good canvas framing guide?


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I have looked around for something on the internet, but have not really found anything enlightening on how to do this.

I just got back from Hong Kong and picked up and oil painting on canvas without a backing or anything. Right now it is just rolled up sitting in my office waiting for me to fix it.

So from what I can tell. I need to build a backer for it, possibly stretch fit it on there... however the painting is basically all the way to the edges. So I dont think this route will work. I was thinking somehow glue or attach to like a 1/8 or 1/4" MDF panel and then I could build the frame to match that?

I was thinking of doing like a walnut/maple or sapele/maple or something like that with a 2 color contrast frame. Not sure yet. I will take a picture of that actual painting tonight. It is basically a picture of the HK bay with all the buildings all grey and then their historical Duk Ling ship in the harbor fully colored. 

 

As far as the frame building goes, I was going to barrow @..Kev 's video on it ... there are tons out there sure, but i can harass him with questions :) haha you are welcome 

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You build a square frame with lap joints, and you wrap it around the frame, and staple to the back of the frame. I've stretched a number of canvasses, and anytime you buy a canvas, that's how they're done. You can mark the center of the frame on each side, and lightly mark the center of the canvas (on the back) and you use that to line up the picture on the frame. 

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These pictures I did in January. My fiance bought some multi picture canvasses. I made the frames and stretched em.
 
IMG_20171228_165651.jpg
IMG_20180104_194850.jpg
 
 

Tom that's a cool picture. Did you break it up into sections or did it come that way?

As for the frames, Tom is spot on how it's done. If the picture is large, you could add pieces in the middle to give some extra support.


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2 minutes ago, Woodenskye said:


Tom that's a cool picture. Did you break it up into sections or did it come that way?

As for the frames, Tom is spot on how it's done. If the picture is large, you could add pieces in the middle to give some extra support.


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It was 4 different prints already. 

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If you have any wide jawed pliers like are used on sheet metal they work good for stretching canvas. An air stapler or electric stapler also makes stretching canvas easier.  Use soft wood to build a stretching frame, clear white pine is good. . A lap joint is good but a bridle joint is better if you are comfortable cutting a joint like that. 

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Here is the picture ...

9e49c0bfab6519bb61cc3dff5605fbe3.jpg

It doesn’t seem to have a ton of extra canvas to fully wrap behind. Do I just sacrifice some of the picture to get the canvas fully wrapped around the back?

Also about how thick of a backing frame? From the pics they look like 2”??



If you have any wide jawed pliers like are used on sheet metal they work good for stretching canvas. An air stapler or electric stapler also makes stretching canvas easier.  Use soft wood to build a stretching frame, clear white pine is good. . A lap joint is good but a bridle joint is better if you are comfortable cutting a joint like that. 


I had to go look up the joint if that tells you anything :) haha.



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I'm assuming that is a print, not an original painting. Paintings are typically done on canvas already stretched on a frame. If your was, there should be holes around the edge from the staples. It is also common for the artist to paint around the edges, as the art is often displayed frameless. A hobby store like Michael's or Hobby Lobby probably sells actual canvas stretching tools. They look like the wide pliers Steve mentioned, but have edges eased to avoid cuts and tears, and a block on tge back to lever against the frame.

If that is an original oil or acrylic on canvas, be very careful not to stretch it so tight that the paint flakes off.

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