Hello all,
I am the proud owner of some original art,(chinese oils-bought on my doorstep).
I thought they would be good for to practice my cavas stretching,before letting loose on someone elses art.I have purchased stretchers bars and my question is,do I have to glue the strecther bars when I square them?
Cheers
Brian
stretcher bar newbie??
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Paul Hardy
Re: stretcher bar newbie??
If your stretcher bars have wedges to tighten the canvas once stretched, then they should not be glued. I suppose that if there is no way to expand the stretcher once assembled then you could glue it if you wanted.
Paul Hardy
http://www.sudbury-picture-frames.co.uk
Paul Hardy
http://www.sudbury-picture-frames.co.uk
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markw
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Keadyart
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Thanks Mark,
I have searched here and the US grumble,got pliers etc.The only problem is that the pintings has been trimmed pretty close to the painting,but as they are only for myself I can afford to make an error or two gining it a go.
By the way have you any reccommendation regards size of staples to use.
Cheers
Brian
I have searched here and the US grumble,got pliers etc.The only problem is that the pintings has been trimmed pretty close to the painting,but as they are only for myself I can afford to make an error or two gining it a go.
By the way have you any reccommendation regards size of staples to use.
Cheers
Brian
How big are the paintings? If they are realtively small (<12x16) and are the ubiquitous far-eastern factory panitings I would be tempted to glue them to a board.
If they are bigger, stretching is preferable. But the term 'stretching' for canvases is slightly misleading. You only need to get them tight enough on the bars so they don't sag or flap about. As long as you have about 1/2" to wrap around the edge it should be OK. Start by lining the canvas up to the assembled bars and put a coulple of staples in the center of one of the long sides. Pull the opposite side taught (I never use pliers) and put a couple of staples in there. Then do the same on the short sides. After that, work your way toward the corners, taking each corner in turn. The objective is to get an even tension across the surface with no waves. When you have stapled all around the edge, you can staple down any excess canvas to the back side of the stretchers. Then gently tap in the wedges so they just fill the slots. If the canvas is floppy then tap them in
further. but don't overcook it. The canvas on this type of painting is quite good quality, but the same thing can't be said for the paint. It usually has dryers added which can effect the adhesion so overtightening can loosen it. If you get a wave in the canvas then you have to apply a bit of extra tension in the right area. Sometimes damping the canvas slighty behind the wave will make a wave magically dissappear. Holding over a boiling kettle is a good trick.
If they are bigger, stretching is preferable. But the term 'stretching' for canvases is slightly misleading. You only need to get them tight enough on the bars so they don't sag or flap about. As long as you have about 1/2" to wrap around the edge it should be OK. Start by lining the canvas up to the assembled bars and put a coulple of staples in the center of one of the long sides. Pull the opposite side taught (I never use pliers) and put a couple of staples in there. Then do the same on the short sides. After that, work your way toward the corners, taking each corner in turn. The objective is to get an even tension across the surface with no waves. When you have stapled all around the edge, you can staple down any excess canvas to the back side of the stretchers. Then gently tap in the wedges so they just fill the slots. If the canvas is floppy then tap them in
further. but don't overcook it. The canvas on this type of painting is quite good quality, but the same thing can't be said for the paint. It usually has dryers added which can effect the adhesion so overtightening can loosen it. If you get a wave in the canvas then you have to apply a bit of extra tension in the right area. Sometimes damping the canvas slighty behind the wave will make a wave magically dissappear. Holding over a boiling kettle is a good trick.