How to Stretch Fine Art Canvas Painting Gallery Wrap

[anguwalters]

Nice video,

wow!!...... thanks very much for the session.  I'll work on that now,,,

[organizingwithe]

This was just what I was looking for! I included it on my blog today.....

[SuJessen]

Hi ! Thank you ! You make it easy to fallow! I like that!

[iLOVENATURE2011]

this is actually a good tutorial... stretching my canvass would be easier from now on...=) ty

[pete1038699]

Very informative video, thanks, just a few questions, wouldn't it be ideal to stretch a canvas first to minimise any white corners/edges & how would an artist preserve an acrylic painting other than keeping it out of direct sunlight?

[07emre]

Çok itici bir ses tonun var!

[smile21jonno]

Thanks for this. I'm working on putting some of my photography on a canvas frame. I'll be watching the bit about the corners a few times when i get around to it

[kitkatkitchen]

Nice video but I wish the corner folding was more clear.

[Fiddlewheel]

I prefer to use wooden plates and corkboards, anything you can inform me about that?

itd be appreciated.

[karattexas]

@Fiddlewheel I have never used any of those items to stretch a canvass. The way you stretch a canvass on anything has it roots in upholstering techniques. You can research that for more complicated things. If you are doing a circle it is important to make small even notches every inch or so, to allow it to make a drum fit. This is an old sewing trick. The lip on a factory-made stretcher bar keeps canvass from touching the wood bar. Create a lip on other things with a pc. of cardboard.

[signsofsa]

hi- could you tell me where you get your stretcher bars from? thx, jim

[karattexas]

@signsofsa I like to use the 1.5 inch stretcher bars for artwork I do not intend to frame Fredrix Heavy Duty Pine Stretcher bars are very good. The trick is to pick a brand and stay with it as they fit brand to brand ( as well as size to size). I like the larger stretcher bars as they need little cross support on bigger canvass sizes. Dick Blick website is a good place to buy them.

[FAYCHI69]

I have viewed many of the videos on canvas stretching...but yours seems to be the most helpful and less demanding. Thank you very much for posting this. Your hair looks great too... :O)

[Cocoabunny313]

cool paintings

[jolatyppi]

hey, i am graffiti artist and i am 13 years old, but i did a wilstyle sketch on a canvas, please somone check it out, andi am the most under rated graffiti artist on youtube

/watch?v=vdhRaKPZvxg&feature=c­hannel_video_title

/watch?v=vdhRaKPZvxg&feature=c­hannel_video_title

/watch?v=vdhRaKPZvxg&feature=c­hannel_video_title

[Chalman55]

Thanks a very informative and helpful video.

[video7pro]

@Chalman55 I'm glad that you found it helpful. All the best, Ginger Cook

[karattexas]

@TheAlienesque I am pleased you found it clear and easy.

Ginger

[karattexas]

I am pleased you found it clear and easy.

Ginger

[copetedavid]

that frame looks warped, or it seems like it when its flat. its better to get the wood and make the frame yourself, and make sure its perfectly flat.

[RoadKillGrover]

That little "T" trick is pretty slick!

[gregsandyas2006]

Yes, I learned on Esty.com that I do not need to purchase a seperate frame and people paint the edges. I purchase the boards from Wal-Mart or Big Lots and they come already with those "Strechter bars" in the back. But paying $7 for a 20 x 24 canvas is (to me) a little much. Would it be cheaper for me to purchase those strechter bars seprately? I'm very new at painting and only have about 15 of them since Feb 2011.

[karattexas]

@gregsandyas2006 Ok,when you staple the canvas in the back, you can paint the sides of the bars and a frame then becomes optional.. The best look is to use the very wide 2.5" bars which means you need 3 inches of canvass all the way around extra to make the wrap. The wider bars are heavier however and cost more to ship. Your least expensive route, is to buy ready make pre-stretched canvass from a local art store like Jerry's Artarama, or off the web like Dick Blick.com.

