What canvas is stretched onto for a painting. Inexpensive stretching of canvas on a stretcher
Probably, artists will understand me if I say that painting the same sketch is much more pleasant on a canvas that you yourself stretched on a stretcher, primed yourself to suit your specific tasks. After all, when you buy ready-made primed canvas in a store and then stretch it onto the canvas, the tension is not always good. And the soil itself, unfortunately, is often of poor quality. Once I bought such a canvas in a salon for a lot of money. And when I started writing, the paint layer began to dry out. This is when the paint darkens, ceases to be saturated in color, and when it loses its gloss. The ideal canvas should be stretched so that a slight drum effect is created (this is after priming). If the canvas sags, then this is already bad. The soil should not crack. It must hold the paint so that it does not peel off over time. Well, the paint layer should not dry out, i.e. the soil should not excessively absorb oil from the paint layer. All these problems can be solved at home, with your own hands. Next, I will consider the first part of the tasks: how to properly stretch the canvas onto a stretcher? (I wrote about subframe designs).
So, how to properly stretch canvas onto a stretcher? The canvas should be stretched using special tongs with wide lips. But, I must say, I rarely use them. Basically, I do everything by hand. The canvas is attached to the stretcher either with small nails or a stapler. The hats may not hold the fabric, so the nails should not be driven completely into the wood of the stretcher. Hammer it halfway. And bend the rest of the part with a hammer.
You need to start from the middle of the subframe rail. Drive the first nail into the middle. Then, with your fingers, pull the fabric from this nail to the edge, to the corner of the stretcher - now drive in a second nail, next to the first. The distance between the nails should be on average 5 cm. Next, drive in the third nail in the same way. When three nails are driven in, you can move to the opposite side of the subframe. To the side opposite the first. The first nail is also driven in here in the middle. Just before driving it in, you should try to stretch the fabric well. When the canvas is stretched and the nail is driven in, you can proceed to the neighboring nails from this trio. But under them, the canvas needs to be pulled not only towards itself, but also to the sides.
When we have stretched the canvas between the first pair of opposite sides of the stretcher, we can proceed to the remaining two. As a result, we will get a cross-shaped tension in the fabric.
So, we have made the basis. Now we continue to stretch the canvas from each three nails to the corners of the stretcher. It is better to do this first on the left, then on the right. Again on the left, then on the right. This will result in a more even tension. The canvas, now, needs to be pulled not only towards you, but also towards the corners of the stretcher.
The point of the whole procedure is to evenly tension the threads of the canvas. And so that the tension is sufficient. After sizing and priming, the canvas should not sag.
So, if everything worked out and you achieved your goals, then all I can do is congratulate you on your successful first experience in preparing canvas for painting!
Alexey Epishin.
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Probably, the artists will understand me when I say that writing the same essay, much nicer on the canvas, which you yourself pulled on a stretcher, he primed for their specific tasks. After all, when you buy ready-primed canvas in the store and then pulls it onto the canvas, the tension is not that always good. Yes, and the ground is unfortunately often come across poor quality. Once I bought the canvas in the cabin for a lot of money. And when I began to write, the paint layer became dry up. This is when the paint darkens ceases to be saturated in color, and when it loses its luster. Perfect canvas to be stretched so as to create a small effect of the drum (this is after priming). If the canvas is slack, then it is bad. The soil should not crack. He should keep the paint so that it does not flake over time. Oh, and a layer of paint must not dry up, t. E. The soil should not unduly absorb the oil from the paint layer. All of these problems can be solved at home, with his own hands. Next, I will discuss the first part of the tasks: it is — how to pull the canvas on a frame?
So, how to stretch canvas on a frame? Pull the canvas should be special forces with wide “lips.” But I must say, I rarely use them. Basically, do everything by hand. Canvas is attached to the subframe or small nails or staples. The cap can not hold the fabric, so cloves should not be driven into wood stretcher completely. Drive a half. And the rest of the bend hammer.
Should start from the middle rack of the subframe. Hammer the first nail in the middle. Then, pull the finger tissue from this stud to the edge, to the corner of the subframe - now the second drive in the nail, near the first one. The distance between nails should be an average of 5 cm. Further, the hammer in the same manner, the third nail. When the three nails are hammered, you can move to the opposite side of the subframe. To the side opposite the first. There are also hammered the first nail in the middle. Just before he should try to drive well to pull the fabric. When the canvas is stretched and hammered a nail, you can begin to adjacent studs of the trio. But for them, you need to pull the canvas not only to themselves but also to the sides.
When we pulled the canvas between the first pair of opposite sides of the subframe, you can proceed to the remaining two. As a result, we get a cross-shaped tension fabric.
So, we made the foundation. Now continue to pull the canvas from each triple nails to the corners of the stretcher. Better to do it at first left, then right. Again the left, then right. So get a more even tension. Canvas, now need to pull not only to themselves but also to the corners of the stretcher.
The meaning of the whole procedure is uniform yarn tension of the canvas. And so the stress is sufficient. After sizing and priming the canvas should not sag.
