Canvas Stretching
Expert canvas stretching and framing, using the highest-quality materials, for artists and collectors.
What Do I Do With A Rolled-Up Canvas?
It has become increasingly common for artists to sell their canvases rolled rather than stretched. A rolled canvas is obviously cheaper to ship, allowing an artist to sell to a potentiallty global audience, and then there’s the tourist trade, where buyers need to be able to transport their purchase home either in a suitcase or large poster tube.
Fortunately canvas stretching is a simple and relatively inexpensive process so it’s easy to get your new artwork up on the wall with a minumum of fuss. Add a nice float frame, and you’ve got a piece that can really make a statement.
My Canvas Stretching Services
I can handle every aspect of the preparation and display of canvases, including printing, stretching, float-framing and even the preparation of blank canvases for artists.
My stretchers feature the same solid construction as my frames and made with solid pine bars, reinforced with corner and/or cross braces for larger pieces. My stretcher bars come in a variety of sizes to suit anything from smaller works which might have little around the edge to wrap, to large pieces which require a heavier stretcher to prevent warping.
When stretching painted or printed canvases for display, I try to avoid the use of canvas pliers whenever possible. I see little benefit in applying a lot of tension to canvases which have already been painted and thick layers of acrylic paint have a tendency to crack at the edges if they’re wrapped too tight. Similar to my approach to picture framing, the preservation of the artwork is my primary concern.
Blank Canvases For Artists
If you’re an artist who is unhappy with the quality or options available when it comes to pre-made canvases, I can help create the perfect blank slate for you, one that is not only tailored to accommodate your vision of the finished piece but is also a joy to work with.
Blank canvases can be made in custom sizes up to 3m x 2m, and are available in either cotton or linen. The surfaces are sized and primed, and whereas I tend to stretch canvases for dispay a little looser, my canvases for artists are stretched drum-tight on solid pine bars. Larger sizes are braced and reinforced to prevent warping and also to ensure they sit comfortably on any easel. The corners can be wrapped to suit landscape or portrait orientation and I can also supply custom float frames to with them if you require.
Related Services
Stretched canvases can be hung on the wall as is or, for a more finished and contemporary look to suit your décor, can they be installed in a float frame. My float frames are made from the solid Tasmanian Oak as my standard frames and can be stained to any colour. If you want to create a truly unique look, custom profiles can also be made upon request.
I can also carry out minor repairs if required such as patching holes, steaming to remove buckling, and strip-lining to stretch canvases which have become too fragile or are painted too close to the edge to safely wrap. I have also done simple restoration work in collaboration with my wife Amy, who is a talented and experienced painter in her own right.
Contact Me
Email me today if you have any questions regarding my custom framing services or if you’d like a free quote.