other damage to the print. The foam core also doesn't work well with a wet mount type solution as it tends to separate and warp when wet. Most foam cores do not have a perfectly flat surface and therefore do not allow for a good mounting of a print. Started For this type of mount you need to make sure you have coated your canvas as the application involved a wet mounting process. So if you are using Crystalline or a water-based "glossy" canvas, you must not allow water to get onto the surface of the canvas. In this case, the ink will most likely be wiped off when cleaning the print. For my work I use both Breathing Color 800M matte canvas and Crystalline. Before I get ready to mount I will coat the canvas with Breathing Color's Timeless Gloss Coating. This protects the print during the mounting process and gives the print years of protection. Crop the canvas Once I have coated the canvas I will trim it to final size for assembly. I prefer to leave a 1/2 inch border on the canvas to allow for easy handling of the canvas during assembly. So I quickly make a series of tick marks around the print and trim it to size. For example, on a 20 x 30 canvas, I have a canvas that is 21″ x 31″ and I make the Gator board the same size. This means you have some extra waste, but for me it's worth the extra as the 1/2 margin means I have some room to manipulate the print without getting my fingers on the surface of the print . With the canvas trimmed, you can now prepare the alligator board. Preparing the board with glue Gator is available in white or black. I use black simply because I'm using a white glue and it's a lot easier to see the board with glue on it to make sure you have 100% coverage. For our 20″ x 30″ print, which is still 21″ x 31″, I cut a 3/16″ piece of alligator to the same 21″ x 31″ size. I will always wipe down the alligator with a damp rag. This will help set the glue on the board and remove any small particles that may be on the alligator. Then I will lay out the glue. I use a brand called Miracle Muck. This is a water based, quick setting adhesive with excellent adhesion properties. For this process I start with 2 large dots of glue towards the center of the alligator. Using a soft buffing brush, I then begin to spread the glue evenly over the alligator. As you do this, you want to spread the glue evenly over the face of the alligator board. I tend to make a series of passes, up and down and then across the face of the alligator board. I use a standard 4 inch printer roller to position the glue. This roller has a soft rubber finish, not a hard one. I prefer the 4 inch roller for all sizes of alligator board as I feel I have more control over the distribution of the glue. When you are done rolling make sure you take the roller to the sink and wash off the glue as it sets quickly. Before we move on to assembling the canvas, let me briefly talk about the tools I use. In this picture you can see a close-up of the two rollers I use and the soft, sticky/lint-free rag. The soft roller is made of black rubber and is available at most art supply stores. It is called a polishing brush and is most commonly used in lithography and printmaking. I have found it to be essential in the process of rolling out the glue. You can pick these up in a variety of widths, but I prefer the 4 inch size for all my work. Over time, the roller's material will harden and crack, so expect to replace this roller in about a year. This item is a hard roller and I use this once the print has been placed on the glue prepared gator board surface. This roller is approximately 8 inches wide and applies even pressure to the surface of the canvas to ensure all air bubbles have been removed. The key to this type of scooter is the metal frame. Make sure you get one with a stiff frame that won't flex or the reel will bind under pressure. The final item is a lint-free, soft rag, which is most commonly found at an auto parts store. When assembling I will use this rag many times. To help lay down the canvas and then remove any excess glue that may have slipped onto the front of the canvas. You should use this rag damp as a dry rag can easily scratch the surface of your canvas. Assembly of the screen Once you've covered the alligator board in glue, you'll want to begin the assembly process. This is the most critical part, so do some practice runs with smaller prints before attempting to mount an image larger than 16″x 20″. The glue I use has a working time of about 5 minutes. If you don't have the print flush after doing this, you will need to peel off the print and reapply your glue. Remember when I first cropped the print I left a 1/2 inch border. This leaves you a little margin for error and, more importantly, you can take the pressure off without worrying about getting an adhesive print on your face. Now that we're prepared and have the right tools, we can assemble the canvas. 1. Take the print and roll it up so that the side to be mounted is on the outside. Then line up one of the edges of the canvas with the edge of the alligator board. It's a lot easier to work with the rolled up print than trying to put it down in one big stride. 2. Using your damp rag on the front of the print (NOTE: if using a glossy canvas you will need to coat it first) unroll the print while applying light pressure to the front of the print. Use one hand to control the roll of print and use the other to smooth the print over the gatorboard. 3. Once you have fully unrolled the print, take your hard polishing roller and start at one end of the print and roll across the front of the print. Use considerable pressure during this step as you will not harm the print or the alligator . Again, this will take some time to get the hang of. However, this step is very critical as you don't want to leave any air under the canvas. When you're done, take a damp rag and wipe the face of the print to check for bumps. This is more important with a large print of 24″ x 36″ or larger. 4. Once you feel the print is evenly seated take the gator board and hold the mounted print up to the light at an angle and look for any bumps or problems on the surface as it is now time to to remove them. If you see air pockets, just take your damp rag and work it out. If you see a piece of junk, you need to peel back the print, remove the residue, and then polish again. If you do this within the first 5 to 6 minutes the glue will still set, but if you wait longer you may need to reapply some glue to the board. Also, make sure you didn't get any glue on the print or have wiped a little washed-off glue across the front of the print. This is easy to get off now, but almost impossible once dry. 5. When you're done, your printout should look like this. You can see that the alligator board has warped due to the moisture, but don't worry as everything will come out during the drying process. And since the framed print comes in a frame, don't worry if you still see a slight warp after drying, as the frame itself compensates for the print. Briefly check the back of the printout to make sure there aren't any clumps of glue. This is just a nice way to finish the piece front and back. If the print is 20x30 or larger I like to put some weight on the surface of the print while it dries just to help keep warping to a minimum. I like to let the prints dry overnight, but if you're in a hurry you should cut the piece after about 6 hours. Just take your finger and pull back the edge and see if there is any play with the canvas. It should completely resist any attempt to pull it back once the glue has dried. Trimming the finished panel Now all that's missing is the trimming, which can also be a bit tricky. Gator Board is much stiffer than foam core and even 3/16 inch requires multiple cuts. What I like to do is use a ruler aligned to the white border and use a fresh blade in an Olfa hand cutter to make my cuts. These cutters have a segmented single blade and you can easily snap off the blunt tip and continue cutting. You shouldn't use one blade for too many cuts, as alligator board dulls a blade quickly. The process I like to use is as follows: 1. Line up the straight edge along the white border and cut all in one even stroke. The first few passes cut the canvas and start breaking into the alligator board. I always make sure to cut into a cutting mat. These are designed to absorb the tip of the blade and help you control the cut. In the picture you can see the green cutting mat. 2. After you make the cut in the alligator board you will see how smoothly the alligator board cut away giving you a clean edge. If I'm working on prints that I know will go into frames I'll go ahead and break the Gator board after 2 cuts. You can see me pulling away the cut alligator board in this picture showing the clean cut. 3. For a larger printout, you may want to tape the ruler as it is easy for the ruler to move just a little as you move the printout down. I always do this on 20″ x 30″ prints or larger. There's nothing worse than doing all that work to this point only for a faulty blade to cut into the print and ruin it. Take your time with this part. Also be aware that cut alligator board edges are very sharp and if you run your hand over them you can get a cut fairly quickly. The finished, laminated print can now be put into a frame. I will often blacken the top of the print as you can see the white line of the canvas against the black of the alligator. This is a great way to get into canvas printing and not have to focus on stretching. The finished product in a black frame is shown below. Have a canvas mounting question that I haven't answered here? Leave it in the comments below. For more information about Paul and some of his great photography, visit photosofarkansas.com Paul Caldwell has been involved in photographic art since he was 15 and has been a professional photographer for 10 years. As you can imagine, Paul has a wealth of knowledge in photography and printmaking. He sells some great looking prints on his website and offers one-to-one courses covering everything from shot to print. frequently asked Questions How to mount a canvas print? You can mount a canvas print without stretching it. There are two techniques: wet assembly and dry assembly. Wet mounting means that a liquid adhesive is used to stick the canvas to a rigid base. Dry mounting uses a film laminate to adhere the canvas to the rigid surface. If you are working specifically with canvas, it is best to use the wet mounting method. When mounting smoother media like photo paper, dry mounting is common and often easier. With the wet mounting method, you are basically mounting the canvas onto gatorboard (or MDF, or masonite, or some other rigid substrate) to give the finished piece its rigidity. Gatorboard is dense, durable, and relatively lightweight. This enables a simple, damage-free workflow and safe transport or shipping to the customer. How do you hang a stretched canvas? The easiest way to hang a stretched canvas without a frame is with a simple nail. Please note that one nail is often not enough. Using two nails is a better idea instead. One for each corner for ultimate grip. For this DIY project, use a ruler, spirit level, two 2-inch nails, and a pencil. Place the painting in the desired end position. Use a spirit level to mark the top two edges of the print. Next you want to balance it with the level. Then measure 1 inch down from your marks and make 2 additional marks. Make sure you use the bubble level between the two sides. The lower marks are for the nails. Drive in the nails, leaving about a half inch (1/2″) protruding. For the last step, place the canvas on top of the nails. Voila, you're done. Can I frame a canvas print? Short answer, yes you can frame a canvas print. A common reason for framing a print is unsightly sides of the canvas film. There are different ways to pack your canvas. Methods include gallery packaging, museum packaging, and standard packaging. Gallery and museum slides are ones that you can easily hang as is. The standard wrap is one that people would frame to hide the sides as it is not uncommon for a standard wrap to be stapled to the side of the carry bar rather than the back. These are all personal preferences, but that is our experience from speaking to printmakers and people who buy printed art and photography. How to Frame a Rolled Canvas Print We recommend that you choose one of two common routes: 1) stretch a rolled canvas yourself using a DIY system like Breathing Color's EasyWrappe, or 2) have your rolled canvas stretched for you. You can use your local print shop or frame shop for this. Do a google search and then call. You can frame your canvas in various ways that are available on the market. You can have the canvas stretched and then stretched in a stretcher frame. Or frame it like you would any other print using a wood, metal or even acrylic frame.