So, if everything worked out and you have achieved the objectives, then I can only congratulate you on the successful first experience in training canvas for painting!
To begin, we take a canvas (I have a two-thread one) and put our stretcher on it. Then we cut the canvas so that 5 cm of fabric remains around the stretcher.
Next, you need to iron the canvas so that it stretches evenly in the future. Moisten especially strong folds of the canvas with water to iron them. Keep in mind that if you wet the entire canvas, it may shrink slightly when ironing.
After you have ironed the canvas, you need to put a stretcher on it. The stretcher should be placed down on the side where the slats are cut inward (this is necessary so that the canvas does not touch the wood from the inside). If you mix up the side, then when painting the picture, the contact between the canvas and the stretcher will become visible, and this will look unaesthetic.
The next step is to prepare a wood stapler and staples for it. If you don't have a stapler, you can use a hammer and nails, but it will be a little more difficult. When buying a stapler, choose an all-metal one, it is much more reliable than a plastic one. If you often paint in oils, you definitely need it. In addition, the staples last a long time and there is no need to constantly buy nails.
Load the stapler with staples and remove the handle from the safety lock.
Wrap the stretcher in canvas and, with the canvas stretched fairly tightly in the center, drive a staple in the middle. Press the stapler well before hitting it so that the staple is driven in well. If the staple is not driven in, then you need to adjust the stapler by turning the round knob on top. If you stretch the canvas onto nails, then you do not drive the nail in completely. Hit the nail on the bias to bend the head to one side. This will prevent the canvas from flying off the nails. After the first staple or nail is driven in, turn the canvas upside down, pull the canvas up and drive the staple into the middle of the opposite side.
Then you tighten the second side in the same way. As a result, you should get this tension. The “cross” should be smooth, the fabric should not warp. If you didn’t manage to make a fairly even cross the first time, I recommend redoing it.
The next step is to drive in the brackets starting from the central ones. First we drive in brackets on two horizontal sides, and then move on to the vertical ones. The further we move away from the center, the more we need to stretch the canvas. The brackets should be driven in at a distance of 5-7 cm from each other.
After all the staples on the sides of the stretcher are driven in, we turn the canvas over to the reverse side and secure the canvas with staples in the middle.
Then we carefully wrap the ends of the canvas at the corners and secure them with a stapler.
If you did everything correctly, the canvas will be stretched evenly and look like a drum. You can get started :)
Good preparation is the key to good work. And on good canvas so nice to write!
Subframes are divided into two types: modular and ready-made. You can buy ready-made ones right away in the store, but the modular one will still have to be assembled. It is better to use ready-made ones for small paintings (30x40 cm).
pros modular subframe– if the canvas sag, wedges (which can also be bought at an art store) are driven into the grooves of the stretcher and the canvas is stretched. More often this need arises for large format paintings.
The side of the stretcher with a notch or bevel is called the front side, it is made so that the canvas does not stick to the frame.
The canvas is stretched onto the front side. If you decide to assemble a modular subframe, it is better to secure it with brackets at the joints.
To stretch the canvas onto a stretcher we need:
- canvas,
- stretcher,
- furniture stapler,
- tongs (optional),
- hammer.
The canvas should be stretched to an elastic state, without wrinkles or sagging.
The corners of the finished stretcher need to be slightly softened so that the canvas does not tear on them; to do this, we knock a little with the side of the hammer on all four corners.
Then we cut out the canvas a few centimeters larger than the stretcher so that we can bend the canvas afterwards. 
The figure below schematically shows a rectangular subframe, and the points are indicated and numbered in what order to hammer in the staples.
We start from the longer side - find the middle and attach one of the sides of the canvas with two staples. 
Next, you need to hammer the bracket into the second point, i.e. stretch the canvas to the left, holding the edges of the fabric with all fingers (so that it does not tear and stretches evenly). 
In general, stretching canvas requires strength and patience. Try doing this together - one pulls, the other hammers in the staples with a stapler. The fabric should be tightly stretched, but at the same time, do not over-shade, otherwise it may tear.
Point 3 – we also tighten and drive in two staples. 
Then we move to the other side of the canvas and hammer in the 4th and 5th points, while stretching the canvas vertically. I use tongs for pulling - it’s convenient and my fingers don’t hurt afterwards. 
Point 6 does not require any effort - just pull a little.
But 7 – you need to pull it very hard! 
Next – 8 and 9 – we also pull with all fingers, but not too much, because Points 11 and 12 have not yet been scored. The direction of tension is vertical. 
This is followed by 11 and 12. 
Then we return to the short side with point 6, drive in extreme points without much tension, turn it over and, already pulling it tightly, drive the staples along the edges. Next, hammer in the staples evenly, with tension. The interval between staples is 4-6 cm. We do this on all sides of the stretcher.
Long side: 
short: 
We secure the corners with an overlap using two staples. 
If ready stretched canvas clap your palm, it will feel like a drum.
Ready product. 
When viewed through light, the fibers must be perpendicular. It’s not quite perfect for me)), but it’s advisable to strive for it. 
