68x86 Elite Professional Shasta Deluxe Cotton 1-1/2" Deep #EH-6886

True Palindromic Proportion - 68x86 Size

This interesting palindromic 68x86 size is not based on any specific proportion, but this one is based on the 43:34 ratio.

The Palindromic Series of canvas sizes challenges artists to explore the potential of symmetrical shapes in their work. This series is characterized by sizes that read the same forwards and backwards, such as 12x21 and 34x43. Unlike other canvas sizes, there is no actual proportion that defines these shapes, thereby creating a sense of wonder and a challenge for artists to push the boundaries of their compositions. In fact, the very symmetry of the palindromic shape can add an extra layer of intrigue and mystery to the composition, prompting viewers to question the artist's intentions and the underlying meaning of the piece.

While the use of palindromic shapes in art is not new, it continues to be a source of fascination and inspiration for many contemporary artists. These shapes can be used in a variety of ways, depending on the artist's style and vision. Some artists use palindromic shapes as a focal point, while others incorporate them into the background or use them as a pattern on the canvas. The use of palindromes can also serve as a nod to linguistic and literary elements, as they are often used in wordplay and puzzles. This reference can add a layer of meaning to the artwork, making it more engaging for viewers who appreciate the subtleties of language and symbolism.

Explore other sizes in this same 43:34 aspect ratio:

13x31 • 14x41 • 15x51 • 16x61 • 17x71 • 18x81 • 19x25 • 19x91 • 23x32 • 24x42 • 25x52 • 26x62 • 27x72 • 28x82 • 29x92 • 34x43 • 35x53 • 36x63 • 37x73 • 38x83 • 39x93 • 46x64 • 47x74 • 48x84 • 49x94 • 56x65 • 57x75 • 58x85 • 59x95 • 67x76 • 69x96 • 78x87

Explore Related Products to this 68x86 Size:

• Acrylic Primed Linen Elite™: Grenoble™ • Pau™
• Oil Primed Linen Elite™: Isola™ • Poitiers™

Vegan Ground:

There are no animal products that make-up the sizing and the primer for this fine canvas. Historically, traditional canvas grounds have included egg tempura, pigments with cow urine, and of course, rabbit skin glue. In today's rapidly advancing world, there are many more choices available for artists who prefer non-animal based products that perform far better than their animal-based predecessors.

Shasta™ 20 oz Acrylic Primed Cotton

Deluxe Heavy Weight Cotton. Super strong yet has a medium supple feel.

• 100% Cotton 14.5 oz; Primed Weight 20 oz per square yard
• Extra Heavy Weight, Strong Weave, Medium Texture
• Sized and Triple Primed with acid-free archival quality acrylic gesso
• Impenetrable ground prevents oil paint from leaching through and harming the canvas
• For acrylics, oils, alkyds, and water miscible oil paints

Titanium Dioxide (TiO₂) Primer Pigment

Our primer is made with the highest-quality Titanium Dioxide white pigment, which is an excellent pigment for acrylic primed grounds, providing superior whiteness and maintaining excellent flexibility over time. Unlike some other common pigments, such as zinc dioxide, TiO₂ doesn't become brittle as it ages, helping to ensure that your painting will stand the test of time.

68x86 Frame Kit B2 Super Heavy Frame Offers the Ultimate Canvas Support!

• Drawing depicts the exact frame construction, not the proportion
• Precision Machined keyable Super Strong Stretcher Bars (1.5" deep by 2-1/4" wide) allow you to increase the canvas tension
• Each corner has a diagonal oriented Diamond Brace that interlocks with the Stretcher Bars and superior support and rigidity to help keep the frame square
• Three Super Strong Keyable Braces and Two Cross Braces Included (3/4" x 3.25")
• The Bars have a clever utility groove on the inside perimeter of the frame to attach the cross braces and Diamond Braces
• Unique Keyable Cross Braces allow you to tension the canvas in the middle, where it's needed the most
• Cross braces are glued and stapled at the 'cross' for maximum support and rigidity
• Both corner keys and brace keys are pre-installed

Elite™ Professional 1.5" Deep B2 Bar • 1/2" Canvas Clearance

A Canvas Clearance of 1/2" is the space between the Bar and the canvas. Generally speaking, more clearance reduces the risk of the canvas touching the wood and creating unsightly lines during painting. Our design provides the optimal clearance so as not to impact your painting, but still leaving enough wood to the maximize strength of the Stretcher Bar.

No Finger Joints!

Solid Wood is far superior to finger jointed wood, which is many small pieces glued together, each with varying grain densities that absorb and shed moisture at varying rates, expanding and contracting non-uniformly as environmental conditions change, and causing the wood to bow and the finger joints to eventually fail.