Question: One of my biggest personal struggles with painting is my tendency to tense up and lose spontaneity. I would like to try painting on unstretched [pre-primed] canvas and/or embossed paper to save money and to support the gestural aspect of my work. On page 27 of your landscape painting book you talk about painting on unstretched canvas. If the painting is a sentinel, how do you deal with it? Is it glued to a hardboard? If so, what kind of glue? -Robin

Answer: Whenever I talk about painting on unstretched canvas, I am inevitably asked this question. What do you do when you want to frame it? It may come as a surprise that a painting made on unstretched canvas can later be stretched. It can also be mounted on a panel or matted. For those who may not have heard of painting on unstretched canvas, I will first outline the benefits and then go into the various presentation options.

Note: Unstretched canvas does not mean unprimed! In the context of this article, “unstretched” canvas refers to canvas that has been pre-primed with gesso.

The advantage when painting on unstretched, pre-primed canvas or paper

Freedom. Stretched canvases have a certain preciousness. You may have put a lot of time and effort into preparing the canvas or, if you bought it ready-made, spent a significant sum. An immaculately stretched canvas can be intimidating. It says, “You better not screw this up!” You may not want to go through the hassle and expense of a stretched canvas until you know the painting will work. Unstretched, pre-primed canvas (or gessoed paper) is very inexpensive in comparison. As Robin’s question suggests, working on an inexpensive and “base” interface can encourage you to be more free and experimental.

Portability. Stretched canvases can be cumbersome, especially for outdoor painters who need to travel light. When I paint outdoors, I carry around several sheets of crepe paper and unstretched canvas in an envelope. I simply glue the individual pieces onto a light board. It adds almost no weight to my backpack.

Painting on canvas to be stretched later

If you plan to stretch the canvas later, be sure to leave 1.5 to 2 inches of extra canvas around the image area to wrap around the stretcher bars. (See below.) Also, be sure to measure your work in whole-inch increments so that it conforms to standard stretcher frame sizes.

Framing options for paintings made on unstretched canvas or gessoed paper

1. Stretching the canvas after the painting is finished. Stretching the canvas once the painting is complete is certainly possible, but not easy. I don’t recommend doing it yourself unless you are very skilled at stretching canvas. If budget allows, I recommend taking it to a professional framer. If you want to do it yourself, here are some guidelines.

Pre-primed canvas is not as stretchy as unprimed canvas. You only need to stretch the pre-primed canvas enough to gently stretch it so that the canvas doesn’t have any creases or waves. However, stretching a pre-primed canvas is definitely more difficult than stretching an unprimed canvas.

Even if you have the tools and strength to stretch out of the pre-primed canvas, don’t do it. Although oil paint has some flexibility, there is a point where you could damage or crack the layers of paint, especially after the painting has dried for several years.

A painting that is being stretched will be handled a lot, so you must be extra careful not to damage the surface of the painting.

2. Matt the painting. If you like the look of a mat or liner around a painting, there’s no reason you can’t matt a painting done on paper or unstretched canvas. A small piece of canvas lies very flat under a passe-partout. A larger piece may not lie as flat, in which case assembly or stretching may be required.

3. Mount the painting. You can mount canvas or soed paper on a plate or passe-partout. Like mounting a painting, mounting can be difficult. It takes a lot of skill and needs to be done right if you want it to stay flat (undistorted) and truly archive. I recommend taking it to a professional framer who knows how to do it and has all the necessary tools. Full step-by-step assembly instructions are beyond the scope of this article, but if you’re interested in doing it yourself here are a few points to keep in mind. See also the comments and suggestions from readers below. As with any studio technique you are trying out for the first time, don’t try it on your “precious” painting. Always experiment on scrap canvas or paper first.

Warm welcome! “Painting is just another way of keeping a journal.” Pablo Picasso. ABOUT ME

I paint on stretcher frames as well as on canvas. They each have their own advantages and offer different painting experiences. Which one you prefer probably depends on how you like to paint.

To help you decide which one is best for you, below I list the differences between canvas panels and stretched canvases.

*The links in this post to Amazon and Blick are affiliate links. This means if you click on a link and buy something, I get a commission at no cost to you.

Here are the stretched canvases and canvases I like to use. The 11×14 stretched canvas is from Blick. The screen with the blue label is a Raymar screen. The canvas panel on top of the stack is from Arteza.

1 thickness

Canvas panels are much thinner than stretched canvases. There are not many differences in the thickness of canvas panels.

They are typically around 1/8 inch thick, while stretched canvases come in a variety of thicknesses.

The thinness of canvas panels makes them very convenient for outdoor painting. I talk more about that in the next section.

Stretched canvases are available in different thicknesses. Here is a link to the first stretched canvas to look at. They are available in 7/8″, 1-1/2″ and 2-3/8″ depths.

The standard depth for a traditional stretched canvas is 3/4″, so Blick premium canvas is slightly thicker.

The extra thick stretched canvases are called gallery wrapped canvases.

