How to Stretch a Canvas for oil & acrylic paintings, giclees and prints

[@ravingmad765]

Wow, love how well this is explained. Narrated so beautifully on the fly you would make an incredible TV presenter.

[@gingercooklive]

Wow, thank you!

[@alciphoto]

This is the best and easy to understand video on stretching I have ever viewed. Thanks and 5 stars to you

[@gingercooklive]

+Everard Alcindor thank you. Now I have to mention something I did not have to worry about when I made the original video Be sure to check the wood bars for warping. I am seeing wooden stretcher bars that may have not been kiln dried properly mixed in with others. Lay them on a flat surface and make sure they lay flat before you buy them. (I really see this on pre-strethched canvases alot.)

[@syberspy9]

Agreed going to buy stretcher bars =)

[@msamson9300]

Thank you. You explained the process so clearly. I don't need to watch other videos I am confident now to stretch my canvas paintings. You're awesome!

[@gingercooklive]

Glad it was helpful! If you try a larger canvas you might want to use canvas stretcher pliers made for stretching canvas

[@TradingTheta89]

I'm not an artist, but the day has come in which I suddenly have a need to stretch several canvasses 😅

[@gingercooklive]

You can buy nice fabric at the fabric store and stretch that for decore. Stretcher bars come in pairs and you could make say t. 6'x16 or some rectagle of wonderful fabric to hand on a wall or small colored squares... skys the limit. So after you stretch your canvases, you can have fun with this skill in a lot of ways.

[@tomm3410]

Thanks Ginger. I'm glad you posted this video again. I have used it over the last couple of years to do a few stretches. I wanted to consult it again but was disappointed to see the original post missing. Happy to have found it and thanks again for putting back on KZbin.

[@gingercooklive]

+Tom Meehan I was very sorry that it was taken down also by the lady that did the filmiing of it for me and originally posted it up on her site, as it had 750k views..... but I am glad you found it again too, and thanks for writing, ginger

[@100mhopkins]

Super helpful! I will never pay for this service again. Thanks!

[@gingercooklive]

NO never. You will probably do a much better job on it. On larger canvases, buy the stretcher pliers. 😀

[@cherylmilner7460]

Thank you Ginger for showing us the correct way! ❤

[@gingercooklive]

I so appreciate your positive feedback. If you do a larger canvas you will need special canvas pliers to stretch it tight.

[@donnawasman6186]

Thank you so much for the instructions on mounting my paintings. It was very helpful. I just started water colors and have a couple laying here and I was wondering how I was going to be able to hang them.😊

[@gingercooklive]

If you are doing watercolor buy some Absorbent Ground from Golden and coat you stretched canvas with 2 coats. Then allow to dry and paint on it with your watercolors just like on paper. Aso look for the Ampersand watercolor boards /panels.

[@kangel1561]

Awesome explanation, Ginger!!!! You took the mystery out of the process! Thank you so much! :)

[@gingercooklive]

Great as it is very simple to do.

[@fabrizio483]

Hi, I bought a giclée for my sister, and it came just the canvas rolled up. Now I have to put it on stretch bars, and your tutorial helped me a lot. Thank you!

[@gingercooklive]

awesome. It really is something you can do your self.

[@jmartin77777]

Thanks for the tutorial, just bought some art and framing it myself will save me a bunch!

[@gingercooklive]

Awesome

[@ajc2208]

Thank you for the clear, easy to follow instructions.

[@gingercooklive]

Glad it was helpful!

[@TheEdrichard]

Hi Ginger, thanks for such a straight forward tutorial. I was wondering if I needed the special pliers when I stretch mounted a small 10x10 picture. I think it worked fine and now that I've seen this video I understand - thanks to your technique reassuring me.

[@gingercooklive]

+Ed Richard Mens hands usually have more strength in them too, so you could probably stretch a bigger canvas than I could with out stretcher pliers. You have to be careful with pliers too because they have the potential to tear the canvas it it is a light thread count and you get a little forceful. I often will wrap mine with tape. .

[@estrellax10]

👍🏼 Thank you, I really love your video, you make it looks easy to do it my self. 🌹

[@gingercooklive]

You are so welcome! Its really easy and on larger pieces, just buy some stretching pliars.

[@kitcat-xn1mn]

I was iffy about your video before and you did an amazing job explaining and showing every step. Your video is officially the first that I have thumbs uped in like five years (I appreciate videos I just don’t want to take the time to actually click the button because I’m lazy) so that speaks volumes to how great your video is. Thank you again I know for sure I will be using this knowledge in the near future.

[@gingercooklive]

Thanks so much. it just a thing artist should know how to do and so glad you found this helpful.

[@sjustice280]

This is the best video ever on this topic thank u!

