Attaching canvas to board
 

I like to attach gessoed canvas to board. Previously I have used a coating of Matt Medium over the primed board to attach the canvas. However, the canvas tends to separate in places from the board. Can anyone suggest any other way of "gluing" canvas to board that is archival? Would gesso work? (Please do not respond "I guess so" :).

Clive:

In the past, I have used pure polymer medium to do this. I sand the board down with a very rough paper. I adhere the linen to the board by putting a coat of medium on the surface of the board, laying the linen over it and the coating the linen on the front side - it gets completely permeated with the medium. I roll it out with a roller and let it dry. I wrap my canvas around the board using the same technique and leaving plenty of canvas on the back side - again soaking it all in the polymer medium and rolling it down. After all is dry, I gesso it with five coats of good quality gesso - front, back and sides. This pretty completely seals in the fabric and makes a nice surface to paint on.

Dear Clive,

If you try the "search messages" function at the top of the Forum pages, you can see what has already been written...and the "Preparing Canvas" thread is a terrific resource: http://forum.portraitartist.com/sear...der=descending

I like a rigid surface, and use 1/4" Masonite, and Demco archival bookbinder's glue to adhere my pre-primed linen. I learned this technique from Dan Gerhartz, and if it's good enough for Dan, it is certainly good enough for me. http://www.demco.com

I found some archival water based glue called "YES" in the art store last week. It is very thick and stiff and I have recently used it to glue preprimed linen to 8" x 10" MDO board. I used a rolling pin to get it flat and weighted it down for two days until it was perfectly dry.

So far so good...on an 8" x 10" board but the proof will be 20" x 24" or larger. Will let you know if this works in a larger size.

YES
 

Karin,

Can you pass on any more info about YES. I'm having a hard time finding DEMCO in Orlando.

Michael, what do you mean by "pure polymer medium"? What compounds have been polymerized? Do you have a product name?

I'm in that antsy place -- I've got a new roll of Belgian linen, I've got panels, I can't find glue. Of course I want to do this TODAY, because I have no patience. :-) I just want to go to Lowes and get some glue. Give me strength.

ReNae:

The reason I say "pure polymer medium" is because many craft and art glues - like Elmers are made from acrylic polymer, but they are often adulterated with things like corn starch or other additives that make them unsuitable for longer term adhesion of linen to board. Over time, glues like Elmers turn to powder due to the additivies.

Pure polymer medium is typically in the acrylic section. So things like Golden's gloss medium is just pure acrylic polymer. Also, Gamblin's PVA size is similar. The thing is to get a pure acrylic without any additives in order to increase the amount of time the linen will adhere to the board.

Remember, plastic is forever. :)

Troubles
 

I've been using several things for years and always have some panels that give me trouble. I've wasted so much time that I went looking for a new answer. I think I've found a great, cheap answer...let you know more soon. It only involves a small outlay of money-not time and money.

Forever
 

Michael,

Thank you. I found Speedball Gel Meduim at Pearl Arts right where you said it would be. Thanks to your post, I'm waiting for my first board to dry. It does claim to be the stuff to use. Plastic IS forever, isn't it?

This container says to apply VERY thinly to both surfaces, wait a minute to tack up then press firmly together. I thought I had it thin enough but still had a time gettng the cloth to even out and spread the excess to the edges. I've wrapped the edges back 1-1/2" as you have suggested. I'll let you know how it goes.

Tim, I'm really looking forward to your new invention!

Answer
 

My simple answer is having someone else do it. I worked with this company a bit and I think the product is pretty nice. www.studiomaterials.com - he makes panels out of special aluminum panels. He'll glue many types of linen and artfix to the panels as well as "gesso" coating on them. So, we can paint.