Many artists use gallery wrapped canvas and simply hang it on the wall without a frame. You will even see many contemporary artists exhibiting their paintings in museums this way.

If you choose this approach, you need to decide whether you should paint the edges of the canvas.

For larger canvases, it is more common to leave the edges unpainted. When you stand in front of a 3’x4′ painting you really don’t see the edges from the front.

Here is a link to my post on the 6 options for painting the edges of a canvas.

2 canvas panels are better for plein air painting

Outdoor painting simply means painting outdoors. If you’ve ever tried painting outdoors, you’ll quickly realize the size and weight of all your supplies.

Plein air is a bit like camping. They always try to find the lightest and smallest gear.

The difference in thickness between canvas panels and stretched canvas is dramatic. Because a canvas panel is 1/8″ thick, you can fit about 5 of them in the same amount of space as a 3/4″ traditional stretched canvas.

Technically you should be able to fit 6 canvas panels within 3/4″. However if you add the canvas, glue and extra melamine backing you may only get 5 of these to fit in the same space as a canvas – see photo below.

On the left are 5 Raymar screens, which take up about the same space as a traditional 3/4 inch screen.

When I paint on location, I want to get the most out of the experience. I would rather take 10 screens instead of two standard screens.

This means that I will have many opportunities to paint a “Keeper”.

Sometimes an exterior paint job doesn’t work for many reasons. There are many things that you don’t have to deal with in the studio.

There’s the weather, bugs, animals and people to contend with. The lighting also changes quickly.

This is what makes open-air painting exciting in the first place. Working outdoors can be a nice change from working indoors.

It also helps that many canvases are very affordable so you can practice on them without feeling like you’re wasting money.

When I venture outside for a painting trip, I relish the feeling that I can experiment with a bunch of canvas and paint.

Painting outdoors can be more fun because you don’t have as much time as in the studio. So I just assume I’ll ruin a few of these and pack a few extra canvases with me.

However, this is just my opinion and approach to painting outdoors.

You may find that when painting outdoors you prefer to work on more elaborate pieces on a stretched canvas.

3 Price – Canvas panels are cheaper than stretched canvas

One of the most important considerations when buying art supplies is price. Many artists have a budget for supplies, and it helps if you can save a few bucks here and there.

In general, canvas panels are cheaper than buying a stretched canvas. However, there are exceptions.

The difficulty in making a price comparison between stretched canvas and canvas panels is that the quality varies greatly between brands. So the cost depends a lot on the quality of the material.

If you’re interested in saving money, I’ve written a whole article on how to save money on art supplies that includes a YouTube video.

Below are the factors to consider when purchasing stretched canvas and screens.

The price of canvas panels

Canvas panels are generally cheaper than stretched canvas. The canvas panels with a cardboard core are the cheapest.

These inexpensive canvas panels are basically canvas glued to a sheet of cardboard.

The higher-quality canvas panels have a wood-fiber inside to which the canvas is glued. But some of them are also cheaper than a stretched canvas.

Here are some real world comparisons.

Arteza canvas panels have hardboard wood cores and the canvas has a beautiful texture.

Below is a link to a 10 pack of Arteza panels which are very affordable. These panels are a good compromise between quality and price.

They have a wooden core inside, the corners are square and the price is very attractive. I prefer these to the ones that have cardboard insides.

Affordable Arteza Canvas Panels 8″ x 10″ – Pack of 14 $26.99 These canvas panels are very affordable and have a wood core instead of cardboard. Buy Now We earn a commission when you make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

In comparison, the best canvases of the same size can cost a lot more, up to four times as much. You might not want to spend the money on it, especially if you’re just starting out.

One of the differences is that the Raymar panels are sealed with an additional melamine backing.

Best Quality, Medium Landscape Cotton, 1/8″ RayMar Panel – 8″ x 10″ $7.40 Raymar canvas panels have a melamine backing that makes them more resistant to warping. Buy Now We earn a commission when you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

This backing material is gray and makes the plate stiffer and more resistant to warping. It also protects against damage from things like mold and water.

The smooth melamine surface makes it easy to wipe off paint on the back.

This can happen when you have wet oil paint on your easel or pochade box. A plate with a paper or card backing would stain if you got ink on it.

Here is a comparison of the backs of two different canvases. The Arteza canvases on the left have a large print on the back. The Raymar panel has a very inconspicuous silver and black sticker on the bottom left. You can also peel them off easily.

The Raymar panels also look nicer, the backs of the Arteza canvas panels have a large full color printed label. It’s not something you can pull off easily.

The entire back is a white label overlapping the canvas folded over the sides. I suppose this helps prevent the canvas from lifting at the edges.

The Raymar panels have a very small sticker on the back corner. It’s subtle because it’s gray with backside printing. If you don’t like the look, you can just peel it off. The melamine surface makes it easy to remove.

I leave the sticker on the Raymar panels. I think it might be helpful in the future when you all need to fix a painting. Knowing the brand of the panel will help you identify what it’s made of.

Incidentally, the Raymar panels have the canvas cropped at the edge, while the Arteza wraps the canvas around the back. I like it when it’s cut at the edge. You can see the cropped edges of the Raymar panel in the photo where I compare them to the thickness of a stretched canvas.

The Raymar panels also have a reversible adhesive, so it is possible to remove the canvas from the panel.

Although you’ll probably never have to do this, it’s nice to know that you can reattach the painting to a different panel. The situation where you might do this is when the board gets damaged in some way.

The price of stretched canvas

While you can find stretched canvases for about the same price as canvas, quality seems to be more important with a stretched canvas.

Stretched canvases are more difficult to make affordable while maintaining quality.

The problems I encounter with stretched canvases are that the stretcher bars can warp and the corners may not be square.

In case you’re wondering, stretcher bars are the wooden frame that the canvas is wrapped around.

The canvas is stretched over a wooden frame and is under great tension. When you tap your fingers on the canvas, it actually sounds like a drum.

This tension can actually warp the wooden stretcher bars.

Another problem with stretched canvases is that they can warp after you paint on them. The wood can warp for various reasons. For example, a change in humidity can cause them to bow a little.

It can be stressful when the stretcher bars on a painting warp after you’ve already put a few hours into it.

This happened to me with a larger painting I was working on. I was able to remove it and put it on a new set of stretcher bars.

This process was quite stressful and it took extra time that I didn’t plan for.

Sometimes the corners aren’t square either. In other words, the angle of each corner should be 90 degrees. If this is not the case, the image looks more like a parallelogram than a rectangle.

Canvases are canvases that are glued to either a wooden panel or cardboard. The cardboard is the solid type, not the corrugated type.

My point is that it is much easier to cut a perfect 90 degree corner on a flat sheet of wood than it is to assemble wooden stretchers with 90 degree corners.

For all these reasons, I do not buy lower quality stretched canvases.

One of the brands I prefer is Blick’s Atelier canvases.

They have a texture I like – it’s neither too smooth nor too rough. It has just enough texture for my style of painting.

They’re pretty well done. The canvas is tacked on the back which looks nicer than if they are tacked on the side.

In addition, the additional canvas on the back-tacked canvases allows the canvas to be removed and stretched onto new stretcher frames if necessary.

It’s a lot harder to do this if you’re using a canvas that only has 3/4″ of extra canvas on the sides.

Of all the canvases I’ve bought from this brand, I’ve only had one issue and they replaced it immediately, no question.

4 canvases are rigid and stretched canvases are flexible

One of the main differences between canvas panels and stretched canvas is that the stretched canvas gives a little bit when you paint on it.

