- 1). Load your canvas into the feeding slot on the back of the printer.
- 2). Edit your digital image to the size of the stretched image you want. Don't exceed the width of the canvas. Generally, the maximum width that your printer can accept will determine the maximum size of your stretched artwork. Leave 2 inches on either side of the canvas to wrap around the stretchers.
- 3). Print out your image and cut it off the canvas. Leave 2 inches on each side for the wrap around the stretchers.
- 4). Assemble the stretchers by fully inserting the tabs into the slots on the corners to form a rectangle. The diagonal edges will touch when the bars are properly in place, and they will ensure the corners are square.
- 5). Lay your canvas print face down on a clean table or flat surface. Put a blanket down to protect the surface and give a soft cushion for the stapling. Place the assembled stretcher in the middle of the canvas, and leave equal amounts on all sides.
- 6). Begin in the center of one side, and just wrap the canvas around the stretcher and staple it to the back of the stretcher with one staple. Don't pull it yet, as there is nothing holding it on the other side.
- 7). Go to the side opposite the one you just stapled and pull gently but firmly as you wrap the canvas around the stretcher and staple it. Put a staple in the center of the two remaining sides in the same fashion, pulling the canvas gently taut and stapling.
- 8). Go back to the first side, and again pulling the canvas taut, put a staple on either side of the first staple. Continue this process, alternating sides and working your way out towards the corners, until you are 2 inches from the corner on all the sides.
- 9). Fold one corner as you would gift wrap, pull it around to the back of stretcher and staple it. Repeat for the other three corners. The artwork is now ready to hang, or you can continue working on it as a painting.
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