Creating Canvas

Making a canvas.

It always makes more sense to make your own canvas when there is a size that isn't readily available in the stores. This canvas is 38" high by 66" long. Also, it's a gallery style, so 1 1/2 " deep.

It all starts out with a frame.

(The frame above is a regular canvas, not a gallery style, but it's the same principal but with the thicker part of the wood facing the sides)

Then we cut and wrap the canvas.

You want to cut a good 2-3 extra inches. It's always easier to cut an inch than to try and find it.

The corners are difficult. Always. You just have to be patient and get creative.

The trickiest part is the inner frame. For larger canvases, a double frame works best.

You have to tuck in the extra and cut before putting in the inner support frame.

With this canvas I applied primed canvas. 

How this differs from unprimed is that there is going to be slack no matter how hard you pull when you staple the canvas on.

Having slack is not something that you want to paint on so it's best to spray water 

(any old squirt bottle will work) and spray the back of the canvas where it is not primed. 

(The gessoed canvas is impenetrable and the water will not work). 

As it's winter, I also put a heater on it.

You can see the difference already.