Making your own mini-canvas boards?

[nanartchik]

Hi, everyone! I have an idea for using my left-over gessoed canvas to make aceo-sized canvas boards and wondered if anyone had done this. I remove some gessoed canvas from stretchers, as it had been dented in storage. (This is canvas I stretched myself, not pre-stretched commercial canvas.) I would like to glue this to double-weight illustration board, pulling an extra amount around to the back, in the same way commercial canvas "boards" are prepared. I would also glue a backing paper to hide the edges on the back side. Has anyone ever done something like this? I see aceo oil paintings done on canvas paper, but I haven't seen mini-canvas boards such as this. Can anyone give me some advice? I need ideas for what kind of glue would be best. I'm thinking acrylic matte medium, but wonder if there is anything better. I want to avoid bubbles, etc. I'd be willing to make a few of these for whomever can help me do this successfully! Thanks! Nan

[sue-jim]

I like your idea, Nan - I have scraps of canvas from stretching my own - I've always just used them for trying out paint mixtures or techniques - testing something before I put it on the "real" painting. But this is appealing. My thought would be Elmer's white glue (the one that dries clear), since this is very similar to acrylic medium but sticks better. I've also thought of using unbleached muslim in the same way (for the finer weave in the small size -- "in-scale" canvas :) Sue

[ddruss]

I made a few mini canvases years ago. We're talking about 9 years. It will work, and looks good the way you described it Nan. You can use the white glue, Aleene's tacky or use a commercial spray adhesive. I was making my own mini canvases for a commission. I was commissioned to make miniature paintings for prizes at an exotic bird show. I ended up selling the ones I made, as they liked the larger (3"x5" and 5"x7")ones better. Dawn

[nanartchik]

That's a great idea, Sue! If you are using muslin, cotton duck or linen that has not been gessoed, I would imagine that the gesso itself plus a little glue on the back might be enough adhesive. I think you could stretch the muslin as you gesso it, starting in the center with the gesso and brushing outward to the edges. I would think this would stretch the fabric and get rid of the bubbles. Also, to prevent the piece from curling - the fabric would shrink as it dries - I'd think you'd need to gesso the back as well. Seems like a lot of work for the first one, to get the technique right, but after that I could see an "assemble line" of mini-canvases, LOL! I'm so cheap; I love anything that I can reuse! Silly me, I never though of using the canvas scraps to test colors! I do that all the time with my watercolor scraps, duh! Just a thought; perhaps Elmers dries too hard? Do we need a fabric glue which is a little more pliable? SOBO perhaps? Thanks for your thoughts! Nan

[nanartchik]

Thanks, Dawn! When you say "commercial spray adhesive" are you speaking of an artist's spray adhesive available in art stores? I have some I have used for paper, but it doesn't seem to last too long; I wonder if it would yellow the artwork or peel off after a few years? What is "Aleene's tacky?" Thanks so much for your advice and experience! nan

[shadowtreekids]

Hi Nan...I've never done it your way (sounds good though) put have recently made canvas on illustration board that turned out beautifully. I adhered the raw canvas to illustration board with acrylic medium,I used a brayer or rolling pin to adhere down and push out any bubbles or air..when it was dried then I gessoed it..I think my framer makes canvas for his wife this way, except he makes a big sheet of it and then cuts it to the sizes he wants. I'm sure he has a heavy duty enough cutter to go through all the layers..but it something you might think about if you are interested in having a quantity...just a thought! Best..Ellen:)

[nanartchik]

Thanks, Ellen! I love your artwork - it's in My Favorites as inspiration. I do have a large, heavy duty paper cutter, so I might be able to cut all those layers. It probably would be best to start with un-primed or raw canvas, but I just happen to have a lot of gessoed canvas that I was looking for a way to use. Do you use double-weight illustration board or is single-weight enough? Thanks for your help! Nan 🙂

[robsfweak]

Greetings! Here's a suggestion: I have glued gessoed canvas to 140lb watercolor paper by using acid free contact cement (Best-Test white rubber paper cement). This works really well because the canvas gains strength and the card is still lightweight and thin. I precut the canvas and the paper, then apply the glue, and smooth the canvas down. I usually put my blanks under a pile of heavy books to make sure everything is flat and sealed, then I paint later. I've got a listing up right now with this technique. Hope this helps! Penny 🙂

[robsfweak]

I posted my listing on the new ACEO's thread, if you'd like to check it out. Thanks, Penny 🙂

[nanartchik]

Thanks, Penny! I'll check it out. Here's my first use of the mini-canvas boards: I have to admit, I like the "thicker" end result - kind of feels substantial in my hand. Not sure the buyers/collectors would, though. Nan

[nanartchik]

The medium on this test is acrylic, BTW.

[heather*fox*art]

Very cool! I don't know how to make stretched canvases, but I thought it'd be really cool to have gallery style stretched canvases in the ACEO size. I would love to have some of those. They'd look so cool with the painting carried over on the edges.

[nanartchik]

Hey, congratulations Heather, on your "Hall of Fame" artwork! Actually, this is more like the canvas board you can buy in art supply stores, in that it's glued to illustration board, rather than stretched over a wooden frame. Making tiny wooden canvas stretchers would require more skill than I have, LOL. But you're right, wouldn't that be neat?

[artistjillian]

I'll ask Frederix again if they might make them available. If so, I'll let you know. I haven't been to one of their advisory board meetings lately, so haven't said anything to them in a while. ~Jillian

[heather*fox*art]

Thanks! Jillian, I didn't know you knew someone there - that's cool. I think they should start making ACEO size canvas boards & mini stretched canvases. The smallest stretched canvas I've been able to find so far is 4"x5" & I really enjoyed painting on it & loved the finished product.