Hand made canvases have a personal touch that pre-fab canvases can't offer.
Pre-made canvases are available at most art and craft stores. These pre-made canvases are convenient for beginner artists and artists who are not able to produce large volumes of paintings. However, as a painter, you should have the experience of making your own canvas at least once, especially if you have the studio space for the assembly process. You may find that you enjoy stretching your own canvases, and that your canvases are of better quality than pre-fabricated canvases.
Stretcher Bars
Stretcher bars come pre-made in art and craft stores, and are available in lightweight and heavy-duty sizes. Heavy-duty stretcher bars are thicker, heavier and less susceptible to warping or breaking. When choosing stretcher bars at an art store, assemble the stretchers before leaving the store, to be sure that the bars are not warped. Test the stretchers by laying the assembled stretchers on the floor of the art store and pushing each corner down gently. If the stretchers will not lay flat on the floor after assembled, they are warped.
Canvas
Canvas is available in different grades and qualities, and there are different types of canvas. Cotton duck is the most common type of canvas. Cotton duck is available for different prices and can be flimsy and thin, or heavy and tightly woven. The cheaper and lighter-weight the canvas is, the more likely you are to experience problems during the stretching or painting process. Especially thin canvases can tear or warp during the canvas stretching process. Thin, cheap canvas will also allow paint to bleed through even after gessoing. The more expensive alternative to cotton duck canvas is linen canvas, optimal for professional artists. Linen canvas has a tighter weave, a smoother surface and is more durable over time, less susceptible to warping.
Gesso
Use acrylic gesso to "prime" the surface of the canvas. Gesso is a thick, white paint mixed with water and then painted on the canvas. Paint two or three layers of gesso on a canvas for an even finish. As the gesso and water mixture dries, the canvas will shrink and stretch tightly over the stretcher bars. The more water mixed with the gesso, the more the canvas will shrink.
Equipment
In addition to stretch bars, canvas and gesso, an artist assembling a canvas will need a variety of smaller tools. Use a staple gun to staple the canvas to the back of the stretcher bars. Stretcher pliers are a convenient tool for gripping the edge of the canvas tightly and stretching it over the back of the stretcher--this is convenient, but not necessary. You'll need a bucket and wide, flat brush for mixing gesso with water, and applying the gesso to the canvas. Finally, it's good to have a picture hanging wire and eye loops to hang the canvas when it is completed.
