How to PVA Size a Large Canvas

Hello, I am Steve Foreman a Professional Fine Artist and I will teach you "How to use Gamblin PVA Size Fine Arts Oil Paintings or Acrylic Paintings.
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Most painters will agree that there's nothing like painting on canvas. But pre-stretched and primed canvases can be expensive, which means that all too often we keep our canvases for 'good' paintings. By stretching your own canvas, you can not only save money but get something you're willing to experiment on. You also get a canvas that's exactly the size you're after.
Supplies Needed for PVA Sizing a Paint Canvas. You'll need the following supplies from an art store:
A length of canvas (unprimed). The canvas should be stretched already.
Look for my tutorial on how to stretch a canvas.
Gamblin PVA Size
A Large Bristle Brush
A Bowl
Four Push Pins
Two 8 inch pieces of 2 by 4
A plastic Tarp to protect your tabletop
Steps for Stretching Your Own Canvas
1.) Lay your protect tarp to cover the tabletop
2.) Place two pieces of two by four so that the edges of the canvas and sit upon them.
3.) Place the stretched canvas so that it lays bottom up on the two by fours
4.) Shake the PVA Size Bottle well before opening it.
5.) Pour some PVA Size into a bowl.
6.) Using a bristle brush, brush on the PVA to the Bottom first, then the sides of the Canvas. Allow the PVA Size to soak deeply into the Canvas covering thoroughly the bottom and sides.
7.) On each corner for the Canvas Push a Push Pin Securely into the wood. These push pins will act as cleats to keep the painting for sitting directly on the tabletop.
8.) Flip the Canvas over with the top side facing up and sit the canvas on the push pin supports.
9.) Evenly paint the Gamblin PVA Size on the Top Side making sure you cover the surface completely. Paint north to south and east to west until the coverage is thorough even and consistent.
10.) Allow the first coat to dry for 4 to 12 hours or until it is dry to the tough.
11.) Repeat Steps 1 through 10 to apply a second, third or fourth coat.
Once your canvas is sized now you can paint in Gamblin Oil Ground. I usually do two coats of ground. Look for my Tutorial on How to apply Gamblin Oil Ground.
Happy Painting.

[@grekori748]

Hello Steve. First I want to thank you for this great informative video you made sharing your knowledge with us.
But I always thought stretching the canvas comes fist, then PVA Sizing (2-3 coats) and then the ground. Maybe you went over all that, and didn't pay attention. But then how could I with all that great paintings in your studio. Of course I never painted that large, My largest paintings are 4 feet by 4 feet and I never used PVA. I just added acrylic Gesso directly on Canvas after Stretching and it works fine.

[@Stevie2014]

I found that when stretching the canvas first when I use Gamblin PVA Size that the canvas begins to sag and loosen up. And the original stretch and tightness is lost, so you can stretch the canvas first, but you’re probably gonna have to unfastened some of the staples (usually long, top and side of the canvas) and restretch again after the sizes sets up. I have found with very large canvases if you are a strong person, and I consider myself fairly strong; however, you can get pretty satisfactory results by sizing in the canvas 1st and then use a lot of muscle to stretch the sized canvas and then to add the oil ground layers last after stretching a sized canvas that is already completely set up cured and dry

[@elizabethandiosa4579]

😇🙏🙏❣❣❣💥😊 Thank you so much. You have given some really excellent information about protecting and prepping canvases. I came across the information about gambling grounds and golden pva pvc size when I was researchng different types of oil paints mainly manufactured in the west. I am just getting back into oil paints and the research that's been done about protecting surfaces from moisture absorption etc is fascinating. I am so subscribing to your channel. Your vibe is so warm and cool. Will be checking out your other channel down the road.

[@vnnvideo9023]

Love to see more inspirational videos like this , thank you

[@Stevie2014]

Thank you very much. if you have any request that you would like to see let me know. :)

[@Stevie2014]

Thank you 👨🏽‍🎨🎨🖼😊I am happy to hear this 🥰

[@silkend]

When your canvas got saggy after putting on the 2 layers of ground - how many days did it take to get saggy after the ground was applied? And did it even *start* to get saggy after the 1st coat of ground - if so, how much time passed before that part started to happen? Or was it really only after the 2nd coat of ground? Thank you for posting this!! It's hard to find process videos for extra large canvas stuff.

[@Stevie2014]

It started to get saggy during and after the first coat of PVA Size. I took the staple lose and stretched the saggy out then re-stapled. I applied the seconds coat and allowed it to totally cure. And the canvas was tight enough. Though not as tight as o can get it doing my acrylic gesso ground. When I applied the oil ground layers later, I experienced a bit of loosening which tightened back up when it was fully cured after about a week or so. But I sometimes have to re-stretch again after all oil ground layers are added.

[@susanallen9849]

Hi, what exact brand of PVA size are you using? Many thanks.

[@thomasrainbow]

He's using Gamblin PVA size

[@dlombard]

You say "PVC size" every time instead of PVA size. You might want to annotate the correction.

[@Stevie2014]

😂🤣😂🤣Sorry, I was earlier doing plumbing where I ran 140 foot of pvc pipe from my swimming pool pump to the curb of my property. So I had PVC on my brain. I meant to say PVA Size. (PVA = Poly Vinyl Acetate)

[@savetheanimalsss5529]

@@Stevie2014 lol you’re good people are just picky and annoying asf. We understood what u meant ❤️ very informative video regardless!

[@DanaMariedotorg]

@@savetheanimalsss5529 I know right! He said poly vinyl acetate several times. I thought it was a very informative video and trust his advice. Thanks

[@thomasrainbow]

I kinda like the "PVC" sizing it's funny and endearing :)