Question on painting sides on pre-streched canvas

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Question on painting sides on pre-streched canvas - 6/25/2009 3:31:34 PM

espressojoe

Posts: 1464
Joined: 10/13/2006
From: Yuma, AZ
Status: offline

How do you normally go about painting the sides on pre-streched canvas?

My thing is I normally just paint the side, covering the corner folds, but I was thinking about "what if someone in the future need to restrech this", then they would have to "cut" through a layer of paint at the folds to take it off the streacher bars...

Am I overthinking things? Am I crazy? Is there some technique you use that is so common sense I'll feel like and idiot when you mention it?

I'm thinking about starting to paint on unstreched canvas, that way its easier to ship, the painting can go all arounfd the sides, and I don't have this "corner fold" problem... (Not that shipping is a BIG concern, first I need to SELL before I can SHIP...LOL)

So, any thoughts?

Comments?

Rambles?

Anything??

Post #: 1

RE: Question on painting sides on pre-streched canvas - 6/25/2009 5:39:57 PM

88heather

Posts: 11699
Joined: 5/4/2006
From: Black Forest, Colorado
Status: offline

I just continue my paintings on the sides.. i know Muriel and I discussed this as she prefers the sides painted black. I can honestly say I never even thought about if anyone ever had to restretch the canvas.. I figure if they did they'd take it too a professional that could figure it out

.

I have wondered if I should paint sides black or continue painting on the sides.. maybe one day I'll try the sides black thing.

I don't think I have any desire to paint on unstretched canvas.. I'd rather ship it on the prestretched frame.. Unless I was commissioned to paint on an unstretched canvas I guess then i would. I really like just buying the gallery wrapped 1.5" canvases..

I'd like to try the cradled masonite panel sometime.. that would be a fun change but heavier to ship.. so I'll try that in a smaller size..

Speaking of.. I really need to start a new painting soon!

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Post #: 2

RE: Question on painting sides on pre-streched canvas - 6/25/2009 6:00:36 PM

bafiedel

Posts: 7215
Joined: 12/4/2005
From: Glenside PA
Status: online

quote:

Am I overthinking things?

Yes. In the unlikely event they would want to restretch, they could repaint the edges too. Besides, if they have framed the painting, it doesn't matter at all.

quote:

Am I crazy?

I don't know.

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Post #: 3

RE: Question on painting sides on pre-streched canvas - 6/25/2009 6:03:26 PM

espressojoe

Posts: 1464
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From: Yuma, AZ
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I generally like the painting to "wrap around" the sides too. I guess I was thinking about this cause one of my earlier paintings on pre-streched canvas the streacher bars have warped, and now there is no way for me to unstrech it and put it on other bars without cutting through paint on the corners...

I like the idea of unstreched canvas so I can just staple it (along the edges) to plywood, then paint, and trim off the part with the staple holes... When I paint the sides of streched canvass, I always end up changing into "nice" clothes after painting and inevitably brush up against the painting before its dry (small small apartment) lol...(I also picked up a painting thinking it was dry and dropped it right on myself, ruining (a.) the painting, (b.) my only dress shirt for the fancy occasion I was running off to, and (c.) my favorite pair of pants....

I know, I'm a goofball.....

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Post #: 4

RE: Question on painting sides on pre-streched canvas - 6/25/2009 6:06:16 PM

espressojoe

Posts: 1464
Joined: 10/13/2006
From: Yuma, AZ
Status: offline

quote:

quote:

Am I crazy?

I don't know.

quote:

ORIGINAL: bafiedel

LOL Beth!!

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Post #: 5

RE: Question on painting sides on pre-streched canvas - 6/26/2009 5:52:52 PM

platypus

Posts: 2949
Joined: 7/30/2005
From: New Jersey
Status: offline

Yes you're over thinking things, you can't worry about what a future buyer might or might not want to do. You can drive yourself nuts that way. If they want to restretch it, they'll do what needs to be done.

