Stretching canvas

[emma]

Hello,

I have just started oil painting and have been buying ready made canvas'. Is it worth the effort to make your own and if so what is the best way to go about this.

Thanks,

Emma

[Michael McGuire]

Hi Emma,

Unless you plan to work large or in non-standard sizes, there is certainly no monetary advantage in stretching your own canvases. A lot of plein air artists just use gesso-primed panels or hardboard. You can buy gesso in most art supply shops and it is easy to cut sheets of hardboard with a cheap DIY jig-saw. I would recommend not going larger than about 12"-14" inches in either direction to avoid warping of hardboard and apply "polybond" or similar sealant to the back (textured side). Then all you need to do is lightly sand the smooth side and apply two coats of gesso, sanding lightly when finished to provide some "tooth". You should be able to prepare small panels for less than one euro each.

[emma]

Thanks michael!

[Tom J. Byrne]

Hi
Yes, I agree with Michael. However, if you want to paint on good quality linen then stretching can be worth it.