Canvas boards warping

[cleaver]

Hi All,

I’ve been encountering a few oils on canvas boards that are bowed / warped.

Firstly, how do you deal with this? The friends & family I’m doing work for (ATM) are happy for me to PVA glue it to thin plywood and weight it down. Is that good practice?

Secondly, why does this warping happen? I’m curious, as some of the paintings are on tiny canvas boards (A5 etc), so it can’t be poor storage, can it?

Ta in advance,

Paul

[prospero]

These canvas boards are based on the good old 'grey' board which is highly hygroscopic. Having canvas bonded on one side
makes them susceptible to bowing. They are really only intended for sketches and working studies and not best suited to work
which is to be framed. I usually back them with 2.5 MDF (not glued) which goes some way to flattening them a bit.

[Not your average framer]

All of that is not only true, but there's more as well. Two two sides of the grey board are covered with disiimilar materials, which don't necessarily expand and contract the same. The price that they charge for them bears little corelation to the cost of the materials used.

Not only that , but if you are thinking than they are all covered with real canvas, think again. Some are using a cheaper canvas substitute, which looks like canvas, but it's made of resin bonded canvas impression paper.

Stuff like this: https://www.winter-company.com/en/collections/buckram

It's good strong stuff, but it ain't canvas and their not breaking the law calling the product canvas boards. Welcome to the real world.

[cleaver]

Brilliant info. - thank you much, Peter & Mark.

Peter, why don't you glue them to the MDF....is it the 'do no harm' ethic, or you feel there's is no need? Some of the ones I'm working with are bowed outwards, as you look at them, so MDF or Artbak can't tension them straight.

Also Peter,(I know you're an artist, too) are there any board-based painting surfaces that are better quality you'd recommend? The Mrs prefers to paint on board (I think it's the lack of 'trampoline effect' you can get with stretched canvas).

[prospero]

If you prepare your own boards you can use better materials and seal the back to make it as waterproof as the front.
But using heavy impasto can cause bowing as the paint cures. Worse with acrylics.

I frame a lot of work done on MDF panels (9mm). These are meticulously prepared - painted backs and they don't have
canvas mounted on them. The surface is gessoed. You can texture the surface at the same time to give it 'tooth'.

I've had other work done on quite large and thick MDF which was canvas-wrapped. Bowed about 1" and not way the flatten it.
Artists moan that there is a gap in the middle when in the frame. Maybe they expected the frame to straighten it.

As I say, the proprietary canvas boards are not really meant for 'finished' work. Artist's love 'em because of the lack of faffing about
but the old saying goes: "Time will not honour that in which it has not taken part".

[Not your average framer]

I have a customer who brings me many expensive oil paintings that he buys from many of the very classy galleries in London and many of these are painted onto 12mm MDF and many of these are quite small paintings as well. Generally, I never see quality oil painting that have ever been painted on anything thinner that 12mm MDF. It's only an assumption on my part, but I suspect that 12mm the expected standard.

I have seen a few lesser quality artists using 6mm MDF, but is still only for smaller painting. Most larger oils will be on good quality canvases and superior quality stretcher bars. I understand that there are some highly sought after framers, who get boards for paintings prepared by the framers who make their frames, but no one has ever asked me to make up boards for paintings. Oh well, I don't suppose that happens around these parts.

But seriously, canvas boards are not a quality product and warping is not an unreasonable expectation and gluing something else to the verso on the canvas board will result in the artwork no longer being in it's original state and you may be seriously affecting the pictures future value by doing so.

[GeoSpectrum]

I make cradled plywood panels which are favoured over springy canvas by some of my customers.

[cleaver]

Thanks again, folks.

Always great answers in this place - and the kindest people.

[Not your average framer]

I make cradled plywood panels which are favoured over springy canvas by some of my customers.

Such a sensible thing to do! It's not always true that artists don't like spending money. Some of them are very serious about chasing big bucks and are willing to pay the money for good quality boards to paint on to. It's not only a good opportunity to tap into another market, but if you can promote this to your customers by displaying an example in your shop window, you will probably add to the credibility of your business by doing so.

[poliopete]

When Mark writes "be displaying an example in your shop window, you will probably add to your credibility" I concur completely. Without displaying examples, how will people know what you are capable of?

Examples of your framing, hand finishing, mounts/mount cutting, object framing will often inspire people to have an item framed. Whatever your good at, play to your strengths and display it.

Since I semi-retired I have had the opportunity to travel around and look at many other frame shops/galleries. Most are inspiring but a few appear happy to be mediocre I confess I don't understand this and wonder how they make a living:

Peter.