Printing, Coating, Stretching Canvas

[Adamphotoman]

Hey folks,
I have printed, coated, and stretched many many canvas's over the years. I have lots and lots of experience and tips.
If anyone has questions ask away.
1st is a picture of a custom made cedar stretcher that Gerald Walker makes. He has an ingenious approach to hiding the excess canvas bump when folding corners.

 

[Adamphotoman]

Questions re canvas finishing:
1.) Why coat canvas [both water resistant & water vulnerable] - What to use?
2.) Gallery wraps - How to easily make them.
3.) Should one finish the corners first or finish stapling the centre?
4.) Best way to wire the strainer

 

[Adamphotoman]

Early printable canvas [1996-2004] relied upon a gelatine based permeable inkjet receptor coating. This coating printed well and was quite flexible, however, it was easily damaged by water. Therefore it required a solvent based topcoat for protection. Several coats were needed, and even then rain could easily destroy the image.
Along came instant-dry water-resistant inkjet receptor coatings. These coatings are more brittle and will crack if not properly top coated before stretching. The issue is that the bond between the Gesso and Ink receptor coating is tenuous at best. The clay based receptor can crack and show the underneath Gesso as fine white cracks. These receptor coatings are not damaged by water and can be flooded with a water based polymer varnish. Once dry the canvas is much more flexible, however, the printed canvas should be stretched before the varnish becomes brittle with age. As the polymer is a thermal plastic, warming the stretching area will mitigate cracking.
Some metallic pearlescent canvas behaves like the early gelatine canvas even though it is marketed as water resistant. Sometimes flooding with a water bourn varnish will destroy the image. In these situations a solvent based coating works well.