Probably, artists will understand me if I say that it is much more pleasant to write the same sketch on canvas, which you yourself pulled on a stretcher, primed yourself for your specific tasks. After all, when you buy a ready-made primed canvas in a store and then stretch it onto the canvas, the tension is not always good. And the soil itself, unfortunately, often comes across poor quality. Once I bought such a canvas in the salon for a lot of money. And when I started to write, the paint layer began to wither. This is when the paint darkens, ceases to be saturated in color, and when it loses its gloss. The ideal canvas should be stretched so that a slight drum effect is created (this is after priming). If the canvas sags, then this is already bad. The soil must not crack. He must hold the paint so that it does not peel off over time. Well, the paint layer should not dry out, that is, the primer should not excessively absorb oil from the paint layer. All these tasks can be solved at home, with your own hands. Next, I will look at the first part of the tasks: how to properly stretch the canvas on the stretcher? (I wrote about subframe designs).

So, how to properly stretch the canvas on the stretcher? The canvas should be stretched with special tongs with wide "lips". But, I must say, I rarely use them. Basically, I do everything by hand. The canvas is attached to the stretcher with either small nails or a stapler. The caps may not hold the fabric, so the studs should not be driven all the way into the wood of the stretcher. Hit half. And bend the rest with a hammer.

You need to start from the middle of the subframe rail. Drive the first nail into the middle. Then, stretch the fabric with your fingers from this stud to the edge, to the corner of the stretcher - now drive in the second nail, next to the first. The distance between the nails should be an average of 5 cm. Next, drive in the third nail in the same way. When three nails are driven in, you can move on to the opposite side of the stretcher. To the side opposite the first. Here the first nail is also driven in in the middle. Just before you drive it in, you should try to stretch the fabric well. When the canvas is stretched and the nail is driven in, you can proceed to the neighboring carnations from this trio. But under them, the canvas must be pulled not only on itself, but also to the sides.

When we have stretched the canvas between the first pair of opposite sides of the stretcher, we can proceed to the remaining two. As a result, we get a cross-shaped tension of the fabric.
So we've made the base. Now we continue to stretch the canvas from each triple of nails to the corners of the stretcher. It is better to do this first on the left, then on the right. Left again, then right. This will result in a more even tension. The canvas, now, needs to be pulled not only towards itself, but also to the corners of the stretcher.

The meaning of the whole procedure lies in the uniform tension of the threads of the canvas. And that the tension was sufficient. After gluing and priming, the canvas should not sag.
So, if everything worked out and you have achieved your goals, then I can only congratulate you on the successful first experience of preparing a canvas for painting!

Alexey Epishin.

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Probably, the artists will understand me when I say that writing the same essay, much nicer on the canvas, which you yourself pulled on a stretcher, he primed for their specific tasks. After all, when you buy ready-primed canvas in the store and then pulls him onto the canvas, the tension is not that always good. Yes, and the ground is unfortunately often found across poor quality. Once I bought the canvas in the cabin for a lot of money. And when I began to write, the paint layer became dry up. This is when the paint darkens ceases to be saturated in color, and when it loses its luster. Perfect canvas to be stretched so as to create a small effect of the drum (this is after priming). If the canvas is slack, then it is bad. The soil should not crack. He should keep the paint so that it does not flake over time. Oh, and a layer of paint must not dry up, t. E. The soil should not unduly absorb the oil from the paint layer. All of these problems can be solved at home, with his own hands. Next, I will discuss the first part of the tasks: it is - how to pull the canvas on a frame?
So, how to stretch canvas on a frame? Pull the canvas should be special forceps with wide "lips." But I must say, I rarely use them. Basically, do everything by hand. Canvas is attached to the subframe or small nails or staples. The cap can not hold the fabric, so cloves should not be driven into wood stretcher completely. Drive half. And the rest of the bend hammer.

