How to Stretch Canvas Prints



Posted: Wednesday, November 01, 2006

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To make a great masterpiece is the foremost goal of any artist or photographer. And in order to do this, he or she has to be creative and smart. Creative in the sense that he or she can see beauty in the simplest of things. Smart in the sense that he or she takes into account every detail in making a masterpiece such as what materials should be used.

In choosing the materials, you have to consider what media is suitable for your project. There are different types of media that you can use. However, it is of high importance to select the one that will make your artwork catch the eye. What’s the best way to achieve this? The answer is canvas. Canvas is highly regarded for its great capability to make a good-quality reproduction of photos, paintings and digital images. You can use canvas for a wide variety of purposes. Yet it is often used for creating stunning artworks and digital images. Canvas can make a great art out of normal pictures and illustrations. It is also known to be one of the finest things you should use if you want to get quality reprints of original oil paintings.

There are many things you can do to improve the look of canvas prints. They can either be framed or mounted. You can also hang them even without frames. Or if you want you can stretch them.

What is canvas stretching? Is it advantageous or not? Canvas stretching is a good way of saving money while improving the look and feel of the canvas prints. It is cheaper and easier to fulfill compared to purchasing a ready-made canvas. To get the picture of what this process is all about check out these basic canvas stretching tips:

1. Determine the size. It is very important that you know the size of the canvas. The canvas size is vital in choosing the size of stretcher strips that you will need for your frames. Stretcher strips can be located at art shops.

2. Check the squareness of frame. To determine the squareness of the frame, you need to measure it across the diagonal corners. By this means you can be sure that the measurements are equal.

3. Frame the canvas. Put the canvas over a stretcher frame. Do it by lightly pushing down all the corners. Make some bleeds to conceal the width of the frame. Pattern the canvas segment. Don’t use stretcher frames that have sharp edges for it can spoil the print.

4. Attach the canvas. Attach the print onto the frame using canvas-stretching pliers. It is suggested that you start in the center of the canvas stretcher frame. Then work your way out to the edges.

5. Avoid spraying. Don’t spray water or any substance on the canvas for they can damage the print. Put the stretched canvas on areas that are not exposed to direct sunlight.

On the whole, you should be careful in stretching and handling the canvas prints. There are several ways on how you can stretch the canvas and preserve their authentic quality. Careless handling of the canvas will result to the ruin of the entire print. So if you want a long-lasting photographic quality print on canvas, it is best to keep all these tips in mind.

Please visit Large Format Posters for more information on Posters, Canvas Printing, Vinyl Banners, Banner Printing, Vinyl Signs and for comments and inquiries regarding this article.

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