Some artists like the feel of a canvas that gives slightly. And you only get that with a stretched canvas.

A canvas panel is much stiffer. It’s more like painting on a wooden board because the canvas is often pasted on it.

This is not a quality that means too much to me, I paint on both.

I will say that the only downside to a stretched canvas is that if you paint close to the edges, it will give too much and touch the stretcher bars.

Sometimes a canvas is so flexible that when painting along the edge, the brush presses the canvas against the wooden ledge. You can get an outline of the stretcher bars that will show through in your painting.

What happens is when you brush across the canvas and the canvas hits the stretcher bar behind it pulls more paint from the brush. When that happens it creates a very distracting outline that you can see in the painting.

One way to avoid this problem is to use stretcher bars, which have a raised edge that is deeper than normal.

Another cause is insufficient tension in the canvas. When stretching your own canvas, it may take a little practice to get a feel for how tightly you need to stretch it.

5 canvases take up less space than stretched canvases

Because canvas panels are thin, they are easier to store and ship.

As I mentioned in the section on plein air painting, canvases take up about 1/5 the area of ​​a traditional canvas.

This might not matter if you can sell your paintings as fast as you can make them. However, most artists find that after a while their paintings pile up in the studio.

Stretched canvases can take up a lot of space, especially when you use the thick gallery wrapped canvases.

Those who have a small studio or are simply short on storage space can benefit from using panels instead of stretched canvases.

6 Shipping Canvas Panels vs. Stretched Canvases

Shipping small canvases can be a little easier than shipping a stretched canvas.

This is because I can ship a panel in a padded envelope.

Here is a link to my detailed guide on how to send small paintings. The post has a video and I show how to ship an 8″x10″ canvas.

I use a small padded envelope that you can get for free at the post office. You can even order online and have it delivered to your home for free.

In the case of stretched canvases, I usually send them in a free box that you can get from the post office. Shipping may be more expensive due to the thickness of the box.

7 sizes available

I noticed that there are size limits for both canvas and stretched canvas.

I think canvases are best for smaller paintings. Canvases are usually only available in smaller sizes.

If you’ve ever bought wood paneling from the hardware store, you’ll find that it bends when you pick it up. It’s not as stiff as a regular wooden board.

A large plate is more prone to warping. Above a certain size, you will need to add wooden battens along the back of the wooden panel to give it support. These are called cradle panels.

I use regular canvas for most of my small paintings.

They are great for small studies that are 5×7, 6×6, 8×10, or 9×12. In my post on the most common canvas sizes, I explain how canvas sizes work and how you can use them to your advantage.

It’s interesting how the size of the canvas will determine how difficult the rest of the process will be. For example, framing pictures is much easier when using standard canvas sizes. You can also make prints and use pre-cut mats instead of having to cut them yourself.

In any case, canvas panels are ideal for small paintings. Stretched canvases can look awkward at small sizes.

Blick offers stretched canvases from a size of 4×4. If you’ve ever tried to stretch such a small canvas, you know how difficult it can be to stretch. If you don’t do it right, the canvas can sag, especially in the corners.

For this reason I stick to using canvas for very small paintings like this one. For larger paintings I used stretched canvas.

Picture Frame

This one is quite a moot point, so I didn’t count it as one of the 7 differences.

Basically, the effort involved in framing a canvas is about the same as framing a stretched canvas.

If you’re interested in framing your own paintings, I have an in-depth post on how to frame canvases.

In another post I have a tutorial on how to assemble a wooden picture frame. Both posts contain videos so you can easily follow them.

In the video on assembling a wooden picture frame, I show that you can fit a stretched canvas into the same wooden frame I used for the canvas panel. The steps are basically the same.

I think what determines how easy it is to frame is the size. Odd sizes require a custom frame, while a standard size painting will fit in a frame that you can purchase ready-made.

Conclusion

Overall I’d say canvas panels work great if your images are on the small side or if you like to work outdoors.

I prefer a stretched canvas for larger paintings. They are sturdy and large slabs of wood can become too heavy at these sizes.

The texture of the canvas does not matter, since you can use the same canvas for the manufacture of canvas or stretched canvas.

That being said, it’s mostly a preference. You may find that you like the compliance of a stretched canvas versus the rigidity of a panel, or vice versa.

If you found this helpful, you might be interested in reading my guide to canvases.

Canvas prints transform valuable photos and great designs into fine works of art. And that’s just one of the reasons to choose canvas prints. Another frequently asked question is whether to buy stretched or unstretched (rolled) canvas.

In short, stretched canvas is a canvas that has been stretched over a wooden frame (stretcher) for display. Unstretched, also known as rolled canvas, is simply the print without a stretcher frame. Here’s more information that would help you sort your options.

Stretched Canvas Prints

Price: With the labor and materials involved in stretching, you can expect stretched canvas to be quite expensive. However, the brighter and sharper image from the stretched canvas makes up for the price.

Shipping: Stretcher frames need to be packed more securely. It requires more space and attention to protect the canvas and stretcher bars. Hence the cost is higher.

Framing and Mounting: You don’t have to worry about this anymore as the stretched canvas is ready to hang. Because the printer takes care of the stretching, there is less chance of damage to the print while guaranteeing professional quality.

Unstretched (rolled) canvas prints

Price: It is cheaper than stretched canvas because you only buy the print. Although the labor cost of custom frames or frame deals can add up to the total, it’s important to calculate and compare before you buy. Rolled canvas is also great for projects that don’t need immediate setup.

Shipping: Expect lower shipping costs for rolled canvas, especially for international orders. It comes conveniently in a tube. You have less to worry about.

Framing and Hanging Most people choose rolled canvas because they have more freedom in planning framing and hanging. You can stretch and frame the canvas yourself. You can also take it to a frame shop and have the frame holder stretch the canvas for a better fit.

Have you made your decision? Then just browse through our canvas pictures. Also try framed canvas prints for more options.

If you require a specific size or type of canvas that is not available as a finished product, you may wish to have a custom canvas made. Because the poles and canvas are usually heavier, the quality is better than most prefabricated canvases. Jackson’s offers an affordable, bespoke canvas stretching service, or you can stretch your own canvas.

Contents:

Need to create a custom canvas? The first time you consider getting or creating a custom canvas is when you can’t find the size you want. We stock ready made canvases in a variety of sizes in 10cm or 2 inch increments, starting at 7 x 10cm and going up to 120 x 160cm and 100 x 180cm. Jackson’s Premium Cotton Canvases are also available in special sizes in the Golden Ratio (*see note at end) as well as in standard ratios. But not every imaginable size is available. If you require an unusual proportion (e.g. long and narrow), a size in between those available, or if you want a specific canvas material or heavier stretcher bars that are not available ready-made, we can order a canvas bespoke to you. This is carried out at a fair price by experienced specialists in our custom canvas department. However, you can save money by stretching your canvas yourself using the same poles and canvas used in our bespoke canvas department. You can get 39 50x60cm standard depth canvases or 6 150x200cm deep canvases from a 210cm wide full 10m canvas roll including wrapping the canvas on the back and trimming the excess that you have to grab and use drag. The more you do it, the better and faster you’ll get. It’s also a great way to get through the coldest days of the year – many artists take a few weeks off in the dead of winter to prepare surfaces as you get a little practice and it helps keep you warm.

An overview of the procedure and time required for each step 1. Hit the stretcher bars together with a hammer – up to 5 minutes for a small canvas, up to 20 minutes for a very large one with two cross bars for fitting (some time will be saved if you have a helper for the have tall ones and might need a step stool).

