What do to do about this painting? The stretcher has warped and twisted! Do you believe that? It is 18” x 24”, gallery wrapped canvas.
Ordinarily I assemble my own canvases, stretchers, canvas, gesso! Every once in awhile I get ahead of myself and use all on hand and will purchase the odd ‘ready made’ gallery wrapped canvas. I was in a hurry with this scene and just had to get it recorded so purchased a canvas rather than stretching my own.
This is a scene of my mother’s backyard in January; fourteen feet of packed snow, a crisp and cold morning. My mother turned 92 on August 21st and still resides in Timmins and I usually visit her in January to spend the coldest month of the year ensuring she has all she needs. Well at minus 30 something Fahrenheit I wanted to get this scene recorded quickly.
The ‘ready made’ canvas is stamped with the supplier on the inside and is even numbered! Reputable art supply dealer in business for almost two centuries and world leaders in the manufacture of artist materials.
Defnitely can't go wrong with their products, right; purchased nothing but the best!
I included this canvas in the gallery where I hang my work and a month later received a telephone call. This could have sold three times over but the canvas is warped! One corner misses the wall by at least an inch the warp and twist is so pronounced.
So now I am faced with the task of repairing. Do I restretch on another stretcher. I have difficulty stretching canvas already gessoed. These old hands just do not have sufficient strength to give that extra pull needed to stretch gessoed canvas.
Some one suggested I would need to purchase a hardwood panel and affix to the back of the stretcher and this will supposedly set the canvas on the straight. Now, this leaves many questions…..how thick must the panel be to successfully pull the stretcher back on the straight. Must the wood be treated first; does it matter which type of hardwood?
I am about to do some research on affixing a wood panel to the back of this canvas; however no matter how much I read I am certain there will be something not includeded. Some hint or problem anyone having tried this may know about. Any HELP would be so appreciated.
