|
|
|
|
|
|
| How to stretch your oil paintings |
|
|
If you want to stretch at your local, please refer to the steps following. |
|
Step 1: Go to your local frame store or art store, purchase four stretcher strips. Stretcher strips are the pieces of wood that stretch and support the canvas before framing. Make sure choosing the right size for your paintings. The canvas should be large enough to fold around stretcher edge and cover stretcher bar. Usually the stretchers are not expensive to obtain.
Step 2: Assemble the stretcher strips into a perfectly oblong frame. Use a rubber hammer to insure the corners fit tightly. Check squareness of the frame by measuring across the diagonal corners and make sure both measurements are equal.
Step 3: Place the oil painting with painted side facing down on a clean surface. Place the assembled frame on top of the painting making sure that it is properly centered.
|
|
Step 4: On one of the short sides of the stretcher frame (for instance, on 20"x 24", the 20" is the short side), fold the canvas over the edge of the frame, and staple at the centre of the strip.
Step 5: Then pull the canvas at the opposite side of strip firmly either by hand or by pliers until you get a nice straight crease in the middle of canvas. Staple in the center while maintaining tension in the middle of the strip.
Step 6: Follow the same procedure as step 4 & step 5 for the other two sides.
|
|
Step 7: Work out from the center of long sides, moving to the position about 2 inches to one side, and pull canvas firmly and staple. Repeat for several more inches in both directions from the center, then reverse to the opposite side and continue the process. Depending upon the size of the canvas, an entire side can be stapled at one time, or for larger sizes, the canvas should be rotated several times before it is completely stretched.
Step 8: Leaving about 2 inches unstapled at the corners. Fold the excess canvas to the back of the stretcher strip frame. To finishing the corners,pull corner of canvas tightly across the back of the stretcher towards the center. Fold one of the canvas wings in and over, and then fold the second wing of canvas in and position it over the first wing. Staple the canvas and it is done!
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
0 items