2. Calculate, measure, mark and cut the canvas piece with large scissors – less than 5 minutes per canvas, even faster if you have equal sized lots.

3. Place stretcher bars on canvas and align – less than 5 minutes for a small canvas, up to 5 minutes for large canvases.

4. Stretch the canvas, including neatly folded corners – up to 10 minutes for a small canvas, up to 30 minutes for a large one. Total time: less than 30 minutes for a small screen and up to an hour for a large one.

Part of the difference is that a small one sits on a table and you can stay in place and rotate the canvas. But a very large screen has to be on the floor or a very large work table and you have to move around it.

The characteristics to consider when planning your covered canvas dimensions (you may want a very specific size or unusual aspect ratio)

Depth of the canvas (the thickness, how far it protrudes from the wall)

the quality of the stretcher frame (Professional wood, Museum wood, Museo Alu-Pro wood and aluminum)

if you want to add a center bar or cross bars for extra strength

the type of canvas (cotton, jute, linen)

the weight of the canvas (in grams per square meter – gsm or ounces per yard – oz)

the linen brand (Artfix (French linen), Claessens (Belgian linen), Belle Arti (Italian linen and cotton), Jackson’s (Indian cotton)

The orientation of the canvas – plan to use it horizontally (landscape) or vertically (portrait) – this will affect how you fold the corners

the primer (unprimed, universal primed, oil primed, glue sized), after stretching you can, if you wish, prime with a primer with the desired properties, either on unprimed canvas or by applying another coat of the primer of your choice to a universal primed one Canvas. Watercolourists can apply one or two coats of absorbent base and pastel painters can apply one coat of pastel base.

Selection of stretcher frames for the frame Our stretcher frames:

1st Quality – Professional grade wood (strong), Museum wood (stronger due to the layers of laminated wood), Museo Alu-Pro wood and Aluminum (strongest due to the aluminum, and it still has a bit of wood to which the canvas is attached). can be). ).

2. Depth – We have seven depths to choose from: 18mm, 21mm or 43mm (Professional wood), 20mm or 35mm (Museum wood), 25mm or 45mm (Museo Alu-Pro wood and aluminium). That’s how far the painting will stick out from the wall.

3. Size – You can choose a standard aspect ratio such as 3:4 (120 x 160 cm) or 4:5 (120 x 150 cm) or a ratio based on the golden ratio 1:1,618 (120 x 194 cm) or any other suitable size choose your theme or idea best. All seven depths of the stretcher bars we manufacture are in metric measurements, with the exception of the 18mm and 21mm which are in inch lengths. For very large sizes you need to choose thicker bars for strength so the thinner bars are not available in the largest sizes. Jackson’s can cut all three types of stretcher bars to custom lengths – this must be done over the phone. The price is the price of the pole which is a size up on our price list as yours will be cropped from it – plus £10 per stretcher for the four new dovetail corner joints.

4. Center Bars – Decide if you want a center bar or cross bars for additional bracing. Stretching the canvas puts a lot of tension on the bars and can pull them out of plane and give you a warped canvas (so that one corner is kicked off the wall, a warped canvas will rock when laid flat, it has not all four corners on the ground at the same time). Framers have told me not to rely on the framing to smooth out a warped canvas as the frame is not strong enough and is likely to pull apart under pressure. Bracing at the back provides extra rigidity, as well as convenient handles for carrying a large painting. It’s also important to make sure the tension is even when stretching the canvas to prevent your rods from twisting. The two thinner bars in the Professional range only allow one center bar, while the 43mm bars have two slots to allow the center bars to pass over one another allowing you to have cross bars. The museum bars have crossbars with a notch in the middle to allow the bars to sit flush like a lap joint. The Museo Alu-Pro center bars are made entirely of aluminum and must be fixed with special hardware. They are available in primary and secondary sections depending on whether you only need a single center bar or a second cross bar. When using a single center bar, the most stable construction is when the center bar runs across the width, not the length – so the center bar should be the same length as the shorter side of the stretcher. Just in case you were wondering – you don’t have to calculate when ordering center bars, they may be smaller to fit the frame but they are marked for the sidebar they need to match. So just order the middle bar in the same size as your shorter wedge bar. Some artists tape the corners of their stretcher bars, but if then humidity changes the tension of your bar or canvas and you get corner sag when you’ve taped it, you can’t use the corner wedges (keys) to loosen the frame a millimeter or two spread to get even tension again. You want the stretcher to remain adjustable. Read more in our canvas blog article – Everything you need to know about stretcher bars.

Canvas Selection You can compare some of the canvases in Jackson’s inventory by ordering samples from the Claessens Linen or Belle Arti sample books. Many artists try to paint on different canvases, bases and substrates until they find the surface that works best for their painting. The surface texture can greatly influence the painting of some artists. 1. Material – Linen, Cotton, Jute

2. Weave – Almost as smooth as paper, the ‘No Grain’ texture is excellent for portraits where color jumping across a weave pattern could detract from the likeness of the figure. You can choose between no grit, extra fine, fine, medium, coarse and extra coarse.

3. Weight – The heavier the weight, the more tension it can hold. Therefore, for very large stretched canvases, you may want to choose a heavier canvas.

4. Primer – Unprimed, universal primed, oil primed, glue smeared.

5th Brand – Artfix (French linen), Claessens (Belgian linen), Belle Arti (Italian linen, cotton and poly-cotton), Jackson’s (Indian cotton). Besides the great strength of canvas and the fantastic surface it gives to paint on, canvas has to be among art collectors and so artists usually mention in their list of materials that they have painted on canvas specifically. Painting in oil paints made from linseed oil on a linen canvas – both made from the flax plant – also has something poetic about it. When stretching lines, make sure to use very strong stretcher frames, as a lot of pressure is exerted on the bars when the line is stretched. Light bars easily warp out of shape. Also make sure that the corners of the stretcher bars do not have any sharp points. These should be sanded down before tensioning the line as this sharp edge can cut the line if pulled taut across it. It is easier to get an even stretch with primed linen than with unprimed linen. There’s a trick I’ve heard of, putting water on the back of a sagging linen canvas and if the sagging comes back after a week, keep it up for a couple of weeks and eventually it mostly goes away. I’ve found this to apply to hot water applied to a dent in canvas, a pushed up small dot in canvas (cotton or linen), but I’ve never worked it on shrinking canvas that sags. All high quality oil primed leashes are finished with synthetic glue (instead of the classic rabbit skin glue which causes problems over time by absorbing moisture from the air and swelling) so you can use water to tighten it if you like to try it. Also, with unprimed linen, remember that you don’t want to stretch it tightly – evenly, but not tightly – because when you add the primer or primer, the water will cause the canvas to shrink and bunch up – if there’s too much tension , the rods bend significantly because the line is pulled too taut. Stretching unprimed linen takes practice. When stretching linen, rather than starting in the middle of each side and creating a diamond shape, some artists start by basting the four corners first, making sure the wands follow the lines of the weave, then stretch like cotton and when you arrive corners remove the staple there and fold the corners as usual. Read more in our canvas blog article – Choosing the right canvas.

