Images of stretcher, such as regular artwork frameworks, are made of wood. But where to terminate their similarities. Stretcher frames are used as a structure on which a canvas of artwork is posed and attached. The reinforcement of the stretcher is used to obtain the tight and nice art canvas. After this stage, it is ready to be mounted in your choice, or illustration can simply be dropped is.
The stretcher frames are usually formed in a rectangular shape as a picture frame and consist of four stretcher bars. Canvas stretcher frame angles are not fixed to each other. The reason is that the wood used to make the stretcher of framing will expand and contract with exposure to moisture, and therefore if there is not a permanent membership in the corners of the frame of the stretcher, it allows for this needed movement in the structure of the framed artwork support. Corners on canvas stretcher frames could consist of miter joints, which are angled to fit flush with each other. Butt joints can also be used, as can the complex joints nested to achieve a strong but flexible dock with no permanent mechanism holding the whole corner.
The stretcher frames allow the tightening of the canvas once it is in place and attached to the image of the stretcher. Usually, the canvas is attached to the stretchers of frame with a pistol, or bugs, attached a little on each side, until the whole canvas is secure to achieve carefully a surface smooth with no warping. Once the canvas is attached, it can then give a final tightening with a special tool called a tightening key. This key is part of openings few who were left in the stretcher frame. Tightening key is usually made of wood or plastic, and is triangular in shape. When the key is inserted and trapped in the small opening, it extends slightly, canvas stretcher frame bars tightening the canvas on the still earlier. Because canvas artwork will relax with time spent on stretchers, it is possible to go to a later date and further tightening keys into the cracks still deeply to tighten up the canvas a little more.
Frame stretchers are available in several different sizes very small enormous size used in the art galleries, great works of art.
In this article Susan speaks of the stretcher frames and frame chassis.
