Framing and 'finishing'

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Ramon,

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply with such a complete and informative answer. And pictures too! It's people like you who make this forum a great learning place.

Kim, you have a good idea about approaching frame shops to see if they would do the labor. I once tried to get somebody at the local art school here to stretch canvas for me and for a medium sized canvas they wanted $60 so I don't have high hopes about finding cheap labor. But I will investigate and report back! BTW I learned how to stretch canvas myself and I enjoy that part of the painting process.

Joan

[David Sorg]

One thing that I haven't seen mentioned here is protecting the backside of the canvas from physical damage. As a former framer I learned the importance of using a piece of cardboard, mat board, or best, acid-free foam-core stapled to the backside of the stretcher bars before applying the dust shield.

That should have been enough to teach me, but years later had one gallery return one of my paintings that had slipped on their wall until the nail caught the canvas, bringing it to a halt with a one inch tear.

Or I should have learned when a different gallery had stacked some of my paintings against the wall with the corner of a smaller framed work creating a lovely square crease on the front of the next piece. (And these are creditable galleries; not the vans parked in vacant lots selling my black velvet Elvis paintings ).

So I'm thinkin' I've learned to either use the foam-core, or paint on wooden panels...

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Originally Posted by David Sorg

As a former framer I learned the importance of using a piece of cardboard, mat board, or best, acid-free foam-core stapled to the backside of the stretcher bars before applying the dust shield.

Hi David,

Thank you for adding this valuable information to this post. I had never really even thought about protecting the back of the canvas. But, even with something stapled to the backside of the stretcher bars, I'm thinking that still wouldn't prevent those 'square creases' if someone lays another painting on top of one. (Not that it's a problem for me since I don't have anything in a gallery ) Wouldn't there still be air space between the canvas and protective board? Or I am misunderstanding your meaning? But your suggestions would certainly help avoid damage to the canvas from the back.

Oh, and after rereading this before I post it, I came up with another question. Getting back to the original posts, with cardboard or something else against the back of the canvas, aren't we back to not allowing the canvas to 'breathe'? I guess a hole needs to be cut in the cardboard too?

thanks,

Joan

[David Sorg]

Yes, the board does only protect it from the backside, but most people are much more conscious and careful of the front, as well as having some protection from a frame profile that usually protrudes a little (or a lot).

I had never heard of a mold problem (it's pretty dry here in Denver), so I imagine a hole would be a good idea.

[Chuck Yokota]

Are there longer offset clips available for the thicker stretcher bars that are 1-3/8" or 1-1/2" thick, on the "gallery wrap" canvasses? The offsets at ASW that Michele posted only go up to 1/2" offset, and the local artist supply stores don't have them. The rabbet on the frame I have is only 3/8" deep immediately around the canvas (with deeper sides out at the edge of the frame).

[Michele Rushworth]

One of the framers I work with told me a trick he uses when the canvas is thick and sticks out quite a bit from the back of a frame. I'll actually be using this method myself in a day or two on a very deep canvas.

He puts several screw eyes into the sides of the canvas one or two on each side, and then puts a screw down through each hole, into the frame. This will hold any depth of canvas into any frame.

[Chuck Yokota]

Thanks, Michele! That sounds like a good way to handle it.