Find Drawing and
Painting Articles
Here:

Canvas: How to Make Your Own Panels

You can make your own canvas panels. Any painter should know how to do this. It is very easy, and the budding artist is bound to derive a lot of enjoyment from completing this task.

The cheapest way is to purchase a roll of either cotton or linen canvas, in a width that will not waste material when you cut it up.

For example, a 50-inch width will give you two 20-x-24-inch panels.

Don't make your panels any larger than this size, since larger ones may warp.

Get some beaverboard extra heavy cardboard known as mounting board and cut to the desired size.

Cut the canvas about inch larger all around than the size of the board. Apply glue to the back of the entire canvas and mount on the board.

After trimming the corners, fold over the surplus inch margin.

Place the mounted canvas on the floor and put a drawing board on it, making certain that it covers the entire canvas.

Place several heavy books on top of the drawing board and allow to press overnight.

Then cut a sheet of heavy brown wrapping paper to a size slightly less than the mounted canvas.

Glue this paper to the back of the panel and repeat the pressing process. This acts as a counter-mount and prevents warping.

I suggest that you experiment first with pieces of scrap canvas, then if you find this method satisfactory you will want to do several panels at one time.

The process is such that it is almost as easy to mount a half dozen panels as to mount one.

Now, you should learn how to stretch your own canvas panels.