Canvas Stretching Demo

I’ve been meaning to make a canvas stretching demo for a long time and it’s finally online now.

Why stretch your own canvas when you could just go buy one for super cheap at a craft store? When you stretch your own canvas you are making a product that is much better quality than a store bought canvas, usually. Most of those ultra cheap canvases are not real canvas and they’re sprayed with a thin coat of white that sometimes looks and feels more like plastic than gesso. Those cheap canvases feel cheap and the paint responds differently on the surface. It’s hard to put into words because it’s a sometimes subtle feeling that you have to experience yourself.

The main factors or absorbency and texture. A homemade canvas made out of real canvas which has been coated and sanded with 3 or 4 coats of a good quality gesso produces a vastly superior work surface over the cheap junk canvases. You have more control over the final texture of the surface, depending on how you apply the gesso and whether or not you choose to sand between coats. For example, gesso applied with a roller gives a different texture than gesso applied with a brush. The rolled-on gesso can have a interesting grainy texture that responds differently than a smoother brushed on gesso. Of course you could also use a spray gesso, though I wouldn’t recommend it.

Anyway, I’m getting off track since this video only covers stretching not gesso, I’ll make another video for gesso later. The point is, you have so much more control over the feel and quality of your surface when you make it yourself. I think we all want to make quality art that is going to stand the test of time and a good surface is one of the most important elements in creating a high quality work that could some day hang in a museum. (why not dream?)

Please enjoy, I hope this is helpful. Like I explain in the video, stretching a canvas is not rocket science but it does require a little hands on experience to get it right. The only way to learn how tight to make a canvas is by trial and error. I screwed up my share of canvas in the beginning but it was worth it.

One last point to make is if you like to work big scale it’s essential that you learn to make your own canvases unless you are wealthy because those big store bought suckers are EXPENSIVE.

Enjoy the process and don’t hesitate to hit me up with questions or feedback.

Ps. Sorry about the aspect ratio, it was made for an IGTV video with a vertical orientation.