stretching and gesso-ing canvas

Catherine Palmer 

Acrylic Painting Studio 

Tinting Gesso

Stretching and Gessoing Canvases: 

• 4 stretcher bars 
• Gesso 
• Gesso brush 
• Rubber mallet 
• Staple Gun 
• Staples 
• L Square 

 Put the stretcher bars together and make sure that you put it together level, using the L square. 

Start by cutting your canvases to size leaving about two inches of canvas around the edge of the stretchers. 

Set the assembled stretcher in the center of your canvas. 

Start stapling your canvas in the middle of each side of the stretcher, pulling the canvas taught as you staple. 

Rotate the canvas stapling each side diagonally across from the last staple applied. Leave the corners for last. 

Leave about two inches from the corner. 

We will be doing bed corners folding the canvas into itself to hide the fold. 

Once the canvas is stapled to the stretcher apply gesso by starting in the middle and working your way out to the edges. 

Repeat the gessoing process at least twice.

Making sure you let the gesso dry between layers. The gesso must be dry to the touch, if it feels cool it is not fully dry. 

If you prefer a smooth canvas sand the layer of gesso before you apply the next layer.