How to gesso stretched raw linen?
 

Garth just posted good instructions on how to stretch preprimed linen.

Too late for me, though, because I've just committed myself to stretching raw linen and priming it myself.

Even though I think I know what I'm doing with this, I have never done this successfully (by that I mean "never well enough to make me 100% happy with the result"). Any tips?

I don't need to use PVA size underneath acrylic gesso, do I? (I have a big jar of Golden's Gesso.)

Alternatively, if I wanted to "lead prime" this linen, would I use the PVA size and then a couple of coats of tubed lead white paint? Sanding in between coats? Would I need a haz-mat uniform to protect myself from all the toxics I'm releasing (it's a pretty big canvas)?

Dear Linda,

I'm not a particular expert here so hopefully someone else will chime in. I had always used the rabbit skin glue method of sizing linen. You need a double boiler, measure carefully, and follw instructions, but it's not that hard to do.

The PVA solution should do the same job of sizing right out of the bottle. I bought a bottle of Gamblin's PVA size, but have not actually used it yet.

At any rate, let the canvas dry from the sizing before applying an oil ground.

If you apply the lead ground with a knife or large painting spatula, I don't see where a sanding of layers would be necessary. The knife should apply the ground smoothly enough.

Winsor and Newton alkyd primer is thixotropic, so any brushing settles into a nice smooth surface. It also dries overnight.

OK, some expert should chime in now!

Garth

I am a pretty persnickety painter when it comes to preparations and materials, but I do think you deserve some kind of trophy for this Linda. Even the over referenced Sargent used rolls of preprimed.

I do know ONE thing about this, that you must gesso the sides as well, as they will disintegrate with time if left ungessoed.

I must see some pictures of you at work in the studio as your avatar reflects more a woman of glamour and leisure.

Linda,

Just another little tip.

Before sizing a huge canvas it is vise to size the edges and let them dry first. This will prevent the linen fibers to drag the weave out of fashion along the stretchers.

Allan

Linda,

For what it's worth, another possible substitute to rabbitskin glue is refined carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). I have used this in the past and if I am not mistaken, some brands of acrylic 'gesso" contain this ingredient. This comes in powder form and can be used in a 10 percent solution. Stir in water, allow to swell, stir again and apply to the canvas. The effect is very similar to the animal glue in that it stiffens the cloth, but unlike glue size ( I have read), it will not crack. It is flexible and resistant to the oils.

I have also used the alkyd primer mentioned above with good results.

I also prefer to prepare my own supports as this serves as a sort of warm-up to the work itself, aside from the advantage of controlling the surface one wants. But, I do have a problem with the cloth sticking to the stretcher (along the edges) when the glue size seeps through to the wood...the problem being of course if and when I have to remove from the stretcher to roll the canvas for sending off in a tube. Any suggestions?

Carlos

Hi Carlos,

I used to hang a lot of wallpaper earlier when I was a house painter. Cellulose Glue mixed with Wheat Starch was the glue used for that.

I believe that you can avoid it sticking to the strechers by priming them with oil paint before mounting the linen.

Just a thought.

Allan

My tips
 

Linda, some of my tips.

-I always steam iron the canvas before stretching

-I found rabbitskin glue (I use the preprepared one, you just need to stand it in hot water) better than acrylic sizing. It leaves the canvas nice and stiff, while when I used the acrylic the surface was too rough and the previously taut canvas was loose and flappy.

- I am now trying acrylic priming. It can be used on raw canvas, but don't do the same mistake as me, diluting the first coat. It came through the other side. The first coat should be laid very gently to avoid this, while the next ones can be very well applied with the sides of your very own platinum visa (or any other credit card...), working on one direction each layer, until you have rached the desired tooth (no sanding required).Works very well also on sized canvas with no passing through.

-about the sides. When I size I run the knife between the stretchers and the canvas to prevent sticking. I try to size the sides but I don't completely prime them. A tutor once told me that it is nice if the priming looks like icing on a cake, but I do apply some masking tape 1 cm under the rim, so that the icing looks regular!

Hope I have been useful

Ilaria

Ilaria, I laughed at this. All of my paintings are created with the swipe of my Visa card!

Are you sure that steaming the linen is okay archievally? I wonder about this. I have a big crumpled bundle of linen in the corner of my closet that landed there in a Bad Art Moment. It would be nice to resurrect it someday.

I'm doing a "gallery wrap" where I go around the sides with the linen. Yesterday I sized the canvas with Gamblin's PVA size (a subsitute for rabbitskin glue) and today I plan to put on a coat of Holbein's Underpainting Lead White.

Allan and Carlos, thanks for your tips. I wonder if somebody could post a photo of the back of a perfectly made gallery-wrapped (around the sides of the stretcher bar) stretched canvas?

Linda, I am positive about ironing, it will tighten the weave
Sorry I only have thirty seconds, after which my stupid computer monitor goes black, guess I 'll be online again next week after it is repaired
Ilaria

I'm reviving another old thread.
Does anybody have a good photo they can post of the back of a GREAT gallery wrapped painting? I especially want to see corners ("hospital" corners, or cut?) and where you placed your staples or tacks (on the edge that hits the wall, or all the way around the stretcher bar?). Thanks.