[@gingercooklive]

Hey thanks for the positive comment and appreciate the feedback.

[@mickmarshall9254]

Thank you!! Very helpful for my first stretch😊

[@gingercooklive]

You're so welcome! If you are doing larger pieces you will need stretcher pliers

[@gingercooklive]

You're so welcome!

[@1nhman]

Thank you! I'm considering doing a paint-by-number project, and had no idea how to later mount it.

[@gingercooklive]

Works like a charm. just make sure you have enough to wrap around the edge.

[@terrieseverson6346]

I'm a DIY diamond painter , so this will be my first attempt at paint by numbers since my early teens. The kit came with stretcher bars, so this video was terribly informative. I picked an abstract type portrait of a lovely girl ( I should have started with a simple one...duh!), and I want to feather edge or slightly blur the facial lines so it doesn't look like a clown. Any suggestions on that techinque?? Or the type of brush to use for this?

[@gingercooklive]

did you buy oils or acrylics? use the contact us on my website if you have any questions. www.gingercooklive.gallery (but while the paint is still wet smudge it a bit. )

[@masterjedikeith4952]

That was awesome. Thank you for sharing.👏👏😀

[@susieqhyndman2178]

I like yours the most.

[@gingercooklive]

Thank you, its a very hand skill to have. If you do a large canvas having stretcher pliers is very nice too.

[@brendacurrie7796]

Thank you Brenda from Canada

[@gingercooklive]

so pleased you found this helpful.

[@samm6603]

Omg thank you you just saved me bunch of money

[@gingercooklive]

You are welcome, glad you liked it.

[@ArizonaThielen]

So it’s not necessary to have a canvas stretched before painting it? You are saying I can paint on unstretched canvas? Thanks Ginger.

[@gingercooklive]

Its hard to paint on an unstretched canvas. But sometime people will buy a painting from China or Europe that is just rolled up or needs to be stretched. When I was painting in France I took the stretcher bars appart in the bottom of my suitcase, put them together, stretched a canvas and painted it. Took staple remover and took itoff the bars and rolled the canvas up in my suitcase in a tube with the others I painted. I was able to travel and paint large canvas painting that way and still ge tthem home.

[@megatexification]

How did you paint on the canvas before stretching it? I was taught to stretch first, then paint. :)

[@gingercooklive]

No actually you can paint on unstretched canvas.(small sizes work best) but often people will have prints made on canvas too and need to stretch them.

[@SusanBishop555]

That is not that hard to do at all! I have upholstered chairs before and it is just about like that! Thanks SO much for showing this to us. It is now 2017 but it is still a great video. And your hair is just wonderful. It doesn't matter what color it is. Some people just have great textured hair. You are one of them. :D Big ART Hugs!

[@williamholm8379]

Hi Ginger this is William I am an artist I don't know where do i get a canvas from.

[@gingercooklive]

Art stores sell canvas by the foot or role. It comes pregessoed in different weights or thread count. The heavier canvas needs stretcher plyers. Too thick and its hard to stretch. You buy the stretcher bars too. on line try Jerry;s Artarama. Allow two inches to wrap and staple on wide bars and less on thiner ones.

[@shelaughsalot]

Thank you! I didn't realize you could stretch a finished painting. :)

[@gingercooklive]

Sure. Most people will stretch a canvas for an odd size they want to paint or for a print on canvas they bought or an oil or acrylic painting that they buy out of the country (china, russia, France) and bring it home. easier to take a rolled something into the country than ship a big stretched canvas half way around the world..

[@glennis-dankuwel6020]

Got it! Tks A store wanted $80 to do this. I told him no thanks. 😂 I guess he doesn’t know about KZbin. Lol 😂

[@gingercooklive]

So glad this was helpful. Before I knew how to do it I has a kid at Michales do this for me 25 yrs ago.... he did it wrong and the canvas was too tight and your are right, it was expensive even back them. If you are doing a wider stretcher bar allow about 3 inches extra canvas to wrap around.

[@andreradulesci9693]

Thanks. Excelent explanation

[@gingercooklive]

Glad it was helpful!

[@CRSART-om9pj]

WOW ginger... this video was so useful to me, thanks. Bye the way you looked great also :-):-) hugs.

[@tippy651]

Hi I am going to do an oil painting on a 16 x 20 inch linen canvas and was wondering if I would need to use the stretcher pliers you mentioned?

[@gingercooklive]

+Amanda Tipton Yes you should have them just in case. Your hands may not be strong enough. A guys hands probably are for that size....sorry if I sound a bit sexist. don't mean too.