[Sunhuide]

Great tutorial.

Thank you so very much.

One question on "do the painting on canvas first, and then stratch to do the canvas wrap". Does this process not going to make the paint (art work) crack or peel later?

Can I just staple the canvas as you showed without stretching to prevent cracking damage? Your answer will be greatly appreciated.

[karattexas]

@Sunhuide Acrylics do not crack & will stretch just fine. Some older antique oil paintings will have to be stretched with care as oil paintings can crack over many years or if the paint was put on too thick initially. Most of the oil paintings that come from Russia or China are rolled and stretched here. With oil paintings Use an already stretched canvass as drying times take so long. It may also be cheaper to buy pre-stretched & treated canvass.

[Henry1993bc]

how often would i be required to you know,,, STRETCH A CANVAS

[karattexas]

@Henry1993bc It is usually done when making odd size canvasses that don't come in ready made sizes. Stretch plain white gessoed canvass or linen one that needs a gesso covering on it. Gicle prints on canvass are always stretched. Travel is easier with a piece of cut canvass rolled in a suitcase. (Paint on it taped to a board,stretch when you get home}. Many art galleries buy oils from China unstretched & then do it at the gallery.(art by the pound) It saves on shipping.

[Chrie277]

the more you know :) x

[carmenerichards]

I purchased a Giclee print and found a frame that is absolutely perfect for the new art. However, the frame I love already has a canvas inset. Would it work to remove, stretch new canvas over the already prepared old canvas and reinsert into frame or do I have to start fresh. Thanks for your helpful instruction.

[karattexas]

@carmenerichards Depends whether existing bars are standard or custom. To use existing bars carefully take the stretched canvas out of the frame. Use staple-puller & pliers, or a flat kitchen table knife or flathead screwdriver & pull staples from old canvas. Re-stretch giclee canvas on old bars. If old bar size is the same as ready made bars from an art store (12' 14" 20" etc) it might be faster to use new bars. Put old staples in a cup so they don't scratch your new giclee when remounting.

[carmenerichards]

I purchased a giclee print and found a frame that is absolutely perfect for the new art. However, the frame already has a canvas inset. Would it work to stretch new canvas over the already prepared frame or do I have to start fresh.

[BellumSacrumBellum28]

I don't understand the "stretcher bars" bit. What's wrong with buying a long piece of say 1''X1'' or 2''X2'', measuring and cutting on a 45degree angle, putting it together and mounting your canvas. Seems logical to me.

Plus, does your canvas remain permanently on that stretcher bar? What if you decided you wanted it framed, should it be placed on a different frame? Anyway I think I'm making too much of this.Basically, get a wooden frame and staple the damn thing on it. Right?

[karattexas]

@BellumSacrumBellum28 The answer to your question about stretcher bars is too long to include in the reply on YouTube. Ginger wrote a wonderful, in-depth explanation on our blog at this web address makehowtovideo [dot} com/2011/03/ginger-cook-march-­2011

[elgordotito1988]

wow,,,,thanks 2 this video i made my gf like 12 canvas so she kan draw,,,thanks...cuz they r expensive...lol

[canvasart365]

Wow. This is such a cool video. I really enjoyed watch it. Great job and hope to see more cool video work like this. Hey you should check out art4love.com i think you would really enjoy it.

[DJLunasf]

What if it's not a perfect rectangle? I mean, is this a manditory thing in the art world? Just curious, I'm really new @ painting on an actual canvas medium.