After the canvas has been stretched, it should be prepared for priming. For this we need gelatin. We dilute it in a ratio of 1:6 (gelatin: water). The water should be hot (boiling water), but before that you can pour a little into the gelatin cold water for 10 minutes. Then stir the mixture and cool. The consistency will be almost jelly or a little thinner. You need to cover the canvas with this twice. It is better to take a large brush (painting brush). The interval between coatings is 12 hours. After the second coating has dried, you need to lightly walk over the canvas with sandpaper (without fanaticism). Then you can cover it with primer. The soil is bought in a store and diluted with cold water until it becomes sour cream. They also need to be coated twice, only with an interval of 30-40 minutes.
After these procedures, the canvas is ready for use.
The subframe is a skeleton that is made in the form of a frame. As a rule, wooden slats are used for its manufacture. In fact, they stretch the canvas over it before starting to work on the painting. After finished painting is inserted into the frame, which is why the structure is called a “subframe”. It performs an important function - it holds linen or cotton fabric stretched.
Stretching canvases on a stretcher: features of the process
Stretching canvases onto a stretcher is a rather difficult task, the execution of which should be entrusted to real professionals. If you are doing oil painting or painting tapestries, turning to specialists is a necessity.
Stretching a painting onto a stretcher is done in several ways:
− flatbed stretch;
− standard tension;
The standard method is used when you need to frame the canvas in a baguette frame. The image is inserted into the frame in such a way that the edges of the stretcher are not visible. A more complex method is to stretch the painting onto a stretcher. The painting is placed along the edges of the stretcher in such a way as to leave the side part just white. If White color does not fit, the sides are painted with a background fill in accordance with the tone of the entire picture. The canvas is fixed on the back side of the stretcher using staples.
The gallery stretch on the subframe deserves special attention. This special variety frameless design: the canvas is stretched onto a stretcher so that the image continues on the sides of the stretcher itself. Here it is important to carefully wrap the canvas in the corners, and also secure it with reverse side subframe This design does not require the use of a frame, so it can boast of being budget-friendly.
Advantages of gallery stretching on a subframe
This method is characterized by the following advantages:
− attractiveness of the deep side part of the subframe;
− represents a modern minimalist solution;
− beneficial from the point of view of financial expenses;
− holds geometry better than standard options;
− ideal for designing large format images.
Do you need gallery stretched canvas on a stretcher in Moscow? Framing workshop Ran Art offers its services. Reasonable price, fast order fulfillment, responsibility and professionalism are the advantages of working with us.
To stretch the canvas onto our stretcher, you will need a flat, clean surface, a pencil, a tape measure, a mallet, a hammer and a furniture stapler.
Before you order a frame and stretcher set for your canvas, you need to measure it correctly.
Measuring the canvas
Lay the canvas on the table and measure the width and height of the image. This measurement should correspond to the front of the painting.
Remaining part canvas will do on the ends of the picture and on the inversion. This remainder should be 3-4 cm on each side. 
If the remainder is less than 3 cm, then the canvas will have to be stretched by fixing the staples into the end of the stretcher, which will negatively affect the quality of the tension. As an alternative option, it is worth considering reducing the size of the front part of the picture with partial overlap of the image at the ends.
The resulting size of the front part of the painting should be used as internal size frames when ordering a set of a frame with a subframe.
Subframe assembly
The modular subframe kit includes perimeter strips, cross strips (if large sizes) and wedges. For assembly you will also need a tape measure and a mallet.
Connect the subframe slats by inserting the tenon into the groove. Make sure that the side of the subframe is on the same side for all slats.
If the kit includes transverse or longitudinal strips, install them until the last perimeter strip is fixed.
Press all joints as much as possible using a mallet, making sure that the planks are joined strictly perpendicularly.
To check the correct assembly, measure the diagonals of the subframe with a tape measure. When assembled correctly they should be equal. If the diagonals are different, align them using a mallet.
When assembling and aligning the subframe, avoid strong impacts and do not use a hard hammer to avoid breaking the perimeter strips.
Canvas stretching
Place the canvas face down on a clean, flat surface.
Using a pencil, mark on back side canvas, the place where the corners of the front part of the picture are located.
Place the stretcher on the canvas with the side down. In this case, the corners of the stretcher should coincide with the pencil marks.
While stretching the canvas slightly, wrap it in the center of the side strip of the stretcher and nail it with a furniture stapler. First on one side, then on the opposite.
Make sure that the canvas has not moved, if necessary, slightly tighten and fix the other 2 sides - with a cross.
Nail the canvas to the stretcher with a stapler from the center to the corners along the entire perimeter of the stretcher. Lastly, carefully wrap and secure the corners.
Insert the wedges into the grooves in the corners on the inside of the stretcher and achieve an acceptable tension on the canvas by driving the wedges in a circle with a hammer. If the subframe has longitudinal strips, wedges must also be inserted and driven under them.
Measure the middle on the top bar of the subframe and screw the gear hanger with self-tapping screws.
The painting is ready, you can put on the frame.
