Artist - Part 15 - Weak fingers, I’m cured, I’m cured!

I have weak fingers…. Well, I didn’t always have these sad digits. When I was in my late teens I could stretch canvas by pulling the material tight and taut with just using plain old finger grease. But over the last few years I’ve noticed that my canvases aren’t as tight. I used to believe I’d never resort to using canvas stretchers but there I was at a local art store buying a pair. I’ve been struggling with this decision for the last year but after moving towards the two step process of a traditional oil primer, it’s become a necessity.

My first task was to re-stretch some canvases that were obviously loose. Wow, what a difference, I don’t remember the pliers working that well! Last night when I was painting I couldn’t get over how taut the canvas was and there was still enough bounce when my brush hit my canvas.