[karattexas]

@DJLunasf It does make a difference. If it is not a perfect rectangle, it may not fit into a picture frame properly. If you have a painting with a lot of vertical elements, they can look like the perspective is off on them. I find that even on ready-made pre-stretched canvases from the art store it is important to check the square on them. A lot of products are being manufactured overseas and the wooden stretcher bars can be warped or cut short. Measurements can be off as much as 1/2". Ginger

[alexjayshow]

"I'm just going to do the corners like you do your bed"... how often do you use a staple gun to tuck in your children? lol jokes aside, really helped :)

[juliaonthe101]

Awesome tutorial! I just bought a bunch of paintings on ebay, and it's super expensive to go to a store for stretching canvas here in Norway; but now I can do it myself. Thanks a bunch, you're great ! :)

[subject626]

Thanks for teaching me this. Perfect, just what i wanted to know x

[Doris31763]

I bought several Giclee canvas prints for my daughter. I think with the help of your video, I am able to handle the stretching. My concern is that the prints are unvarnished. Will the canvas absorb moisture with time that way. Also, if I do need to apply varnish, what do I use and can it be applied with a brush. Thank you for your time.

[karattexas]

@Doris31763 It's dangerous to give advice on varnish without seeing the pictures & how they were printed. Art stores sell giclee varnishes that spray on or brush on, w/ UV coating for extra protection from fading. While stretching put something underneath your prints to avoid scratching. Golden's brush on coating can be put on with a brush or pallet knife to give the impression of paint on the surface, but I think you might be better off with a spray. Avoid sunlight & a lot of humidity.

[karattexas]

@Doris31763 Depends whether existing bars are standard or custom. To use existing bars carefully take the stretched canvas out of the frame. Use staple-puller & pliers, or a flat kitchen table knife or flathead screwdriver & pull staples from old canvas. Re-stretch giclee canvas on old bars. If old bar size is the same as ready made bars from an art store (12' 14" 20" etc) it might be faster to use new bars. Put old staples in a cup so they don't scratch your new giclee when remounting.

[khaled6100]

nice work

[AlanScotch]

STRETCH PLIERS were mentioned as a more appropriate way of stretching large size canvas. This would only apply if the stapling were on the side, -- not the back.

The lever on the pliers would pierce the canvas if an attempt was made to stretch, for stapling on the back, using the pliers. (Not to mention the likehood of either tearing the canvas, or the stretch not applying  --- round two edges instead of one)

[HardcoreHehaw]

Awesome video, thank you so much! I bought my girlfriend a painting on artfire and to my surprise, it came rolled up in a tube. Joanne fabrics wanted $500 (which was 5 times what i paid for the painting) to frame the painting on stretcher bars but I just did it myself in 3 hours and it only cost me $65 in materials, thanks!!

[grabrail86]

thank you for the video

[kirk868]

you can cut the corners

[JesusWASdarkSkin]

throw some water at the back of canvas after u finish will good too

[tructsoc]

I learned something new from you, though I've been stretching canvas for 35 years. The "t" marks were new to me. Thank you for sharing you're technique. Btw, I use 2 inch thick bars for a deeper gallery wrap.

[AshtonRedman1]

I have got to say, if I was doing this I wouldn't just make do and say it doesn't matter if it's not to neat on the back because nobody is going to see it. I would want it to be absolutely perfect.

[artexpertdan]

Very helpful video!

[ste6666666]

Cheers thanks for the information. Love and peace stephen ward

[LadyLeak]

She needs a video to teach her how to staple...lol

[mechasentai]

Thank you that was very useful! :)

[m0h5in1]

Do the strecher bars come in all sizes and can they be customised?

[MexicanKukyMonster]

@m0h5in1 theres quite a variety. for example, theres tiny ones, 11 12 14 16 inches and so on, but i recommend you use standard sizes together. like 12x16 and 11x14. trust me if you dont make it standard size (like 12x12) youll have to have it custom framed and itll be more expensive

[karattexas]

@m0h5in1 Stretcher bars come in 2" increments. Jerry's Artarama has some brands that are in 1" increments that start at 12" up to 114". Most frame shops can cut one down to be the exact size you need and put it together with staples and screws. Some frame shops can order the stretcher bar molding and make custom ones also. When you get into the larger sizes you need to put in cross pieces for added support. it may be easier to crop the picture rather than order a custom bar. GINGER

[FrogmanMickey]

This is a good tutorial. I just wanted to add one tip I use for aligning the canvas properly on the stretcher bars. I tape the canvas onto a window with the painted side facing the glass. Enough light will penetrate the canvas that I can clearly see the outline of the painted area. I then hold the stretcher frame up to the canvas, align it with the painted area, and trace around it with a pencil on the back side of the canvas. That makes it easy to see where to set the frame for stapling.

