How to Stretch & Prime Your Own Canvas

As artists, we take pride in our work being unique. One of the best ways to make your paintings even more original is by homemaking your own canvas. We've all seen the already-made and primed canvases that arts and crafts stores sell, but these are often expensive and made of cheap materials that won't last long. Creating your own canvas assures good quality, and can also save a lot of money in the end.

To start, you'll need to acquire the items listed below:

- Four stretchers (these are wooden frames to support the canvas). These can be bought at most art supply stores. They have slots on each edge to fit together to make either a square (if each piece is the same length) or a rectangle (if you purchase two that are one length and the other two at a different length, for example: two 18" stretchers & two 24" stretchers).

- A hammer (this is used to pound the wooden stretchers tightly together, forming right angles).

- A Ruler or Keys (these are right-sided triangular wooden pieces to help you make sure your canvas is not crooked). A ruler is easiest to use, although keys usually come free at stores that carry the stretchers. If you don't see them in a box near the canvas materials, ask a store associate to assist you.

- A staple gun with staples, small nails, or tacks.

- Canvas material (this can be bought already primed, but it's more expensive. I suggest purchasing unprimed canvas). Depending on the size wooden stretchers you bought, you'll need enough canvas to stretch around the edges, so make sure you get the canvas a few inches longer than the stretchers.

- Scissors (obviously to cut the canvas if you got more than enough for one frame).

- Canvas pliers (these are optional, but it helps you to grip the material without tiring your thumbs).

- Gesso (this is to prime your canvas to be ready to paint on). Make sure you look at the label since some gessoes are for specific types of paint.

- Sponge or wide brush (you may also want gloves to keep your hands clean).

Once you've purchased the items listed above, you're ready to make a canvas! This may seem like an extensive list, but really the task is quite simple. Be sure to wear clothes that you don't mind getting messy; gesso can often splatter and, like paint, is hard to wash off clothes. I also recommend doing this outside since the gesso can have a strong scent and the stapling/hammering can be loud. Here's how to begin:

1. Place together the wooden frames into the slotted edges, hammering them to fit snuggly, using your ruler or keys to make sure the angles are straight.
2. Cut/place canvas on a flat surface to be able to stretch 1 or 2 inches over the edges of the frames.
3. Center the frame in the middle of the canvas.
4. Pull from the bottom, middle of the canvas; stapling it onto the frames. Do the top, bottom, and each side (this will create a cross shape). It's important to staple the middle parts first so that you can work your way out to the edges, avoiding any canvas from bunching.
5. Then you'll want to start pulling the canvas (with your hands or the pliers), working your way from the middle to the edges, working in opposites. Make sure you don't just staple from one end in a circle; you'll want to staple the canvas in opposing (diagonal) corners to keep each side stretched correctly. In other words, if you staple from the bottom middle over to the right, then the next step would be to staple the top middle over to the left. Staple the canvas about 2 inches apart from each other (Don't over-staple! Your hands will get tired unless you have an electric staple gun), leaving 2 inches from the corners of the canvas. You may need an extra pair of strong hands to help.
6. Once you've gotten to the corners, fold them in to leave a one-sided crease to create a clean, crisp, and straight-edged corner. Staple the canvas down and trim any excess material hanging out.
7. Your canvas is stretched! Flip it over and tap on the middle. You should hear a drum-like beat to let you know you've stretched it tight.
8. Now shake your bottle of gesso and apply it evenly across the top of your canvas. It's best to gesso the outer edges first, then to lay your canvas flat on some newspapers to gesso the surface. Using your sponge or brush, apply the gesso in criss-cross patterns along with the grain.
9. It will take only a few minutes to dry if your air is not too humid. You can then apply one or two more coats to create a smoother surface to paint on. And if it feels too rough (which can affect the quality of your paintings, depending on the look you want), you can gently sandpaper the entire canvas to smooth it down.

Now you've constructed a purely original, homemade canvas! As an artist, whether you're a beginner or advanced, you should feel proud to be creating a painting entirely made by you!