Should start from the middle rack of the subframe. Hammer the first nail in the middle. Then, pull the finger tissue from this stud to the edge, to the corner of the subframe - now the second drive in the nail, near the first one. The distance between nails should be an average of 5 cm. Further, the hammer in the same manner, the third nail. When the three nails hammered, you can move to the opposite side of the subframe. To the side opposite the first. There are also hammered the first nail in the middle. Just before he should try to drive well to pull the fabric. When the canvas is stretched and hammered a nail, you can begin to adjacent studs of the trio. But for them, you need to pull the canvas not only to themselves but also to the sides.
When we pulled the canvas between the first pair of opposite sides of the subframe, you can proceed to the remaining two. As a result, we get a cross-shaped tension fabric.
So, we made the foundation. Now continue to pull the canvas from each triple nails to the corners of the stretcher. Better to do it at first left, then right. Again the left, then right. So get a more even tension. Canvas, now need to pull not only to themselves but also to the corners of the stretcher.

The meaning of the whole procedure is uniform yarn tension of the canvas. And so the stress is sufficient. After sizing and priming the canvas should not sag.
So, if everything worked out and you have achieved the objectives, then I can only congratulate you on the successful first experience in training canvas for painting!

The subframe is a skeleton, which is made in the form of a frame. As a rule, wooden slats are used for its manufacture. On it, in fact, they stretch the canvas before starting work on the picture. Then finished painting is inserted into the frame, which is why the design is called the "stretcher". It performs an important function - it keeps linen or cotton fabric in a stretched form.

Stretching canvases on a stretcher: process features

Stretching canvases on a stretcher is a rather difficult task, which should be entrusted to real professionals. If you are doing oil painting or painting tapestries, turning to specialists is a must.

Stretching a picture on a stretcher is carried out in several ways:

− tablet stretch;

− standard tension;

− gallery stretch.

The standard method is used when you need to frame the canvas in a baguette frame. The image is inserted into the frame in such a way that the edges of the stretcher are not visible. A more complicated way is to flatten the picture onto a stretcher. The picture is placed along the edges of the stretcher in such a way as to leave the side part just white. If white is not suitable, the sides are painted with a background fill in accordance with the tone of the whole picture. The canvas is fixed on the back of the stretcher with staples.

The gallery stretch on the stretcher deserves special attention. This is a special kind of frameless design: the canvas is stretched on a stretcher in such a way that the image continues on the sides of the stretcher itself. It is important here to carefully wrap the canvas in the corners, and also to fix it with reverse side subframe. Such a design does not need to use a frame, so it can boast of its budget.

Benefits of gallery stretching on a stretcher

This method has the following advantages:

− the attractiveness of the deep side of the subframe;

- is a modern minimalist solution;

− beneficial in terms of financial costs;

− holds the geometry better than the standard options;

- Ideal for large format images.

Do you need a gallery stretching of a canvas on a stretcher in Moscow? Framing workshop Ran Art offers its services. Affordable price, fast order fulfillment, responsibility and professionalism are the advantages of cooperation with us.

To stretch the canvas on our stretcher, you will need a flat, clean surface, a pencil, a tape measure, a mallet, a hammer and a furniture stapler.

Before ordering a set of frame and stretcher for your canvas, it must be properly measured.

Canvas measurement

Lay the canvas on the table and measure the width and height of the image. This measurement should correspond to the front of the picture.

The rest of the canvas will go to the ends of the picture and to the inversion. This residue should be 3-4 cm on each side.
If the remainder is less than 3 cm, then the canvas will have to be stretched with the staples fixed to the end of the stretcher, which will negatively affect the quality of the tension. As an alternative, it is worth considering reducing the size of the front of the picture with a partial entry of the image on the ends.

The resulting size of the front of the picture must be used as the internal size of the frame when ordering a set of a frame with a stretcher.

Subframe Assembly

Modular subframe kit includes perimeter rails, cross rails (if large sizes) and wedges. For assembly, you will also need a tape measure and a mallet.

Connect the rails of the subframe by inserting the tenon into the groove. Make sure that the side of the subframe has all the slats on one side.

If there are transverse or longitudinal strips in the kit, install them until the last perimeter strip is fixed.

Press all joints as much as possible with a mallet, make sure that the planks are joined strictly perpendicular.

To check the correct assembly, measure the diagonal of the subframe with a tape measure. When properly assembled, they should be equal. If the diagonals are different, align them with a mallet.

When assembling and leveling the subframe, avoid strong blows and don't use a hard hammer to break the perimeter planks.

Canvas stretch

Lay the canvas face down on a clean, flat surface.

