An Impromptu Lesson in Craftiness – Scrap Material Canvas Stretcher

During a recent Zoom class, which normally lasts about four hours, I realized I have a really hard time attending to four hours of video talking… ARG! It just hurts my eyes and I feel drained from the focused attention on the screen. Ok, enough complaining, Mario!!!

While the class was on,. I needed to let my eyes and mind look at something else, so I pulled together some scrap materials I always have around for spontaneous creativity and found myself making a frame and stretcher for a scrap of canvas. The teacher noticed what I was doing and asked me to first show the class and it got unexpected WOWs. The teacher then suggested I use making this as part of an upcoming homework… to create a training video using the Time Lapse app…

So, I did…Here’s the vid: How To Make A Canvas Stretcher

It’s not great, but then again, I never feel too comfortable using technology. Now I need to see if I can make it better with iMovie or Adobe Premier. Crap! Well, I motivate myself by learning this for the kids I teach!

Basic steps: tie-up the four corners of the twigs; sew the corners of the canvas to the stretcher; gesso the canvas; Modpodge (or use wood glue) the twine onto the frame corners to solidify them. That’s it. Fast, rustic, messy, and unique.

Stay tuned and see…