How to Remount Oil on Canvas?

[AspiringArtist005]

Hi All,
This is my first post. Just got back from a trip to South America where I purchased an original oil on canvas. It was stretched over a wood frame 60cm x 90cm. So I could take it back to the USA, the gallery took it off the backer frame (if that's the right word?) and rolled it in a PVC pipe. That was almost one week ago

I'd like to simply use another backer frame to stretch the canvas over. A traditional frame would look too heavy. My questions, please:

1. Can I simply (re)stretch the canvas over a new wood frame? I don't mind having the existing staple holes running along the sides show unless you think it would be too unsightly?

2. If it's better to put the existing staple holes out of sight, how much new canvas would I need to use along the border? My goal would be to preserve as much of the original size as possible.

3. I've never stretched a canvas before. Can this be done as a DIY (I tend to be pretty handy) or is it best left to a professional?

A pic of the oil/canvas is attached. You'll see that I don't want to take too much off the bottom as it would cut into the subject's foot.

Thank you so much!

[AspiringArtist005]

Anyone? My real question is whether I can remount it where the existing staple holes are or whether I need to use pristine canvas closer towards the picture?

[prospero]

Hi and Welcome AspiringArtist005

Well, it's not rocket science. More complicated than that. Seriously though, it's one of those jobs that appears simple but can be quite tricky. If a painting is taken off it's stretcher bars it doesn't always settle right on a new set. The hard part is getting the edges of the image to register perfectly with the edges of the bars. You can get them close, but never spot-on. This isn't a problem if you are using a conventional frame as the rebate (rabbet in your neck of the woods) will cover about 1/4" of the edge.

There are two types of bars. Some have expandable joints on the corners and some are just four bits of wood fixed solidly at the corners. The former allows the canvas to be tensioned to remove waves and sags. The latter method means you have to tension the canvas while fixing it and if it relaxes later you have no option but to take the whole thing off and do it again.

Another snag is that while the expandable bars may be preferable, they tend to made in standard sizes. Which means if the painting is an odd size (could be metric), you could have to search high and low to find a supplier who makes custom sizes. You usually have to pay though the nose for these.

If I haven't put you off yet, have a go. It might all come out great. Just giving you a heads-up on the pitfalls.

btw. If you do get it done and the sides look a bit rough, you can paint them with black arcylic paint. If you lay it on thick enough if will fill the staple holes. Not perfectly, but make them less noticeable.

btw2. There are such things as 'floater' frames. Often used to cover the edges of a canvas without encroaching on the image. Basically, an L shaped section that the canvas drops into from the front. It gives very much the same effect as hanging the canvas unframed. Just a minimal face and a deep side.

[JFeig]

The art being from S America and your statement tells me that it is indeed metric in size. It is next to impossible to find pre-made metric stretcher bars in the USA. There are several sources for custom sized stretcher bars who use imperial measurements (inches).

Adjustable bars are always the preferred stock for making a platform for stretching. There are several how to videos on YouTube. Not knowing where you are and it being the winter season, the current humidity level might be significantly different from summer humidity. If stretched in a dry environment and displayed in a wet environment there will be sagging of the surface plane of the painting. The adjustability of bars will handle this situation.

Note: do not over stretch a prepainted surface.

[AspiringArtist005]

Thank you for reaching out, prospero and JFeig. Much appreciated!

Can you recommend a few overseas suppliers of metric adjustable bars? I'm curious if my piece's dimensions of 60x90cm is popular and might be accommodated by an off-the-shelf version.

Also, the piece has been loosely wrapped in a PVC pipe since I bought it at the gallery in South America this past Friday. It's been one week. How imperative is it to get the piece out of the transport pipe and laid flat? I'm worried that staying rolled might cause cracking?

[IFGL]

they are usually rolled with the oil on the inside, if this is the case it is the wrong way and can force the oil off the canvas, I would lay it flat preferably in the room it's going to hang in.

[An Old Master]

I use a company here in the UK who do an excellent bespoke ( custom built in American ) service for stretchers, they are Harris Moore Canvas in Birmingham. Don't have the exact details to hand, but you should be able to google 'em, they make exactly to your sizes and do a superb job.

[An Old Master]

Perhaps it might be also worth considering how much of a family heirloom this painting is likely to be - or is the primary consideration simply wall decoration? If the latter is the case, then I would simply stick it down to marine grade ply, about 6mm thick. Solves all the other stretched canvas issues and is much easier.

[Roboframer]

Would it be OK hanging like that though? Guy doesn't want a frame around it.

