Alternative Methods of Canvas Stretching

[MerpsMom]

I have a canvas with no unpainted edges. I'm using a wide fillet inside the frame which will further reduce the viewable area of the piece. I could strip-line the artwork and then stretch it conventionally although the strainers and fillet would take up the rabbet, but couldn't I also lace it over acid-free f/c? Or is there something I'm not thinking of that might work better?

I don't care much for hinging these things and am looking for something a bit tighter. It's about 40 by 30.

Cathie

 

[CAframer]

If it's a 'decent' painting I would strip line. If it's 'junk' with no heavy impasto I'd consider mounting to Gator or 4-ply faced foam.

 

[JRB]

You could mount it with Yes paste onto an eight ply rag board. This is assuming that the medium used on the piece is not water soluble.

Yes past is a none curling vegetable glue, it is also acid free. Yes past is water soluble, so that whatever is mounted with it can easily be removed. Things like canvas can simply be pulled off of the mounting surface if Yes past was used. Fine silks might require a conservator to lift them properly.

Use a three inch, short nap paint touch up roller to apply your Yes paste, work fast, cover your mounting surface with Yes paste so that a larger area than the piece is evenly covered on the mounting board. Sight across the glue to insure no hard crystals are in it. Lay your piece into it starting at one end. After laying it flat on the glue, cover the whole thing with Kraft paper, and with a wadded up dry rag to protect your hand and the painting, work all of the air bubbles out in a sunburst pattern starting from the middle. Either put weights on it, or put it in a vacuum press...no heat.

After it is dry, about ten or fifteen minutes, tear the Kraft paper off in a way that you are tearing away from the painting toward the edges.

For mounting silks and other fine fabrics, the process is the same, except you must first remove as much extra paste as you can so that it does not bleed through the fabric. This is done by first laying Kraft paper evenly onto the past, then removing it from the past. This will leave a very thin film of paste on your mounting board. The rest is the same, but work fast.

Trim the board to size after your item is mounted, never before.

Keeping silks square to the board is very tough, so this method is not applicable to all such items.

-John

 

[MerpsMom]

You explained Yes Paste and your method for using it very well, John. However, I have rather gotten away from both dry and wet mounting.

You'd think the older we get, the more we know, but seems that I'm just getting more cautious rather than wiser. Think I'll lace the thing or strip-line and then lace unless someone thinks a different mechanical method works better.

Anyone?

Cathie

 

[JRB]

You'd think the older we get, the more we know, but seems that I'm just getting more cautious rather than wiser. Cathie

From the above statement, myself, I think your getting a whole lot wiser.

-John

 

[Tom Reigle]

Hi Cathie,

You didn't mention whether the canvas was anything of value or simply of a decorative nature, no matter in the long run though, I would probably lace it too since you want some tautness to the mount. Either strip the edges and lace from there or discuss it with the customer and maybe lace using some of the painted edge to lace from, customer's choice in this area since they would know better than any of us how much image they are willing to sacrifice, if any, to gain a smooth tight mount.

Good to see you still learning this stuff, there are way too many of us who think we already have learned all there is to know. I have categorized my entire life as being a "student" of something or another. When you stop learning, if you are truly a "wise" person, your next of kin will be planning a memorial to your memory .............. if you catch my drift.

Good luck and keep those new lessons coming, I can always use some new "book-learnin' "!!