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Moi 17

Linda Wilson

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I have rather foolishly made a commitment to paint a colourful local character.  I have anticipated painting him life sized, so the final product would be about the size of a door.  When finished I would like to enter it into competitions.  However I am now concerned about how to start.  Should I just buy a door or use one that I happen to have lying around or buy a thinner support, which would be lighter to manipulate.  But then there is the framing. Then there is the scaling up from comparatively small photos.  There seems to be lots of reasons to put it off or change my mind.  Any advice would be most welcome.

Sylvia Evans

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Oh well done…Linda.   A nightmare.   What were you on when you said yes?   Do you have a local theatre company ? They could possibly give you advice on materials to use.     Or go along to your local Builders and chat them up.  MDF the thi isn’t they have, well sanded and then a  huge pot of Gesso.   I have a feeling that your photogtapn could be enlarged by quite a lot. I so don’t envy you.   Keep us all updated……and charge the guy a bomb?

Alan Bickley

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Nightmare Linda, best support would be a stretched canvas, much lighter to manoeuvre later! You’d have to buy the stretchers and canvas, but can you buy a six foot off-the-shelf stretcher bar? Unlikely but I don’t know. Someone on here may have more information about them… Jackson’s website is worth checking! It’s relatively easy to make your own stretchers of course, a bit of joint cutting but it’s another option. We all made our own at college, six footers mainly. It will require a bit of woodworking skill however…nothing too difficult… Also, stretched canvases don’t require a frame when exhibiting… generally that is! Much better if you could scale it down to 50%… and keep in mind, gallery space is always at a premium, even when it comes to competitions. Would it be acceptable at that full size?

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by Alan Bickley

Moi 17

Linda Wilson

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I hate to say that it was my idea.   Have been looking for a good portrait subject for ages and he wears such bright colours, dances and is so positive and inspiring.  I couldn’t resist.   I’m nervous about reducing to 50% as it will make the face so small.

Sylvia Evans

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Sorry Linda I am laughing….Alans idea re stretched canvas seems altogether a good one, how possible woukd it be to have a deep frame made…a box canvas.   Back to chatting up the Builders merchants.  But it woukd be light and manageable and wouldn’t need any frame.
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Martin Cooke

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I buy my stretchers (and canvas) from Russell and Chapple who do sizes up to 3m in various grades eg: https://www.russellandchapple.co.uk/index.php/canvas-stretching/exhibition-stretcher-bars/exhibition-stretcher-bars.html

Alan Bickley

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Well done Martin… that’s the obvious and most sensible answer then Linda! Lightweight, don’t need a frame, canvas makes a great support for oils and acrylic! You’ll need quite a few extra support bars as well for this size. Be prepared to spend some serious money… You will need a pair of canvas stretching pliers as well.

Norrette Moore

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You might also need to think about transporting it?  Hockney resolved this problem by splitting his image into 6 canvases, then displaying them abutted together. Love to see it when you've finished, Linda.

Alan Bickley

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He did indeed, 6 and more on some of his paintings… I saw them at the RA in his exhibition A Bigger Picture. That’s a sensible idea that Norrette has suggested, it makes sense - split the image into two sections… it worked just fine for Hockney!
Moi 17

Linda Wilson

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I have just looked at the Russell and Chapple website and got a quote for the stretched canvas and you are right - serious money - over £300 for linen, primed!  My spare door looks increasingly attractive, it is only taking up space, so I will be relieved to get rid of it.  It is the kind of door, which has a kind of inlaid frame within in it.  My concept is to have him stepping out of the frame, symbolic of breaking through barriers.  But it does have the transportation problem….
Moi 17

Linda Wilson

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Spent a good half hour dying how to work out how to adjust my easel for a bigger size.  Not easy.  I’m at a loss as to how to refit my daylight lamp and I-pad holder though.

Sylvia Evans

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Ok back to the drawing door…it will be great.
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