Preparing the Canvas

I prepared the canvas for my next work this weekend. I prefer to stretch my own supports rather than buy them as it gives me greater freedom to choose sizes and shapes to fit my work. I have been doing this for years, and really enjoy the process.

I start with building a frame. Again, I could buy stretcher bars, but find I can build a better frame suited to the size of the painting. I then cut the canvas with a few inches of overlap and staple the sides in place.



Pulling the canvas tight, I work out to the corners, trying to keep a consistent tension. Before folding the sides, the canvas is trimmed, then tucked.



On My easel, I apply the Gesso. Gesso is an amazing thing. It has the consistency of housepaint and paste combined. The gesso provides a final bit of stretch to the canvas, and help the paint adhere to the surface without soaking through.



I start at the edges and go around the entire panel, applying the gesso with a large brush. Finally, the center is done, starting at one corner and moving to the next. The entire canvas will get a second coat before it is ready to use. After allowing it to dry for a day, it is ready for paint. All said, the process takes about one to three hours depending on the size of the canvas.