[anamneses28]

@FrogmanMickey Wow! Great tip! That's fantastic! Thanks so much! :)

[0megaTexan]

where can I buy the frames?

[karattexas]

@0megaTexan You can purchase frames at most art supply stores, such as Hobby Lobby.

[Jerry55903]

thanx u saved me around $600 i have four painted canvases and i was being charged $150 for each one to be stretch at michaels thank you

[Emagyn]

Very informative, and I'll be subscribing as I am looking to add any skills to my repertoire. Thank you for taking the time to produce this.

[touchsmart0]

thats not a hammer thats a mallet

[coolio666667777]

thank you!!! I subscribed!

[cuffbertt]

I like that you didn't edit out the part where the staple came loose, makes me feel more at ease about trying it myself! bravo

[myARTjournal]

in school we always glued the corners of the stretchers together

[TotalGraffiti]

I do graffiti canvas. It sells very fast ;)

[rarosera]

Excellent instruction. Thankyou!

[ninjaofthe9seas]

every time she staples she makes me nervous that she's gonna get her fingers XP

[karattexas]

@ninjaofthe9seas You can use stretcher pliers to hold the canvas for added safety.

[dizasta89]

good video

[karattexas]

@dizasta89 Thanks!

[watzegjemedaarnouvan]

I believe there is something missing; You show connecting the canvas, not really stretching the canvas. There is some room in the inside corners of the stretching frame, for thin (ply)wood pieces to put in there. One puts 2 pieces into each corner and hits these gently with a hammer, after stapeling the canvas. This way you stretch the canvas. Also, you can paint after stetching, it is really good to paint that way. This is also possible with large paintings. Please, try it.

[bohemiantinker]

Very Helpful & Detailed-Thank you!!!

Looked at a few videos that were not helpful and then found this one.

[mrdanno1111]

Good Demo, but for safety's always wear goggles when using a staple gun. It might not sound necessary, but you don't want to risk a flying staple hitting and damaging your eye

[karattexas]

@mrdanno1111 Good point! Thanks for the reminder....

[MrTechdog]

Thanks! Very well done.

[elfaro101]

Very useful, clear and to the point.

[zenlenz]

Awesome! Thanks very much!

[Seishae]

Very useful, thanks.

[InTheLifeOfAnArtist]

thanks :)

[tonycatman]

Good presentation. No "ums" or "ahs". Tells me just what I need to know.

Thanks

[rsturm1005]

What a well-done and informative video. Thank you.

[GaGaGooGoostuff]

Thanks. Exactly what I was looking for.

[mycompasstv]

Useful instructional video on stretching cavas. Thanks. Check out Italian master painter Pietro Annigoni on my channel.

[kjetvin]

Nice guide :)

[babaradio]

People paint without stretcher bars on just the canvas because sometimes it's easier with the larger paintings to handle by hanging it on the wall.

If you paint smaller, the idea is to stretch it on bars and it will be tauter. Painting on a pre-stretched canvas can sometimes make it wavy and stretched out.

Anyone else have any ideas on this?

[Phantrax]

"But it doesn't matter, no one will see it" Uhm... lol. Still, I wouldn't do it so nonchalant. o.o;;

[ShounenAiGirl]

Question! Who paints the picture then stretches it? Well, obviously her, but uhh, why would ppl do that?

[Onyx365]

Well, I don't know why she, a painter, wouldn't stretch her canvas first. But, I have a friend that asked me to stretch some canvases for her. She had her dad print some photographs on canvas for her.

[GaGaGooGoostuff]

People who have illustrations/artwork printed on canvas need to Stretch their own canvas.

