Hello,
I need to stretch an oversized linen canvas. Its 400cm x 500 cm or 13ft x 16ft. I plan to use acrylic size and acrylic gesso, for the simple reason that i feel its going to be easier than using traditional materials. After the painting is finished, rolled up and delivered, the plan is to fix it over flat wooden boards. I mention all this because since its going to be placed over the flat wood, since im going to use acrylic base materials for the preparation, and finally since its linen , do i need to really “stretch” the linen? Can i just lay it out flat and size it and gesso it?
If this is not the case, any suggestions for how to stretch something so large? Im only use to streching smaller size canvases or preparing wood.
So for oil painting the use of an acrylic size, say GAC 200, isn’t any better for stiffening or sealing than just adding another few coats of acrylic gesso?
Marc.
Well I suppose Greg Watson has already answered my question. The only point of deviation I reason would be if the acrylic gesso was far more absorbent than standard and allowed the oil to soak through to the linen.
Thanks for your reply. Reasurance about the materials is good to have.
Marc.
Water based acrylic products tend to swell natural fibers and can distort the fabric. To get the best results without a wavy surface or buckling, we usually recommend stretching the fabric before it is primed. If you are going to be using oil paints over the surface, then we recommend 3 or more coats of Acrylic Gesso (acrylic dispersion ground) without any clear acrylic products as a sizing. For acrylic paintings, either is fine. To protect from Support Induced Discoloration (SID) you can first apply Gloss Medium or GAC 100 then apply Gesso. As for stretching something this large, that is more of a logistical issue. If it can be stapled right to the wall or on the floor, then that could work. Something to consider, if the weave of the linen is open, then drop cloth plastic should be stapled down first, pulled tight is ideal to remove any creases. The plastic sheeting should protect the floor or wall from acrylic product squeezing through and gluing the linen to that surface. Using a larger trowel is a great way to spread the Gesso very quickly with minimal toolmarks.
good luck!
Greg Watson – Golden Artist Colors
Hello again,
The Acrylic Gesso does have some level of absorbency, but we have found that 3 coats is enough in most cases to protect the fabric from oil penetration. More coats provide additional protection and make a stiffer layer. We found that 4-5 coats is about the same in terms of stiffness as a coat of GAC 200 combined with several coats of gesso.
Greg
Molding Paste should certainly stiffen the fabric. Use it on its own and work it right into the fabric with a trowel or large palette knife – directly over the Gesso. Put as many coats on as you can. It will fill the weave and then once the surface is real smooth, it will become more difficult to apply without leaving tool marks. It has similar absorbency to Gesso, but you can come over top with a layer or two of Gesso if you like the feel and performance of that product better.
Greg
Forgot to mention that Molding Paste is flexible in normal ambient temperatures. As acrylic layers get cold below 50 degrees, they start to harden up. So, be sure to roll and unroll the canvas in normal room temperatures. And be gentle if it is somewhat thick, as even flexible materials are more likely to perform better if they are rolled and unrolled slowly.
Greg
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