Help, Saggin Linen!

[Tom Edgerton]

I'd be really terrified to use water that hot. Oil paint is remarkably resilient, but anything has its limits. I'm not sure I understand the logic of using hot water. Maybe it affects the fabric sizing or something.

In a pinch, I've misted water onto the back from a plastic bottle/ plant sprayer. Room temperature. Also, I've let it air dry after, with a good result. Some folks would object to water at all, and they may be right, I don't soak the canvas down under any circumstance.

If the canvas was reasonably tight, again, time will lessen the expansion/contraction, but I understand that kind of pressure in a commission situation. Also, not moving it from place to place helps, once it's hung...I've had them slacken from the framer's to my studio in certain seasons. Once it figures out where it's to live, the painting will settle down.