The quantity of Canvas Canvas is supplied in rolls that are 2.10m or 1.83m wide and 10m long. You can buy the whole roll or yards cut off the roll (must be whole yards, not cuts). The amount of canvas you need depends on how thick the poles are and whether you wrap the poles backwards. Most artists these days make a “gallery slide”, wrap it around and staple on the back, but some still use thumbtacks on the sides. For standard depth poles, add 2-3cm for pole thickness plus 3-5cm to wrap back and pull to grip. This means adding 5-8cm on each side or about 10-15cm to each measurement of the canvas rectangle. So for a stretched canvas with a standard depth of 60 x 60 cm, you need a piece of canvas measuring 75 x 75 cm. For low profile bars, add 20cm to each side measurement. For a 60 x 60 cm stretched canvas you need a 80 x 80 cm piece of canvas. Each extra is useful for grabbing something with the pliers and tightening, the excess can then be trimmed off or for a super strong and clean edge it can be folded under and the second row of staples added to hold the crease down.

Assembling the stretcher Lay out two pairs of stretchers – ours are mitred and mortised so no additional fastening is required. Each corner joint consists of a flat slotted end that is inserted into an angled flap end. All beams have a cantilever so the canvas is stretched over beams that slope down towards the center of the frame so when you paint you don’t get an impression of the edge of the beam on the canvas from behind, the canvas only touches the very outside at stretcher border. The deep profile bars have a roll of extra wood to create a rim around the outside of the stretcher and the standard depth bars are shaped to slope at an angle. Make sure the flat sides are all facing down so the angled sides are all facing up to form the cantilever. Use a rubber mallet to pound them in place. If you only have a hammer you can use it instead, but make sure you use a piece of scrap wood between the hammer and stretcher as hammer dents can show up as visible dents in the side of your stretched canvas as it all contours so tight pulls of the wood must be adhered to, especially if the dent is in a place where the canvas is in contact. Check the outside edges of the frame. Occasionally a very sharp corner needs to be ground so that it does not damage the canvas when pulled very hard across it.

When you’ve hammered all the corners as far as possible, it should be almost square (all corners at 90 degrees). But you should always check each and every one. Measure both diagonals and compare the measurements to make sure you’ve created a perfect rectangle – the two measurements should be very similar. Tap the sides of the corners a little until both diagonals are equal.

Stretching the Canvas Add 20-30cm to your stretcher bar gauge to wrap on both sides on the back and cut your piece of canvas off the roll using a pair of heavy duty scissors or a knife and straight edge. (20 cm for standard depth, 30 cm for deep profile)

Place the canvas piece on a clean floor or table, if primed make sure primed side is facing down.

Center the prepared stretcher bar face down (flat side up) on the canvas piece and check that the binding of the fabric is parallel to the stretcher bars.

If it feels like you’ve knocked the frame out of alignment, recheck the diagonals and adjust if necessary. For large canvases, it’s best to build your stretcher bar and then place it on the piece of canvas before making the final measurement diagonally and tapping it to square it. Because if you do it before you put it down, it will move a little. Tapping with a hammer often only requires a hit on 2 opposite corners (not the top of the corner but the flat side of a corner, choose the one that needs to be pushed in) to move the gauge a cm or more . So remember that a tap at this point does a lot.

Stretch and staple – the goal is even tension. Fold one side of the canvas back over the frame. Secure with a staple in the middle of the frame. You stretch from the center and work your way to the corners, always rotating the frame or moving on the floor, alternating opposite sides so the tension is even across all parts. After the first clamp, you need to use the canvas pliers to grab the canvas edge (try folding the canvas edge if you need a thicker piece to grab) and rock the pliers to pull the canvas tight. The usual method is to work on the bar closest to you and grasp the edge of the canvas with the pliers in an underhand grip, rocking the pliers away from you to pull the canvas over the edge until you see that all creases are gone on the back of the canvas and you will see a sharp edge on the pole. Next, put your finger on the canvas to keep it taut, drop the pliers and grab the staple guns with that hand and add a staple. The canvas doesn’t spring back much, so your finger will do. If you don’t have canvas pliers, pulling can be done with your hands, it’s just a little bit hard for them. The first clamp on each side should be taut – if you turn the canvas over you should see a diamond pattern showing the tension.

Work your way back and forth from the center on opposite sides until you’re almost done and approaching the corners. Insert the staples 5-20cm apart, I usually do 10-15cm between staples for large canvases and 5-10cm for smaller canvases. (The center-cross stretching method is a time-honored technique, but there is also a stretching method that traces the shape of the stretcher on the canvas, working to follow the fabric stretches in from the corners rather than out from the center i Haven’t tried this method, but it’s supposed to give more even tension.)

If your canvas isn’t primed, don’t pull it very tight as the primer will wet the canvas causing it to shrink and the tension will either pull the staples out or bend the wood.

If they are protruding at all, you can tap the staples in further with a hammer. I go around the whole canvas when it’s done and tap on all the staples. You can’t always see unless they’re fully in.

Stop basting at least 4 inches from the corner to give you room to manipulate the fabric for the corner fold.

Note that unprimed linen can be a bit fiddly to stretch until you have practice. It can be stretchy and you may need to put some temporary staples in the corners to keep the fabric in line at the beginning and then remove them after progressing from the center.

Folding the Corners The goal of folding a neat back corner is to create the flattest, smoothest lump on the back and control the position of the small fold bump on the side. Since the small crease is slightly protruding at the edge, if you like you can make sure that it is at the top and bottom so that the sides form one continuous line. So, once you know what orientation you’re going to use for the stretched canvas, you can choose how to drag across the crease. 1. On the poles that will be the side of the canvas (not the top or bottom), continue stretching and basting up to the corner, leaving a final staple parallel to the top edge near the edge of the fabric for a smooth taut edge the canvas on the sidebar. To keep track of how you fold the canvas, I find it helpful to do step one on all four corners before going back to finish the folds. 2. Still making sure that the visible side and corner have priority, pull the flap towards the center of the canvas and create a triangular fold that falls right where a mitered joint would be in the corner of the wooden frame – check that Corner is smooth and not curled. Press the crease with your fingers. 3. The final fold usually requires a bit of wiggling, reach under the fold and make sure everything is tucked in smoothly and the corner isn’t loose or puckered – pull the final flap over so the side is parallel to the top bar, but don’t show over the edge. Tack the fold in place, being careful not to tack over the corner joint in the stretcher. Tacking over the joint in the frame would mean you couldn’t use the wedges to flare out the corners later. Evaluate the Results Examine your stretched canvas. There should be no wavy lines in the fabric or wrinkles or sagging. You shouldn’t be able to easily push it from the front to touch the crossbars. If a part appears to be under more or less tension than you’d like, simply remove a few staples to loosen an area, or grab your pliers to tighten and then staple the area New. This is where the staple lifter helps. Turn the canvas over and see if you have any slack areas, remove the staples and stretch again until everything is evenly taut.

You may want to trim excess canvas or fold and re-baste the extra fabric underneath, but some artists simply leave it off because generous canvas margins provide working edges if the canvas needs to be re-stretched or preserved in the future. Never cut the fabric at the corners. For a very neat backing, you can tuck in the extra fabric and make a second row of staples to hold it in place.

Drive in corner wedges to widen the corners and complete the tension.

Drive in center pole wedges if necessary.