A single homogeneous kiln-dried solid wood Stretcher Bar outperforms and outlasts a finger jointed Bar whose sole purpose is to save the manufacturer cost, not contribute to the archival value of artwork intended to last a millennium. As a manufacturer, Masterpiece® does its part to conserve as much wood as possible, and still provide a quality product that will out-perform any other in the marketplace.

Cross Braces Make it Tighter

A tightly stretched canvas on an un-braced frame overpowers the Stretcher Bars causing them to bow inward and thereby lose tension. Sometimes that bow can expose a space in picture frames.

When we stretch a canvas on a properly supported frame, the cross-braces prevent the Bars from bowing thereby achieving maximum canvas tension. To increase the canvas tension even more, simply tap the corner and brace keys further in their slots. Properly supported frames provide you with the control over the canvas tension of your canvas and painting.

Sustainable Forests - A Precious Natural Resource

The air that we breathe depends upon our healthy forests the world over. For this reason, we only use lumber from the sustainable forests of the Pacific Northwest, so we can guarantee that our nation's precious natural timber resources are available for future generations.

Specially Dried and Heat Treated Lumber

We source our wood from a select group of top-tier environmentally conscious lumber mills in the Pacific Northwest. These mills specially dry and heat-treat the lumber to our specifications, resulting in about half the moisture content compared to wood from typical home improvement centers or lumber yards. This process makes the wood stronger, reducing the likelihood of cracking, splitting, or warping. While the wood we use comes at a higher cost, it ensures a more dimensionally stable end product. This stability is crucial for crafting fine professional canvases that support your invaluable art over time.

Canvas Tension is in Your Control

In dry climates or air conditioned environments, the lack of moisture in the air causes wood frames to shrink and the canvas fibers to narrow and elongate making the canvas more slack and resulting in a loss of canvas tension. In some instances, the canvas could have waves on the surface resulting in an unsightly viewing experience.

Our Elite™ professional frames provide the functionality for you to slightly expand the size of the frame in the corners and the middle of the canvas, thereby increasing canvas tension all across the surface. The difference between a loose canvas and a tight canvas is just 1/8" of an inch, so a small adjustment using our corner and brace keys makes an important difference in canvas tension.

• Helps to prevent waves that occur in a loose canvas
• Increase canvas tension by tapping-in the corner and brace keys
• True professional class canvases make it possible for you to adjust the canvas tension

MuseumWrap™ Stretching Technique

With more than a half a century of American engineering, Masterpiece® designs and builds its own proprietary stretching equipment that enables us to produce the finest and most tightly-stretched canvas on the market.

• Drum-tight stretch!
• Up to 50% tighter than other methods
• Balanced tension across the surface
• Uncut folded corners make it possible to remove and re-stretch canvas on the same size frame
• Usually the corner folds are on the long sides

Tight'n'Up™ Liquid Canvas Retensioner

While all of our Masterpiece® Pro canvases are stretched very tightly and our frames have a built-in method to increase tension, we have another method to add canvas tension. Tight'n'Up™ Liquid Canvas Retensioner (sold separately) can be sprayed on the back of a canvas to repair most canvas tension issues.

With Tight'n'Up™, you can add tension to just a small area, or a large area. Simply spray it lightly on the back and brush it into the canvas, and within seconds, your canvas becomes tighter and stays tighter. The more you use, the tighter it gets.

Masterpiece® has been producing the finest artist canvas in North America since 1965. Artist Canvas is one of the very few products you can buy, and with your precious time, talent, and materials transform it into a work of art that could one day be worth a fortune. Don't skimp on your material choices, because your legacy and your own brand will be judged by how well your artwork stands the test of time.

The sun penetrates the openings of architecture and sculpture. ♦ Robert Delaunay

Robert Delaunay's deep connection with light and color made him a beacon in the world of abstract art. His observation about the sun's interaction with architectural forms and sculptures is both a literal and metaphorical representation of his artistic beliefs. Delaunay wasn't just referring to the physical play of light and shadow, but also to the dynamic interplay of ideas, inspiration, and innovation in art.

In the realm of artistry, we understand that our creations aren't just standalone pieces, but are part of an intricate dance with the world around them. The way light cascades, illuminates, or is obstructed, has the power to alter perceptions, evoke emotions, and even change narratives. Just as Delaunay saw the transformative power of the sun, we too recognize that external influencesÑwhether it's the environment, personal experiences, or societal shiftsÑimbue our art with deeper meaning. Through our works, we too can capture those fleeting moments of brilliance and reinterpret them for our audience, offering them a fresh perspective on the familiar.

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We curated this empowering quote with some context and hope you find it insightful, plus we created this unique portrait of Robert Delaunay to make it a bit more intriguing. Now get to work on your own!