Canvas and new frames

I've given my 36"x36" canvas another coat of tinted gesso. This coat has a thicker consistency than the first two coats. But it needs another coat or two before I'll be ready to apply paint. If you look at the photo below  you can see where the gesso application needs the gesso! :-)

I am also working four frames for the art show. I'd be working on more but I used up all of the "frames wood" that I had on hand. I need to go to the lumber store and get some more wood. Yesterday I applied two coats of Rabbit Skin Glue to "seal" the raw wood hoping that the paint would go farther. Apparently it helped.  After lunch I applied one coat of acrylic enamel (is that an oxymoron or what?) to each frame.  Tomorrow I'll sand the frames then apply another coat of paint. I usually need to put of four or five coats for the frames to look OK.

I don't paint the inside. I don't know that anybody will care. 

These frames are built for specific paintings.  Although I try very hard to make accurate cuts when I build my canvas panels, the stated dimensions are "suggestions" :-)   In reality one of my 9x12 canvas panels might be 9.25"x11 7/8".  A ready-made frame wouldn't work. Again, does it matter? Not to me.  If anybody ever buys one of my paintings and wants a "bettrer" frame there are frame shops everywhere that can make a custom frame.

Making Frames From 2x4 remnants

I had some strips from some 2x4a rhat I had used for another project so I decided to make some frames.  I learned from another art club member that a judge in one of the shows that I'm entering has a "dislike" for gallery wrapped paintings. Gallery wrapped paintings in my knowledge base has canvas wrapped around the outside edges of stretcher, the artist continues the painting onto the sides and does not use a picture frame.  Well, a reliable source told me the judge feels that if a painting is not "finished" if it has no frame. OK good to know.

I cut strips of wood into an "L" shape with my handy dandy table saw. Picture below:

I then use my handy dandy compound miter saw to cut the 45 degree corners. Picture below:

While the corners are held in the corner clamps they are glued and secured with wire brads. The next step is sanding, sanding and then more sanding to get the edges smooth.  Then I apply several coats of water-based enamel paint until it looks good. How many coats? Depends on the wood and how the paint is absorbed - or not.  :-)

Picture Frames

I make most of my own picture frames from pine boards bought at the "lumber yard".  I buy pine 1 inch by 8 inch by 8 foot boards (with the least number of large knots) and rip (with my table saw) them into strips. (I buy 8 foot boards because they fit into the back of our Subaru Outback car.) Then I make two cuts in the strips leaving the picture frame "molding".  I make two size "moldings" - i call them "deep" and "shallow".  The deep frames hold stretched canvas or my canvas/masonite panels. The shallow frames are for the smaller (16x20 and smaller) Masointe paintings.

I make each frame to fit a particular painting - sometimes my paintings aren't quite the "correct" measurement.I glue and with the mitered corners held in frame-corner clamps, nail the mitered corners then use wood putty to fill any nail-holes or nicks in the wood. Then I give the frame one coat of latex satin paint - usually black.  I give the frame another sanding in (about) 24 hours, when the first coat of paint is dry and another coat of paint.  Another sanding then another coat of paint and the frame is ready for the painting.  And I DO wear disposable latex gloves when I paint my frames!


I usually make a dozen or more frames when I make frames - sort of an assembly line process. cut the frames wood strips, measure and miter the frame sides, assemble the four sides of the frames, then sand and paint.

I have a Bostitch air powered "brad nailer" that was a present from Melissa. The same compressor powered the framing nailer we used to assemble the studio.  Very handy tool!

Shallow molding on top, with the deep molding on the bottom.

The front side of a deep frame assembled and painted satin black. The line in the corner is a reflection and isn't that obvious without a flash from the camera.

The back side of the deep frame pictured above. Most of the time I don't paint the "inside" or back of the frame.