Today is a" big one"

When I got up this morning I just didn't want to mess with the small stuff - I didn't want to do a billboard either. Aside from other commitments the Crossroads gallery needs a major new painting for the November 16th opening.....I don't have it....Yet:=)

I have material for a 72x66, a bit big for my easel's height capacity of 68", but not my easel.  Most problematic, it goes well beyond my being able to transport it inside my SUV.......even so, I like the size.

My first challenge will be stretching it....no question, 72x66 is a "big one", so I decided to do it face down laying flat on the floor (first time). I originally saw this on a U-Tube video but well before I started painting larger formats so it didn't really get my attention until now.  

 PHOTOS

Face down, 2 -3" salvage - 1.5" deep stretchers

3 to 4 staples on each opposing side (equal pressure)

Canvas grips, staple gun (3/8) staples- easy to remove

Stapled taut to each corner

Corner detail

Clean fold

Shown with a 30x30

That was a good move, it was a simple, easy, efficient way to do a large gallery wrap canvas by myself. 

Gallery wrap in this case would have several advantages. If my floater frame is late I can go frame-less. In either event I want neat edges to paint making it presentable for any situation.

PROBLEM SOLVING

My vertical painting is a bit beyond my easel's height capability of 66-68".....so a little engineering is in order. 

 PHOTOS

1x4 added to the back side with screws - bottom edge at easels max. ht.

detail of screw at each side

I used clamps to secure my canvas frame although it could have easily rested on my masts rollers allowing finger touch side movement. 

Back view

Front view

By lunch time I had a 72x66 gallery-wrap canvas stretched, on my easel and ready to go.....scraping my studios low 8 foot ceilings....another annoying problem, but nothing I can do about it right now other than work with it!

I'll take the rest of the day studying my new size and figuring out what it is I actually want to paint. I'm fairly certain it will be Koi because I really wanted to end this Koi session with a large canvas. 

So far I've completed (4) Koi canvases - of the four my first was exceptional and normally my queue to stop, change subjects and move on, but at 36x36 it wasn't the right size....in fact it was meant to be a warmup.....I wasn't in the mood for the "big one" so continued on....LOL never can tell about these things.  


Later