How to Stretch Canvas

Stretching your own canvas is relatively easy to do and it allows artists to get the perfect combination of sizes and materials for your painting. It's also a great way to keep costs down! Kati gives a step-by-step demonstration of good practices for stretching a canvas. All the materials in this video and many others can be found by following this link to the Blick website http://www.dickblick.com/

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[eireannebelle]

when the painting is finished, do you remove staples so that you can use stretcher bars again and frame painting?

[BlickVideos]

@eireannebelle Traditionally the painting remains in tact on the stretcher bars so that you can either hang the painting as-is, or place a frame on your finished work.

[Ydouneed2nomyname]

Would it be cheaper to buy all the materials to stretch and prime a canvas or just to buy some stretched/pre-primed boards? I mean just to start out. Would it also be cheaper in the long run if not in a short term?

[BlickVideos]

@Ydouneed2nomyname If you are just beginning to paint and aren't yet certain how much canvas you will be working on, canvas boards or panels are an inexpensive way to go. If you will be painting often on stretched canvas, purchasing the materials and stretching your own is less expensive than buying pre-stretched canvas.

[TRANSiENTART]

I’ve found better results when I staple once in the center on each side and rotate vs stapling an entire side at once, the method shown tends to create ripples part of the time. I staple on one side once in the center, then stretch it fairly tight and staple once on the parallel side. Then do the same for the other two remaining sides. I then work my way out from the center staples. Staple, turn 90 degrees, staple next side, rotate, staple, etc. My canvas gets an even stretch all the way around.

[konzwambii]

Yes, Trans, totally agree. Especially if you are using pre-primed canvas, it can be very hard to eliminate ripples. Also, I found it quite strange that Kati staples so low on the stretcher bar, which might interfere with placement of a crossbar. I would just cut a smaller canvas. And I tend to be rather picky at the corners, using the "hospital fold" which is the best and best looking way to do corners.

[RedSoxKal]

corners look awful. there is a better way to make them neat