Whether you’re an experienced artist or a paint-by-number enthusiast, the canvas is a major part of your project. To bring your masterpiece to life, you’ll have to make sure that your canvas is high-quality and free from wrinkles. Yet, sometimes, you can’t help but find a few annoying creases here and there, which begs an important question. Can you iron canvas to reduce wrinkles?
In this article, we’ll do our best to answer your question and share a few related tips with you.
Let’s dive in!
Contents
Can You Iron Canvas to Reduce Wrinkles?
Fortunately, the short answer is yes!
However, before you start celebrating, you should know that there are a few directions you should follow to use an iron on a canvas. For instance, if you’re using paint by numbers canvas, we don’t recommend that you spray it with water.
Wondering why? We’ll get to that soon enough, but only after we discuss what causes those creases in the first place.
What Causes Wrinkles in a Painting Canvas?
Simply enough, you can’t avoid wrinkles on canvas, especially in the case of paint by numbers canvas. Here, wrinkles are pretty common because of the processes of printing numbers and lines on the canvas surface.
Yes, most manufacturers sell their canvas rolled up to minimize the formation of creases as much as possible. However, nothing is perfect, right?
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Now, what’s the right way to iron a painting canvas?
Let’s find out in the following section.
Foolproof Tips on How You Can Iron Canvas to Get Rid of Wrinkles
Using the tips below, you shouldn’t face a problem with wrinkled canvases anymore.
1. Use Your Iron on High With No Steam
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Because canvas is made of a blend of cotton or linen and PVC, using an iron on high to reduce wrinkles is always a good idea. It’s quite similar to ironing your favorite cotton tee.
However, unlike any of your garments, you shouldn’t use any steam to get rid of wrinkles on a paint by number canvas. If you do so, you might erase all the numbers and lines that you’ll need for guidance.
Yet, if you wish to remove unwanted creases from your normal painting canvas, you can use the steam just fine.
2. Refrain From Spraying Water
This tip goes without saying since it’s almost the same as using steam while ironing your canvas. Spraying even the littlest bit of water can cause the printed ink to disappear.
Of course, this defies the whole purpose of a paint by numbers canvas.
3. Iron Your Canvas Face-Down
Another helpful trick is to press your iron firmly on the canvas while facing down. This way, you should get a smooth surface in a few minutes.
Also, this is to ensure that you don’t accidentally smudge any lines or numbers, which could be quite messy. The reason behind this is that canvas isn’t totally compatible with ink the way they are with paint.
Therefore, it’s your best bet to avoid direct contact with a hot iron.
4. Be Careful With the Iron
It’s always a good idea to be extra cautious with your iron. What we mean here is that you shouldn’t leave it pressed to one area of your canvas for too long. Of course, doing this might lead to scorch marks that you definitely wouldn’t want.
Instead, keep the iron on the move, directing it in gentle but firm motions until the wrinkles are no more.
5. Try to Stretch Out Your Canvas
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The tighter you’re able to stretch your canvas, the easier it should be to iron the wrinkles away from it. You can use tape to stick the canvas corners to the flat surface of a table.
Even better, ticks might be a more effective alternative to tape.
6. Introduce a Damp Cloth to the Equation
If the canvas is resistant to all your ironing attempts, you can always use a fine mister carefully. However, a mister might not be available, so there has to be another way to use the advantage of the water.
Simply, lay the canvas on its face, put a damp cloth on its back, and start ironing with confidence!
Is There a Way to Flatten My Canvas Without Ironing?
The short answer is yes. There’s another, even easier way to get rid of some creases in your canvas. However, this method might not be as thorough as using an iron.
You can always try to stretch and roll your canvas until the creases go away. Here’s how to do this the right way.
- Place your canvas face-down on a clean, flat surface
- Mist the back of the canvas with water using a very fine mister
- Stretch out the canvas gently to remove any wrinkles by hand
- Use a rolling pin to roll the canvas flat, applying some pressure
- Leave the paint by numbers canvas to dry
- The wrinkles should be gone when it’s completely dried out
As we mentioned earlier, most paint by numbers canvases already come rolled up. However, they might still develop creases due to distribution, shipping, and improper storage.
Once you bring a new paint-by-numbers kit home, the best thing you can do is to take out the canvas and unroll it. Then, stretch it taut over a wooden frame to store it for later use.
What If My Painted Canvas Develops Creases?
Some artists might face this annoying problem with finished pieces, especially if they’d applied multiple layers of paint. Also, if the canvas isn’t stretched out completely while you’re painting, it might develop creases that you’ll notice when you’re done.
Is there any hope to fix this?
Luckily, we have a few solutions that you could try.
Try Wetting the Back
Of course, it can be challenging to try to stretch out a painted canvas. However, if you’re careful enough, you can reduce wrinkles a great deal.
First, find a clean surface that you can lay the canvas face-down upon. Make sure that this table or counter is dry because any water or moisture could easily smudge the painting.
Next, spray a fine mist on the canvas back, stretching it slowly and carefully while applying some pressure. When you’re done working on the whole thing, leave it to dry.
Any stubborn wrinkles should disappear as the canvas dries.
Use Stretcher Bars
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Artists often use stretcher bars to flatten their canvases on frames. These using a stretcher bar should help you reduce the creases that might have formed on a finished piece.
As a beginner, you may find this a bit tricky. Still, using a stretcher bar will become easier for you after a few attempts.
Add a Layer of Paint to the Canvas Back
Here’s a creative tip that you might find handy.
The reason why a finished painting tends to crease is that the layers of paint keep pulling on its surface as they dry. Therefore, by applying some paint on its back, you could reach some balance.
Wrapping Up – Can you iron canvas
Can you iron painting canvas to reduce wrinkles?
You’re lucky enough that the answer is yes!
However, you should remember that this technique requires you to be careful not to erase the numbers and lines. By following the tips that we’ve discussed, your canvas should soon become free of wrinkles and ready for you to create your masterpiece.
Ledgebay NEVER folds the canvas!
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