Stretching Canvas

The process of building stretchers and stretching canvas is equally important to me as making the final painting. For me its all about the process of working from start to finish. I find that not only is it meditative but as the stretched canvas develops towards completion, I also develop towards a readiness to paint. There is a joy I get from building the structure that I am going to eventually make into a painting. I believe this gives me a deeper connection to the final product and as an artist, that my work and myself are intertwined. It is my hope that when paintings are viewed that there is an understanding that a lot more work goes into making a painting than just applying paint. 

Canvas day. One roll of canvas 60"x 6 yards, a gallon of gesso and a gallon of medium.

I sand all the sharp edges off the stretcher to prevent the wood from cutting into the fabric. 

After measuring and cutting the canvas for each stretcher I then lay the stretcher face down on the canvas trying to keep the threads square to the stretcher bars. I start by placing one staple in the middle of each side. Then using the canvas pliers I place a staple to the right of the center staple, go to the opposite side and do the same thing, then the next two sides. I then staple to the left, alternating back and forth working outward towards the corners. 

Once at the corners I fold the fabric in, creating a clean corner. I personally prefer the canvas tucked in rather than out. I just think it looks cleaner. Its a personal preference, some like the fold on the outside.  

The picture below is trying to show the gap created between the canvas and the edge of the stretcher bar. Thats why I ripped them on a 10 degree angle yesterday. The canvas only touches the wood on the  outer edges. 

I now have two 36"x48" canvases ready for gesso and painting.