Many Artists tend to use pre stretched, treated and sized Canvas when creating their Artwork. However due to a number of reasons, including transportation and storage, Artwork on Canvas can often be purchased off their stretcher bars leaving it to the customer to stretch and frame the Artwork before hanging it on their walls!
This gives you lots of decisions to make…
- The final size of the image
- Is it best to have blank canvas on the sides of the stretcher bars or wrap the Artwork around?
- The right stretcher bars and support
- Choosing a suitable frame
The final size of the image
Some pre-stretched Canvas can show signs of the previous stretching including creasing, stress marks and sometimes even tears or holes. As framers we asses the condition of the Canvas ensuring it is stretched with the correct amount of tension without putting any fragile areas under further trauma. The final size of the canvas is also dictated by the amount of Canvas left around the Artwork, some have ample Canvas to facilitate the stretch whilst others leave the tiniest amount, the depth of Stretcher bar can be adjusted to accommodate this.
Is it best to have a blank canvas on the sides of the stretcher bars or wrap the Artwork around?
Aesthetically many Artists and Art owners like to have the Artwork wrapped around the sides of the stretcher bars and avoid seeing any white Canvas especially noticeable when the Canvas will be unframed or the sides of the stretched artwork will be on display. It is, however, important to consider when stretching the Canvas round the sides of the stretcher bars you are potentially hiding the Artwork and distorting your view of the Artwork. If the Canvas sides will be covered by a frame then it is advisable to ensure little or no canvas is stretched around the sides to allow the maximum Artwork to be displayed.
The right stretcher bars and support
There is a range of stretcher bars that come in an array of wood types, depths, and thicknesses. By assessing the size of the Canvas we can advise on suitable stretcher bars.
We would recommend using Gallery Stretcher Bars that come in standard Sizes with wedges positioned in each corner for future tensioning. Alternatively, for pieces of artwork that are of a non-standard size we would use custom cut stretcher bars. It is advisable for any artwork over 1 meter support bars are also used. This gives extra stregth and ensures Artwork does not distort, bow or sag.
Choosing a suitable frame
We have over 3000 different mouldings in our range giving you a huge choice of size, colour, profile, wood type, finish and price. Here are a few styles which all give a different framed finish. Here is an insight into some Canvas frames…