18" Monet Pro Stretcher 2-Bars 1-CrossBrace Kit 1-1/2" Deep #MK-18

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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.

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 Monet™ Pro 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

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 a canvas is stretched 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.

Sustainability Fights Against Climate-Change

Sustainable forestry practices are an important tool in the fight against climate change. By using lumber from sustainably managed forests in our products, we can help to reduce the carbon footprint of our business and support the health of the planet. It's a win-win for everyone involved.

Canvas Size Needed for this Stretcher Bar

Most artists will stretch the canvas and attach the staples or tacks onto the back side of the frame. Doing so allows you to paint on the edge and hang your art without needed a picture frame. Generally speaking, you should allow 6 Inches of canvas beyond the size of your frame.

For example, if you were to stretch a 18x40 frame size, which happens to be a √5:1 Dynamic Root-5 Rectangle aspect ratio size, your canvas should be about 24 x 46. This allows you ample room to stretch and attach the canvas on the back. Should you ever need to remove the canvas from the frame and re-attach it, it still serves that purpose too. Should you want to attach the canvas from the edge of the stretcher frame, then you can reduce the size of your canvas about 3/4" all the way around the frame.

From the heart of California, Masterpiece® has been weaving a legacy since 1965, curating the best Stretcher Bars North America has witnessed. Our unwavering dedication to quality and innovation has cast us in the limelight as the trendsetting stalwarts in the realm of fine-art canvases. The patents we hold are not just certificates but validations of our pursuit of perfection. Engage with our creations and feel the promise of unmatched quality, a promise that resonates with your clients and every future beholder of your masterpiece.

When the color achieves richness, the form attains its fullness. ♦ Robert Delaunay

Delving into the world of Robert Delaunay reveals an artist profoundly attuned to the interplay between color and form. His observations, rooted in the Orphism movement's essence, extended beyond the canvas, echoing profound insights into life and artistic expression. Color, in Delaunay's perspective, wasn't merely a visual element; it was a potent tool to convey depth, emotion, and vibrancy.

In our path as artists, we too recognize that the strength of our work often lies in the harmony of its elements. Just as a symphony is hollow without its individual notes, a piece of art feels incomplete without the right blend of color and form. Delaunay's wisdom invites us to contemplate the richness of our choices, to understand that when we give due attention to one aspect, another naturally reaches its zenith. It's a dance, a balance, and as we navigate our art careers, we are continually reminded of the intricate relationship between the tools at our disposal and the stories we aim to tell.

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Creativity is the heart of what we both do. So we've curated this empowering quote and some background. And, in our own act of creation, we provide this unique portrayal we made of Robert Delaunay.