18x42 3D Pro 3.5" Deep K3 Stretcher Frame Kit

True 7:3 Extended Domino Proportion - 18x42 Size

This 18x42 is a unique Masterpiece size and 7:3 Extended Domino aspect ratio.

The 7:3 aspect ratio brings a bold and dramatic horizontal stretch, perfect for wide compositions that need to feel expansive and open. This format pulls the eye across the canvas, making it ideal for landscapes, cityscapes, or any scene where horizontal flow is essential. The narrow vertical space adds a layer of complexity, requiring careful use of vertical elements to maintain balance without overwhelming the composition.

There’s a natural tension in this ratio. The wide format invites exploration of the edges, creating a sense of openness, while the limited height keeps the scene intimate and controlled. It’s a format that encourages you to emphasize sweeping gestures, long vistas, or minimalist abstractions. It's great for conveying motion, distance, or the vastness of a scene, all within a strikingly sleek frame.

Explore other sizes in this same 7:3 aspect ratio:

12x28 • 15x35 • 21x49 • 24x56 • 27x63 • 30x70 • 33x77 • 36x84 • 39x91 • 42x98 • 45x105 • 48x112 • 51x119

3D™ Pro 3.5 Stretcher Bar • 1/2" Canvas Clearance

1/2" Canvas Clearance 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.

• Produces a 3.5" deep stretched canvas (Actual depth is slightly thinner)
• 1.25" wide Stretcher Bar
• All Bars have an exclusive groove on the inside perimeter of the frame to which cross braces and Diamond Corner Braces attach
• Solid Ponderosa Pine or Fir from the Pacific Northwest

Solid Wood is Archival - Finger Jointed Wood is Not

We only use Solid Wood to build our Stretcher Bars because a solid piece of wood will last indefinitely. When we speak of archival value, it's not just the paint you use and the quality of your canvas and ground, even the wood choices manufacturers make are part of the archival process.

The principal reason manufactures use finger jointed wood is reduce cost, not increase archival value. Wood constantly grows and shrinks when the environment becomes hotter, or colder, or more humid, or more dry. Because finger jointed wood is made-up of multiple and varied pieces of wood, with varying grain patterns and densities, they each absorb and shed moisture at varying rates, which works on the glue joints that hold them together, causing the wood to bow and the joints to eventually fail, and certainly not consistent with increasing the archival value of your artwork frame support.

As a manufacturer, we do our part to conserve as much wood as possible, and still provide a quality made product that will out-perform any other in the marketplace.

• Super strong 3D™ Pro K3™ Stretcher Bar is a very popular among contemporary artists whose painting will be displayed without a frame.
• For this 18x42 large size frame, the frame provides the ultimate foundation for your art with increased strength and stability
• Provides a 3.5" deep stretched canvas which makes a bold and commanding display
• 1-1/4" wide Stretcher Bars
• All Bars have an exclusive groove on the inside perimeter of the frame to which cross braces and Diamond Corner Braces attach
• Solid Ponderosa Pine or Fir from the Pacific Northwest

Sustainably Managed Forests Purify the Air

Our forests purify the air by filtering nearly 40% of the fossil fuel emissions humans create, and are critical to reducing global warming. More trees are needed on this planet, not fewer, for our own healthy human survival. Therefore, we use lumber grown in responsibly managed forests, so future generations can benefit from our responsible actions today.

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.

28x52 is the Canvas Size Needed for this 18x42 Frame

Please note that you will need a canvas that is at least 10 Inches larger than the actual frame size to ensure proper stretching. This will provide ample material to stretch the canvas and attach it to the back of the frame. If you prefer to attach the canvas from the edge of the stretcher frame, you can reduce the size of your canvas by approximately 3/4" all the way around the frame. This will allow you to paint on the edge of the canvas and hang your artwork without needing a separate picture frame. And, if you ever need to remove the canvas from the frame and re-attach it, you'll have enough material to do that too.

With deep family ties and a legacy spanning since 1965 in California, Masterpiece® has been the epitome of unmatched quality in Stretcher Bars across North America. Our commitment to pioneering excellence has crowned us as the forerunners in the world of professional fine-art canvases. Bolstered by our patented innovations, our products exude a caliber that's in a league of its own. One touch, and the unparalleled quality becomes palpable, leaving an indelible impression on your clients and all future admirers of your art.

Exaggerate the essential, leave the obvious vague. ♦ Vincent Van Gogh

The impassioned strokes of Vincent Van Gogh's brush, vibrant hues, and the swirling night skies of his canvases are a testament to a soul that felt deeply and saw the world differently. Few artists have managed to capture emotion and turbulence quite like he did, making the unseen, seen.

For artists, our canvases, papers, or whatever medium we employ, are not just tools; they're stages. It's where the essential takes the spotlight, and the mundane fades into the backdrop. Van Gogh reminds us that by emphasizing what truly matters, the heart of our message rings clear. When we artists focus on the essence, it's like turning up the volume on a song's most poignant lyric, letting it echo and resonate. And as for the obvious? Well, sometimes it's more fun to let our audience fill in the blanks with their own brushstrokes of imagination. After all, isn't the allure of mystery what keeps us coming back for more?

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Every artist thrives on inspiration. So we've offer this insightful quote with a uniquely crafted portrait of Vincent Van Gogh. May this story invigorate your creativity! Start painting!