With help simple pencil mark on the back of the canvas the places where the corners of the front of the picture are.

Lay the stretcher on the canvas side down. In this case, the corners of the subframe must coincide with the pencil marks.

Lightly stretching the canvas, wrap it in the center of the side rail of the stretcher and nail it with a furniture stapler. First on one side, then on the opposite.

Check that the canvas has not moved out, if necessary, slightly tighten and fix the other 2 sides - with a cross.

Staple the canvas to the stretcher from the center to the corners around the entire perimeter of the stretcher. Finally, carefully wrap and fix the corners.

Insert the wedges into the slots in the corners on the inside of the stretcher and adjust the canvas to an acceptable tension by hammering the wedges in a circle. If the subframe has longitudinal strips, wedges must also be inserted and driven in under them.

Measure the middle on the upper bar of the subframe and screw the gear suspension with self-tapping screws.

The picture is ready, you can put on the frame.

15.03.2016

How to properly stretch canvas on a stretcher

SUBFRAME

The stretcher serves as the basis for stretching the canvas. Subframes are of 2 types: modular(prefabricated, wedge) and deaf.
Modular (prefabricated, wedge) stretchers can be bought at almost all art stores. They are sold in slats of 2 pieces (in increments of 5 cm in length) and are slightly more expensive than blind subframes. As a rule, for a medium-sized painting, the thickness of the stretcher is 1.8 cm.
Modular subframes have a huge advantage: their corners are not rigidly fastened and if the picture sags, you can fix everything at home, you just need to knock out the wedges. This must be done very carefully so as not to damage the canvas with a hammer and not to drag it.
At deaf stretchers, the corners are rigidly connected and if the canvas sags, then it will have to be pulled. Canvas upholstery should only be done by a specialist!

UNDERFRAME AND SAFETY OF THE PICTURE

Poor-quality stretcher negatively affects the preservation of painting. The paintings of modern painters very often have bad stretchers. Unfortunately, not all artists attach great importance subframe quality. Defects in the stretcher do not allow the canvas to be properly stretched over it, which ultimately leads to the destruction of the ground and the painting layer of the picture. A high-quality stretcher is the basis for the long preservation of paintings.

LET'S CONSIDER THE MAIN DEFECTS OF THE SUBFRAME:

§ blind connection of corners, which does not make it possible to adjust the tension of the canvas, which causes deformation of the canvas and its sagging

§ on the "blind" corners of the stretcher, the artists nailed plywood triangles, which make the stretcher even more rigid and immobile

§ no cross or crossbar - for paintings big size. A subframe with a cross or crossbar will not warp and the corners will remain straight

§ lack of bevels on the inner sides of the stretcher, which causes creases and scree of the paint layer

§ fragile stretcher, which, when stretching the canvas, skews

§ step-like, loose connection of planks in the corners and on the cross. With this defect, the canvas is deformed, creases and scree of the paint layer appear and it is impossible to tightly connect the picture to the frame.

§ the subframe is made carelessly, from raw wood, as a result of which, after a fairly short period of time, the subframe will “lead” and will have to be replaced (in some cases the frame has to be replaced)

§ the subframe is made of wood with knots. Even a well-made stretcher with knots will definitely “lead” over time and will have to be replaced

§ stretcher with grinder beetle. Thanks to the activity of these insects, the tree decays, turning into dust.

§ subframe is infested with mold

STRETCHING THE CANVAS ON THE MODULAR STRETCHER

§ Measure the diagonals of the subframe, they should be the same!!! Staple the corners (2 brackets per corner)

§ Arrange the drawing of the picture on the stretcher exactly horizontally. If you just have an unprimed canvas, it is important to position it so that the direction of the canvas threads is parallel to the edges of the stretcher

§ Using the stretching tool, staple the canvas on 4 sides as shown in the picture.

§ Fix the canvas with a stapler every 2-3 cm around the entire perimeter of the stretcher, moving from the center to the edge, as shown in the figure

§ You need to stretch the canvas with a tool for stretching paintings evenly with the same effort

§ Continue to stretch the canvas on the stretcher as shown in the picture. At the corners, the canvas is carefully tucked up and shot with a stapler

§ When stretching, do not wet the canvas from the non-primed side, this can lead to peeling of the primer !! So we started! .