[marllanes]

To ShouneenAIGirl: A lot of artists do that. They paint on an unstretched canvas first and then they stretch it. They do this for different reasons, one example is when they have to ship it. It's more convenient to ship a rolled canvas, then the client stretches it. Also giclee prints are printed first on the canvas and then stretched. There is no way you could put a stretched canvas into the printer. This tutorial is great. ShounenAiGirl: You should show more respect to this lady.

[rosehipsforu]

thanks for sharing!!!

[littlebek1]

Thanks for the great video. It was helpful and cool to see you can stretch a prepainted piece of canvas. I didn't know that could be done! I have a question for you. I want to start stretching canvas but I need to know if you have to get the gallery wrap stretcher bars in order to do the staple free gallery wrap edge? I can't find the gallery wrap bars in the one of the sizes I need and I need to order some supplies soon. Thanks!

[Erilis000]

I don't think it matters

[art4artsake66]

Very good demo video with nice easy to follow advice.

Thank you

[infinitesunsky]

hello!you do not use forceps to stretch canvas?

[karattexas]

Sorry for the delayed response. I use professional stretcher pliers to stretch anything over 16x20. Please see my reply to the post below for more details.

[infinitesunsky]

hello!

is not important to use the pliers, stretch the canvas ???

[karattexas]

I use professional canvas stretcher pliers when stretching anything bigger than 16x20. Be careful not to tear the canvas when you pull. You just want to create the same crease as in the video & follow the same pattern. When stretching larger pieces, secure 3 to 6 staples in the middle of each section & fasten the corners as it is a bit easier. Many men I know have strong enough hands to not need the pliers. To remove a staple you don't like just use a flat screw driver.

[g0dEATg0d]

a rectangle cant be perfectly square but i get what your saying. thanks

[akvavitae]

actually, a square is a type of rectangle. anything with 4 right angles and 4 sides is a rectangle.

[renyenhawaii]

I think she meant a square angle, perfect 90 degree corners.

[karattexas]

Yes, that is what I meant. When you "square" your canvas, you are making sure that the corners are at 90 degree angles. All the best, Ginger

[karattexas]

@g0dEATg0d "Square" is more of a carpentry term. When you square something, it means that the corners are at 90 degree angles.

[Blankmania]

@g0dEATg0d A rectangle has to be perfectly square to be a rectangle, it doesnt have to be a square but has to be square, get informed prior to criticizing

[JasonRodzArt]

@g0dEATg0d haha you got owned, and thanks Karattexas, just stretched my canvas and came out good. =]

[nyart12]

excellent

[lindsey2021]

wow thanks for this video. i thought i could only have a company do this. it seems simple.

[karattexas]

As a note, commercial gesso machines have gotten the cost of primed canvas very low, so it is not usually more economical to stretch unprimed canvas. Ginger

[osean2]

Thanks for the advise however, what do you think about streching unprimed canvas?

[karattexas]

Yes, you can stretch any fabric & use as a decorative wall piece. However when you stretch unprimed canvas that you intend to paint on later, here is the trick. Because it is cotton, it will shrink & get very tight when the gesso is put on, so you do not want to pull it as tightly with the pliers as this may later cause the frame to warp. You don't want it either saggy or drum tight as you must allow for the material to shrink when the gesso is applied. Ginger

[osean2]

Thank you so much. I am attempting to stretch my own canvas and this definatley helps. can I paint with arcylics and then stretch the finished work or should I only do that with oil or watercolor? I purchased a large roll of canvas and havent started working it yet.

[karattexas]

It's easier to stretch pre-gessoed canvas first, then paint. In the video we stretched a painting that was painted directly on an unstretched canvas. If you're traveling, it's easier to roll up & put in a suitcase. Canvas can be put on a board or table & taped down. Not as good as on a stretcher, but is certainly ok. Works better on smaller size canvas. I would stretch 36x48 and larger first. Ginger