Use a spray bottle to spray water on the back of the canvas to make it a little firmer if needed

Troubleshooting There are really few things that can go wrong when stretching a canvas, and they can all be fixed by stretching the canvas again. Loose or sagging canvas (canvas not stretched taut enough)

Wavy canvas areas (uneven canvas tension)

Warping the stretcher bars so the entire canvas does not lie flat against the wall (uneven tension or bars not strong enough for tension)

Bending the crossbars so they don’t lie flat against the wall, but curve to stick out the back (excessive tension, usually from overstretching unprimed canvas, which then shrinks when primed). Stretching your own canvas gives you control over all aspects of your painting surface, including overall size. the depth; the absorbency, color and texture of the foundation; the texture/grain and weight of the canvas and more. When you know the particular qualities you want in your painting surface, stretching your own means you don’t have to settle for a canvas that’s not quite right, you can meet your exact specifications. The end product is also of the highest quality, with heavier beams and better canvas than most prefabricated canvases. The process is not difficult and quite simple – it takes longer to explain than to do! When preparing surfaces in the studio, unless you are preparing a very large support, it is often most efficient to create a stack. The size of the stack is determined both by the space available – perhaps to lay out canvases while the primer dries – and the number of steps you can complete in the time you have – perhaps building six stretcher bars and cutting them Canvas out one day and stretch the six canvases the next day and over another day or two prime and sand them. Using primed canvas saves a lot of work and you need less drying space, but you may not get the exact finish you want. Of course you can always use primed canvas and add a top coat of your preferred substrate. This can even be an absorbent watercolor base if you prefer to paint on canvas rather than paper.

Priming the Canvas If you have used primed canvas, you can start painting right away, or you can add an additional primer to the surface to give your canvas a specific finish, e.g. B. An oil primer, an absorbent base, a rough surface like a pastel color primer, a few more coats of acrylic primer to make it whiter, a non-absorbent primer to make the surface smoother, and other primers. If you’ve stretched an unprimed canvas you can start painting in acrylic right away, but the surface will repel water somewhat, and if you intend to stain the bare canvas you’ll probably want to add a flow release agent (diluted according to the instructions on the Package). If you choose to paint with oil on bare canvas, be aware that it will not last forever as drying oils (all oils used to make oil paint) will slowly eat away at the fabric. You also get a ring of brown oil in a halo around the color that some artists find unsightly. This leaching of the oil from the paint also means the paint has less binder and it can look chalky and even crumble. For a solid structure with oil paints, it is advisable to seal the canvas before the paint. This means a sizing (traditionally rabbit skin glue) and a primer (traditionally chalk gesso). The modern alternative is acrylic primer/gesso, which serves as both glue and primer. Apply many thin coats until you can no longer see light through the fabric when holding the canvas up to the light. Your first layers should be diluted with water and massaged into the tissue in circular motions. Each successive coat should be applied lightly to prevent cracking and reduce brush marks – add less water to each coat and use as little primer as possible to cover the entire surface. Each subsequent layer should be applied in the opposite direction to the last. Let it dry to the touch between coats, some artists sand each coat if they want a smooth finish. Each brand of primer has a different ratio of acrylic binder, chalk, and white pigment – so some are more absorbent and others are more opaque – try a few until you find the one that suits the way you paint. As an extra step in special circumstances (for acrylic painting using transparent layers with almost no paint and lots of water that might pull some paint off the wooden sticks or canvas) you might want to apply a coat of glossy acrylic medium before you apply the primer to finish the Protect canvas from any amount of surface induced staining (SID) that may show discoloration in paint that is low in pigment. Read more about priming in our blog article – Don’t Be a Square – Prepare Circular Painting Boards.

A canvas the way you wanted it Now that you’ve made the perfect canvas, you may want to write along the staples on the back with a pencil or sharpie marker what canvas it is and what primer it is, so that when you realize you loved painting on that surface know what you used so you can recreate it! The process isn’t complicated, it’s just a few steps and once you know the principles, it’s pretty easy. If you’re unsure about trying, remember that the worst result is a loose canvas, which isn’t the end of the world. You can always remove and correct a few staples, and you should get good at stretching quickly.

Canvas on a Panel If you enjoy painting on canvas but don’t like the bounce of a stretched canvas, you can attach your favorite primed or unprimed canvas to a wooden panel for painting on a rigid surface that still has the texture of canvas. The Jackson’s Smooth Plywood Panels are excellent for this. Read more in our canvas blog article – Creating a canvas painting board.

Footnote from second paragraph: *Golden Ratio

The proportions of the golden ratio (also called the golden ratio or golden rectangle) produce a shape that is considered the most aesthetically pleasing shape in all of western art history. The long sides of the rectangle are 1.618 of the short sides.

How to stretch a canvas

Ever wondered how to stretch your own canvas?

Local artist and Opus Langley collaborator Colin Mitchell is helping to take the fear out of this do-it-yourself process. From choosing the right canvas to correctly stretching the canvas over your stretcher bars, this informative guide will help open new doors for the everyday artist who wants a little more control.

Want to further customize your canvas? Learn how to prepare your canvas for acrylic and oil painting in our Surface Preparation: Sizing and Gesso video.

Materials as shown in the video:

Unprimed canvas

Opus high-performance stretcher

4× corner folds

Gold GAC 100

Opus Gesso

canvas tongs

staple gun

scissors

Step 1:

Gently sand the edges of the stretcher bars to remove any rough or jagged edges. Prime them with Golden GAC 100 to prevent discoloration caused by the support. Assemble your Opus Heavy-Duty Stretcher Bars using your corner wedges as a guide to ensure the corners are at a 90° angle. Once in place, staple and secure the gussets for extra support.

Step 2:

Center the sticks on the canvas, making sure the weave of the canvas is parallel to the direction of your stretcher bars. Trim off excess canvas, but make sure you have enough to tug as you stretch. Leave about 4″ on each side.

Step 3:

Start on one side and place a staple in the middle to hold the canvas in place. Once the clamp is in, flip your canvas to the opposite side. Pull and tighten the canvas with the canvas pliers; Place a staple to attach the canvas to this side. Proceed to your third page, which has no staples yet. Repeat the first step of the stapling process; Tighten the canvas completely.

Step 4:

Once you’ve placed your first four staples on each side, continue stapling from the inside out. Staple one side at a time, turning to the opposite side after each stapling. During this process, a diamond shape will begin to appear. This will help you know that your canvas is taut and that the tension is evenly distributed. Make sure your corners aren’t tacked until it’s time to fold them.

Step 5:

After your canvas has been secured around the edges, you can start folding your corners. Make sure the excess canvas is folded inward to prevent the canvas from snagging or tearing. The crease should run right along the edges of your stretcher bars. If there is excess canvas hanging over the top, place your thumb between the crease and gently roll the canvas underneath until the excess is under your crease. Staple and secure your fold, making sure the tension is still in place. Once you’re done, your canvas should make a deep drum sound when you tap the center. This means that the tension is evenly distributed and the canvas is not too taut.

Step 6:

Prime your canvas and start painting with your favorite mediums and colors!

Sizes & Prices

Premium Fine Art Canvas Wraps

The prices below are for canvas wraps with natural or solid edges. Add $10 per pack for mirrored images or digital stretched borders. Custom sizes are also available! Learn more…

Gallery wraps on photo canvas

Available with natural foil on your choice of glossy or metallic photo paper. Protective coating is optional.

