How to Make Stretcher Frames for a Silk Painting
Painting on silk requires the use of a stretcher frame. Fabric that is not stretched taut can wrinkle or move as it's being painted. It could also droop and cause the paint colors to run or pool in one spot. The size of the stretcher frame depends on the size of the silk. The frame needs to be at least 2 inches larger than the fabric on all sides so the fabric doesn't touch the frame.
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Things You'll Need
- 2-by-2-inch soft wood
- Measuring tape
- Marker
- Saw
- Glue
- Screw driver
- Screws
- 4 right-angle braces
- Pushpins
- Rubber bands
- Safety pins
Instructions
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Measure the silk you are painting. If your frame will be 2 inches larger than the silk, add 4 inches to the dimensions. Measure, mark and cut the wood to those dimensions. Glue the ends of the wood pieces, and assemble into a rectangular frame. Screw a right-angle brace into each inside corner of the frame.
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Place pushpins in the wood at each corner. Put a pin along each edge every 4 inches around the whole frame. Stagger the pins so they are not directly across from another pin.
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Hook a safety pin on the end of each rubber band, without piercing the rubber. Make one rubber band for each pushpin. When you are ready to stretch the silk, place a safety pin in the silk, and loop the rubber band over a pushpin. Start on the corners, and then work from the middle out, attaching the silk to the frame. Do not stretch the silk too tight, or it may tear. Do not stretch it loosely, or it may droop. If you need to adjust the tautness of your fabric, change the size of your rubber bands or move the pins farther out or farther in on the frame.
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Tips & Warnings
Use a picture frame for a ready-made alternative if you are working with small silk pieces.
References
- Photo Credit PhotoObjects.net/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
