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Canvas Stretching

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David Stead

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Posted
I've often been asked how to go about stretching a canvas. I made a video about it last summer and I've loaded it to the Community Videos section of this site. I do hope you'll find it useful. Best, D x
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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Posted
I haven't stretched a canvas in decades - I'll certainly take a look!   Whether I'll do it is something else again: I was put off by the experience of a fellow, very experienced, painter.  She always stretched her own canvas, and was good at it.  Until she put a painting into an exhibition, and it sort of slurped down the stretchers from the top middle, like a curtain.... so I prefer rigid supports now.  But canvas stretching is still something any artist should be able to do....

Alan Bickley

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Posted
Yes, it is an important (and useful) method to learn. I don’t make up my own any more but I’ve always enjoyed the challenge that it poses. I’ll be interested to look at David’s approach later today hopefully. More recently, I’ve also started to prefer the more rigid supports, the ever popular canvas or linen boards (preferably Jackson’s on MDF), or 3mm MDF panels which I buy in cut to my standard sizes, then applying three coats of gesso.