Canvas Paintings - Stretched vs Unstretched
A common question that comes up when purchasing canvas art, be it original artwork or prints, is whether you should purchase stretched, or unstretched.
Let’s first cover the difference.
“Stretched” indicates that the canvas has been stapled to wooden bars, called “stretcher bars”, and will most often have a way of hanging the painting, like a wire that runs across the back. See the image below as an example.
See the wooden bars, thick width and hanging wire at the back?
“Unstretched”, indicates that the canvas is “loose”, unattached to bars or hanging hardware. When you order an unstretched painting, you will typically receive it rolled up and placed in a tube.
Here’s a picture of an old painting I did, where I painted directly onto unstretched canvas. See how it’s taped to the wall?
As you can see, stretched canvas is the end result that most people want, so why offer unstretched? Because the canvas is free from the wooden bars, unstretched canvas can be rolled up and shipped in a tube, which is much lighter and smaller than shipping large artwork packed up in a box. This makes shipping MUCH more affordable, when shipping artwork that’s over 20 x 20 inches. It also keeps the artwork safer, minimizing the risk of the painting tearing or getting warped in the shipping process.
To wrap it up, if you are purchasing artwork from an artist local to you, and are able to arrange a pickup or delivery straight to or from the artist studio, then order it stretched! This will save you time and money, and you’ll be able to hang your exciting new addition to your home right away.
Ordering out of province, state or country? If the item is large, you’ll want to order it unstretched. Upon receiving your precious artwork you can either stretch it yourself if you have basic tools and knowledge, or you can bring it to your local framer’s and pay to have it stretched. This will ensure you’re not paying exorbitant shipping fees, and your art will be as safe as possible in it’s journey to you.