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Post #: 6

RE: Question on painting sides on pre-streched canvas - 6/27/2009 1:54:55 PM

toucanne

Posts: 10585
Joined: 10/5/2005
From: Pahrump, Nevada
Status: online

I'm sure that in 100 years, the museum will have someone on staff to restretch your paintings...

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Post #: 7

RE: Question on painting sides on pre-streched canvas - 6/30/2009 12:43:43 AM

almalee

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The restreching thing has never came to mind. But the shipping thing has and I see a lot of artists doing it on EBAY. Seeing I don't paint on canvas I never really had to decide. Another thing to think about on the plus side is unstretched the customer has the option of stretching,framing and MATTING the peice if they care too.

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RE: Question on painting sides on pre-streched canvas - 6/30/2009 5:36:32 AM

KingDavid

Posts: 309
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From: Bridgeport, CT
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Yea Joe, I think most people would just stretch it onto 3/4" bars & probably frame it anyway. I imagine that if they are buying an unstretched painting, they have an idea what to do with it. As far as, the warped painting, I would do the same .... put it on 3/4"s.

I know how you feel though. I have 1 or 2 of those warped pieces myself. Luckily they are 3/4"s.

BTW ... I think I have 1 pair of jeans & 2 or 3 shirts that DON'T have paint on them.

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Post #: 9

RE: Question on painting sides on pre-streched canvas - 11/2/2009 10:09:21 AM

SBedsaul

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Joined: 1/1/2006
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Joe,
I sympathize. There's misplaced paint on just about everything I own.

There's two kinds of things you can stretch on, these days. You've got the usual stretcher bars, that are awful and usually warp or there are strainer bars that you can get through your local frame shop or frame distributor. I discovered strainer bars because, well, I work in a frame shop. I much prefer them. They're better quality woods and you can have them cut to whatever size you want. They can be joined for you or you can get a corner clamp and do it yourself. I cross nail mine and they do not come apart. Many distributors will sell to individual artists if you have a tax number, which will save you a fortune.

Strainer bars come in a variety of thicknesses, from the usual 3/4" to 3". I stretch my own canvases and find I can get a tighter stretch than commercial canvases. I use #10 weight cotton duck, put a couple of coats of gesso on it and that tightens it even more. Galleries have even come up with terminology for the side issues you brought up. Standard is side stapled and unpainted. Gallery wrap is no side staples and painted a solid color. Museum wrap is no side staples and the painting continues on the side.

The gallery I work for, the main focus is art and the framing secondary. Many artists are going the gallery/museum wrap path. Used to be you couldn't show your work without a frame. This change in thinking has been a life saver for artists and I don't think it lessens the quality of the gallery. In fact, a lot of customers prefer it. I've heard too many times..."Love the painting, hate the frame" and they walk away. This way an outstanding sales person such as myself, can easily show them different options and seal the deal.

As for shipping, the shipping costs are often less than what it would cost the consumer to take the canvas in for stretching. I'd be nervous about painting on unstretched canvas. I've had some disasters with stretching canvas that have not been previously stretched, such as cracking paint or not being able to remove a "wrinkle/ warp" in the fabric. The canvas itself can have inconsistencies that are corrected in the stretching.

Hope I helped.

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Post #: 10

RE: Question on painting sides on pre-streched canvas - 11/2/2009 10:14:16 AM

SBedsaul

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ummm....crazy? I can't say, but you can never over think something if you're into quality control and concern for your customers.

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Post #: 11

RE: Question on painting sides on pre-streched canvas - 11/2/2009 12:22:48 PM

toucanne

Posts: 10585
Joined: 10/5/2005
From: Pahrump, Nevada
Status: online

Just a note: on Saturday, I looked at galleries in Scottsdale. The majority of unframed paintings are gallery/museum-wrapped. With the framed ones of course you can't tell, but some of those frames were pretty awful, too much gold, etc. Anyway, I did notice one large painting on regular thin canvas with staples showing, unframed, with a price tag of $14,000. So it's really about the painting, in the end.

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