[@tippy651]

+Ginger Cook Thank you for the advice, I'll look for them the next time I'm in the art supply store :)

[@anaums413]

thank you Ginger

[@gingercooklive]

I am glad this was helpful

[@sthunda7132]

Thanks for the tutorial. Could I use a 100% cotton bed linen as a canvas?

[@gingercooklive]

+S Thunda Canvas is a heavier cloth, even though thread ount may vary. While you can stretch any fabric. ( there was a swedish artist in the 60s who made a great living selling thin cotten silk screen paintings that were on huge stretcher bars) you have to make sure when you gesso it (because you would need to do that) that it did not shrink too much) but you can paint acrylic on anything. I would make sure that you had pre shrunk the fabric first.

[@elainelogan2023]

Great video Ginger....you sure look different now :)

[@gingercooklive]

YES AND YES

[@nancyertan6205]

Beautiful hair color !!

[@tackycrafter3297]

Thank you!!!!❤

[@gingercooklive]

You are so welcome!

[@jimdomi6206]

What size are the staples? Going to Gallery Wrap my Canvas Prints

[@gingercooklive]

I believe that they are 3/8", but I want to check for you. It also depends on your stable gun. Please use the Contact Us on our website so I can write back to more specific information. gingercooklive.gallery/contact-us/

[@jimdomi6206]

ok thank you.. been reading more up on it , seems 3/8 or 1/4 inch are the 2 most used sizes. still have to buy the staple gun

[@francesknighton2836]

Thank you so much!

[@gingercooklive]

You're welcome!

[@thespig13]

I just ordered a reproduction of church's Niagara its a 14x28 canvas but it says actual size is 11x24, i guess i need to get a 11x24 stretcher bars?

[@gingercooklive]

not if the canvas entire size of the painting is 14x28 with no border. then you need at least another inch if stapling on the sides and 2 inches if stapling on the back . so you would want smaller bars. it will depend . on how much of a border they gave you. if no border you need smaller bars.

[@mr.dilokbankhom3188]

Nice

[@rhondamagee7459]

my daughter lives Dallas/ft worth area, I'm hoping to visit soon 😊

[@gingercooklive]

Dallas is lovely in the spring

[@rhondamagee7459]

😊yes it is, I've been there in the HOTTT temps as well as Christmas time. I would love to move there. Indiana weather is horrible

[@carolynmiller4798]

WOW thank You!!!!U R Awesome!!!!!!!Bless U!!!!!!!!!!

[@124toosh]

Just watched your vinnies crocks and saw this tut come up so I had to check it out thought I had all your stuff

[@gingercooklive]

ah, well this is a good video to know how to do stuff. very old.

[@3loco.m980]

Awesome thanks

[@rliy001]

Thank you. Very helpful

[@gingercooklive]

Thank you. i am glad you found this useful. Ginger

[@HunnyCee2010]

What kind of canvas fabric did you use?

[@whitehawk7252]

Thank you for that lesson mam

[@Tax2Me]

Dear G. I know you are in a hurry to get this done, video editing could help to get it done properly. I don’t want my painting ruined by moving it around unprotected (as you do) i would rather move myself around and leave the canvas face undisturbed as much as posible. Also tight and staple not just staple.

[@stephaniescott294]

thank you

[@gingercooklive]

+STEPHANIE SCOTT Absolutely so pleased you found this helpful.

[@124toosh]

Good to know pmsl darlin xxx

[@gingercooklive]

I did this years ago. thanks

[@VincentTheAtheist]

Do you have any videos in how to frame it?

[@gingercooklive]

I have one, it's more like what not to do but very funny and I think helpful. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYCqlZ2kfpxjh5I

[@124toosh]

Wow mamma look at you xxxx

[@gingercooklive]

10 yers ago. time flies when you are having fun. LOL

[@rhondamagee7459]

👏👏👏👏

[@gingercooklive]

Art hugs from Texas

[@gingercooklive]

Thank you

[@Briannafrancis-e9g]

You only marked one corner, not all 4 like you said you did

[@gingercooklive]

I have been doing this a long time but this was the very first video I ever had filmed and my not be perfect.. You be sure to mark all the corners. Yes and Yes?

[@nellocan]

Shame you couldn’t zoom in for close ups on the corners. Easy instructions good job.

[@gingercooklive]

well this was filmed by some friends over 10 years ago, and I had no control over editing or production....

[@rustyneuron]

Good video, but those transitions . . . . yikes. . . .lol

[@gingercooklive]

Well look how old this video is... about 15 yrs I think. It was the first video I ever made, and done by a friend.

[@ams9449]

you have to use pliers good lord.

[@gingercooklive]

On small paintings you dont but on larger canves yes and yes, a good set of stretcher pliers is a must have. I appreciate your taking the time to comment. This was the first video I ever did,12 yrs ago, and another person who did not paint filmed and edited it for me....