[markw]

what you want to achieve with this canvas may be fairly difficult to achieve. You are basically looking to make a box canvas - the image continuing from the front around the sides. Box canvases are best stretched on deep stretcher bars.
You have a couple of problems by the look of the image you posted. You dont have any excess canvas to allow for fastening on the back of the stretchers - your image is close to the edge of the canvas and will be cropped if you allow sufficient to wrap around deep stretcher bars.
I doubt this image was originally intended to be hung as a box canvas - probably painted around the edges purely as a way to finish the canvas in an acceptable way to sell it in the gallery.
If this came in to my shop I would probably recommend that it was stretched and then framed. If the canvas was of little value sticking it to a board and then framing would also work and would cost less than stretching.

[An Old Master]

Would it be OK hanging like that though? Guy doesn't want a frame around it.

Forgot about that - but it's better still - put it on 18mm MDF- cut the borders off the canvas and black the edges of the board - nice neat job too.

[JFeig]

I found this on the Web..... http://www.mandev.co.uk/acatalog/copy_o ... ional.html

However, it might be cheaper is they are custom made in N America.

I use.... http://www.ucsart.com/content/custom-sized-stretchers

[AspiringArtist005]

Thank you for the collective thinking everyone! MarkW hit the nail on the head as I don't want to have the lower part of the image in any way be compromised.

Spoke with John who runs this outfit: http://www.johnannesley.com/MuseumBarPrices.html

He quoted an adjustable expansion bar stretcher for $162. (This would be the type with the adjustable bolts at each corner. Unsure of the technical word.) The hitch is whether there is sufficient "tacking edge" as he called it. Would this satisfy my needs?

I like the piece without an external frame, but if I need to go with a floater frame to retain the integrity of the piece (e.g., not cut off the women's feet!) I'm alright with that.

What are your thoughts?

[prospero]

Never used the ones with expandable bolts. Sound a tad pricey to me.

The time-honoured type look like this....




Are you handy with a saw? If you get a pair of 36" bars and a pair of 24", You might be able to shorten them. Basically, you need to take 20mm of the 36" ones and 10mm off the 24s. The joints are like a double mortise&tenon. First you need to cut the shoulders of the tenon back. Then slip a saw into the mortises and nibble them back the same amount - bearing in mind the bottom of the mortise slot is at angle. You need to preserve this angle as much as possible, but you don't have to be too precise. When you have done all that, just square off the tenons to the right length. You'll notice on the inside that there are two slots visible when the joint is assembled. These are for triangular wedges that force the joint apart to tension the canvas (if need be). You can make your own from 3mm ply. There are 8 wedges in the frame. Knocking each one forces the end of the bar in a different direction, so you have great control if you need to pull out a slight bump or wave. If it's a decent canvas and you fix the canvas on right you mostly don't need to do a lot of tensioning. People often use the term 'stretching' for this job. It's slightly misleading though as your aim is to get the canvas flat on the frame so it doesn't flap about. Actually stretching the canvas is a thing you should avoid if you can. Especially remounting a painted one. Fresh unpainted canvases do need to be stretched slightly.

btw. Taking 10mm off both ends of the long ones is maybe easier than taking 20mm off one end.

[AspiringArtist005]

Great info, prospero! Thank you very much.

Especially appreciative of your fine points on stretching. Since this is a painted canvas, I'll be sure that I don't actually stretch it when mounting on the frame.

[prospero]

You should be able to pick up the bars at an art materials store (or friendly local picture framer). The 'standard' type are about 3/4" deep, but you can get deeper ones.

Get the bars, and then I'll tell you how to fix the painting on.

[AspiringArtist005]

Ok. So I'm going to mount this canvas myself. I've done a lot of DIY projects ranging as of late including putting new brakes/rotors on my car so this should "hopefully" be viable. (Fingers crossed.)

First question: Is there a SOP on how to remove an oil on canvas from the PVC transport pipe?

Second question: What's the best way to get the canvas flat again? Do I face it up/down, put a white sheet on top, and then weight down the corners? (Thinking it's easier to "stretch" when flat vs. having some residual rolls in it, yes?)

Thanks so much for the guidance and support!

[prospero]

Canvas isn't like paper. If you slide it out of the tube and gently unroll it, it will relax naturally. I would leave it in the tube until you are ready to remount it. Or if you have a safe place big enough to leave it flat, do that. It might be a bit wavy. Don't try to flatten it. No need at this point.

[AspiringArtist005]

The canvas has been wrapped for one week. Aren't I asking for problems if I leave it in the tube?

Think I have sufficient space for the canvas to relax...

[An Old Master]

A post on stretcher bars worthy of note and high praise Prospero.