How to create stage by stage a miniature canvas for oil paintings.

I personally like to diversify between large and miniature paintings, I find working on miniatures has been very beneficial in helping me indirectly with all my art endeavours — for they empower you to visualise and observe your subjects more meticulously, I’ve also learnt to be more patient as you’re forced to concentrate on every minute detail.

Every year before covid-19 inexplicably changed everything I would exhibit my miniatures at the Royal Society of miniature painters, sculptures and gravers (RMS) annual exhibition. 

As the foremost miniature society in the world the RMS always maintains a high standard across all disciplines as modern miniatures now encompass many genres from landscapes to portraiture and in equally diverse mediums from sculpture to the traditional watercolour on ivorine. 

As I prefer to work in oil paint I found it very difficult to find a miniature canvas that has been properly stretched and primed — eventually I resorted to simply making my own.

      

     

     Materials

• Balsa Wood
• Medium grain Canvas
• Super Glue
• Staple Gun
• Nt-Cutter
• Sand paper
• Daler-Rowney Gesso Primer

  Stage 1

   

I start by cutting strips of balsa wood with an Nt-cutter to my desired length, 10cm x 8cm. At the ends I carve a wedge shape and super glue the pieces together to form a stretcher frame. I have to be very careful to be accurate as the glue is very unforgiving and will stick immediately. 

For the more proficient woodworker you might like to challenge yourself and create some miniature joints — personally as the stretcher frame is so small I don’t think it’s really necessary.

  Stage 2

   

To add strength and rigidity I cut a flat strip of balsa wood that you can buy at any art shop and glue it to the top of the frame. 

  Stage 3

After sanding down everything square I then stretch a medium weave canvas over the frame and staple it tightly and securely. I use staples this time, as glue would eventually rot the canvas.

   Stage 4

The final stage is to size and prime the canvas. I use a dry rabbit skin glue mixed with heated water to size, once this has dried I then apply a Daler-Rowney Gesso primer which I apply very thickly, allowing it to dry — I repeat this process of priming a few times and then arduously sand it down until it’s perfectly smooth. I now have a workable miniature canvas to the right dimensions.

                   (Iain has not been endorsed by any company to promote their products during these Stage by Stage demonstrations)