Size gloss photo film

Metallic photo film

8×8 $75.40 $76.15 8×10 $75.40 $76.15 8×16 $84.55 $86.43 8×20 $95.25 $98.24 10×10 $77.60 $78.81 10×13 $80.20 $81.62 10×15 $83.35 $84.98 10×16 $87.54 $89.59 10×20 $95.14 $97.65 10×30 $117.99 $123.03 11×14 $81.58 $83.05 11×16 $88.80 $90.89 11×28 $114.94 $119.34 12×12 $81.64 $83.02 12×20 $103.60 $106.65 12×30 $141.60 $146.96 14×14 $101.30 $104.65 14×22 $116.80 $122.05 16×16 $106.18 $111.01 16×20 $107.18 $111.22 16×24 $122.74 $129.01 20×20 $124.24 $130.82 20×24 $125.39 $132.22 20×30 $144.78 $153.18 24×24 $160.59 $170.04 24×30 $168.54 $179.66 24×36 $199.98 $213.63

Custom Size Fine Art Canvas Wraps Fine Art Canvas Wraps can be custom made in any size between 5″ x 5″ and 42″ x 92″ depending on frame depth*, with the same choice of border effects as our standard sizes. Special sizes are billed in the next larger standard size at the time of invoicing. Order a custom size online now

Question: One of my biggest personal struggles with painting is my tendency to tense up and lose spontaneity. I would like to try painting on unstretched [pre-primed] canvas and/or embossed paper to save money and to support the gestural aspect of my work. On page 27 of your landscape painting book you talk about painting on unstretched canvas. If the painting is a sentinel, how do you deal with it? Is it glued to a hardboard? If so, what kind of glue? -Robin

Answer: Whenever I talk about painting on unstretched canvas, I am inevitably asked this question. What do you do when you want to frame it? It may come as a surprise that a painting made on unstretched canvas can later be stretched. It can also be mounted on a panel or matted. For those who may not have heard of painting on unstretched canvas, I will first outline the benefits and then go into the various presentation options.

Note: Unstretched canvas does not mean unprimed! In the context of this article, “unstretched” canvas refers to canvas that has been pre-primed with gesso.

The advantage when painting on unstretched, pre-primed canvas or paper

Freedom. Stretched canvases have a certain preciousness. You may have put a lot of time and effort into preparing the canvas or, if you bought it ready-made, spent a significant sum. An immaculately stretched canvas can be intimidating. It says, “You better not screw this up!” You may not want to go through the hassle and expense of a stretched canvas until you know the painting will work. Unstretched, pre-primed canvas (or gessoed paper) is very inexpensive in comparison. As Robin’s question suggests, working on an inexpensive and “base” interface can encourage you to be more free and experimental.

Portability. Stretched canvases can be cumbersome, especially for outdoor painters who need to travel light. When I paint outdoors, I carry around several sheets of crepe paper and unstretched canvas in an envelope. I simply glue the individual pieces onto a light board. It adds almost no weight to my backpack.

Painting on canvas to be stretched later

If you plan to stretch the canvas later, be sure to leave 1.5 to 2 inches of extra canvas around the image area to wrap around the stretcher bars. (See below.) Also, be sure to measure your work in whole-inch increments so that it conforms to standard stretcher frame sizes.

Framing options for paintings made on unstretched canvas or gessoed paper

1. Stretching the canvas after the painting is finished. Stretching the canvas once the painting is complete is certainly possible, but not easy. I don’t recommend doing it yourself unless you are very skilled at stretching canvas. If budget allows, I recommend taking it to a professional framer. If you want to do it yourself, here are some guidelines.

Pre-primed canvas is not as stretchy as unprimed canvas. You only need to stretch the pre-primed canvas enough to gently stretch it so that the canvas doesn’t have any creases or waves. However, stretching a pre-primed canvas is definitely more difficult than stretching an unprimed canvas.

Even if you have the tools and strength to stretch out of the pre-primed canvas, don’t do it. Although oil paint has some flexibility, there is a point where you could damage or crack the layers of paint, especially after the painting has dried for several years.

A painting that is being stretched will be handled a lot, so you must be extra careful not to damage the surface of the painting.

2. Matt the painting. If you like the look of a mat or liner around a painting, there’s no reason you can’t matt a painting done on paper or unstretched canvas. A small piece of canvas lies very flat under a passe-partout. A larger piece may not lie as flat, in which case assembly or stretching may be required.

3. Mount the painting. You can mount canvas or soed paper on a plate or passe-partout. Like mounting a painting, mounting can be difficult. It takes a lot of skill and needs to be done right if you want it to stay flat (undistorted) and truly archive. I recommend taking it to a professional framer who knows how to do it and has all the necessary tools. Full step-by-step assembly instructions are beyond the scope of this article, but if you’re interested in doing it yourself here are a few points to keep in mind. See also the comments and suggestions from readers below. As with any studio technique you are trying out for the first time, don’t try it on your “precious” painting. Always experiment on scrap canvas or paper first.

How to stretch the wooden frames Stretching canvas is not as difficult as you thought! Everyone should do it alone. Before painting a masterpiece, the paint by number canvas template needs to be stretched just right for it to work and hold the color properly. However, quite a few customers choose to finish the paintings first and then stretch the canvas painting onto the wooden frames. In any case, choose what suits you better.

What you need to stretch:

● Staple gun and lots of staples

● Fabric scissors and hammer (better with a rubber head)

● Wooden stretcher frame (order from mypaintlab or on site)

● Canvas tongs (optional, available at most craft stores) (or a friend)

● You also need a flat, clean surface to work on.

1. The first step is to connect the stretcher bars. Place them on a flat surface and pinch the corners by hand. If necessary, tap the corners lightly with a rubber mallet. Make sure they’re spelled with something fairly accurate, such as B. a book, form a right angle.

2. Staple the four corners of the stretcher bars together to form a rectangular frame.

3. Unroll your canvas, place the formed stretcher bars on top and wrap them around the ledges. The canvas should fold over the outside edges of the wooden sticks.

4. Starting in the middle on any side, staple the canvas to the back of the stretcher. Insert about three staples spaced about two inches apart. For your first few canvases, you’ll probably end up using more staples than you need; Practice will give you a feel for it.

5. Move to the opposite side while tightening the canvas with the clamp and staple the middle. Repeat with the other two edges.

6. At the corners of the canvas, you need to fold the canvas to create a nice corner and staple it in place.

If you feel that the canvas has not been stretched properly, do not attempt to repair it. Our advice to you is to take out all the staples and just start over.

Canvas prints transform valuable photos and great designs into fine works of art. And that’s just one of the reasons to choose canvas prints. Another frequently asked question is whether to buy stretched or unstretched (rolled) canvas.

In short, stretched canvas is a canvas that has been stretched over a wooden frame (stretcher) for display. Unstretched, also known as rolled canvas, is simply the print without a stretcher frame. Here’s more information that would help you sort your options.

Stretched Canvas Prints

Price: With the labor and materials involved in stretching, you can expect stretched canvas to be quite expensive. However, the brighter and sharper image from the stretched canvas makes up for the price.

Shipping: Stretcher frames need to be packed more securely. It requires more space and attention to protect the canvas and stretcher bars. Hence the cost is higher.

Framing and Mounting: You don’t have to worry about this anymore as the stretched canvas is ready to hang. Because the printer takes care of the stretching, there is less chance of damage to the print while guaranteeing professional quality.

Unstretched (rolled) canvas prints

Price: It is cheaper than stretched canvas because you only buy the print. Although the labor cost of custom frames or frame deals can add up to the total, it’s important to calculate and compare before you buy. Rolled canvas is also great for projects that don’t need immediate setup.

Shipping: Expect lower shipping costs for rolled canvas, especially for international orders. It comes conveniently in a tube. You have less to worry about.

Framing and Hanging Most people choose rolled canvas because they have more freedom in planning framing and hanging. You can stretch and frame the canvas yourself. You can also take it to a frame shop and have the frame holder stretch the canvas for a better fit.

Have you made your decision? Then just browse through our canvas pictures. Also try framed canvas prints for more options.