No Wood. No Warp. No Worries!™
The design of the stretcher bar has remained unchanged for 500 years, since the time of the Renaissance artists like Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael—until now.
Whether You Paint Like Michelangelo or Picasso
You need to paint on the “latest and greatest” foundation to enhance your reputation as a professional painter. Choose the best — DrumTyght™ extruded aluminum stretcher bars invented by the artist, Stephen Hall. Learn MoreTop Ten Benefits For You
1. Reliability DrumTyght™ aluminum stretchers will not warp, ever. Stephen’s triangular design negates torsion or the twisting of the frame due to torque.
2. Enhances Your Reputation Drumtyght’s™ extruded aluminum material and design allows artists to enhance their professional credentials by using the most up-to-date and highest quality material for the foundation of their artwork.
3. Positioning Statement Enables professional artists to differentiate themselves from recreational artists and hobbyists who are painting on wooden stretcher bars.
4. No Corner or Cross Braces The triangular design eliminates twisting of the frame. No cross braces are needed for up to 20 feet in length. At the 20’ mark a connector bar will attach another 20’ or less.
5. Reusable Canvas can be removed and stretched again in the exact same position without any loss of image or canvas. Tacks and staples are not used to attach the canvas to the stretcher bar.
6. Firmer Painting Surface Canvas can be stretched tighter with more tension.
7. Less Storage Space Takes up less storage space since frame can be broken down quickly, with no damage to canvas which can be stored flat or rolled.
8. Cheaper to Ship Stretcher bar frame with canvas attached can be disassembled, shipped and easily assembled by the gallery or collector at the destination.
9. Environmentally Friendly DrumTyght™ stretchers are recyclable, sustainable and 100% made in USA.
10. Simplifies Making Your Own Canvas DrumTyght™ stretcher bars and canvas can be assembled in minutes using only a Phillips-head screwdriver and a kitchen spatula.
Bonus Benefit Your collectors will appreciate the quality painting foundation that matches the quality of your artwork.
Bonus Benefit DrumTyght™ Aluminum Stretcher Bars are designed to withstand the test of time and various environments once your painting is in the home of the collector.
Cross Section
Two screw bosses and flanges run the length of the bar to give it added strength thereby eliminating the need for bracing.
Corner Detail
The canvas is “gallery wrapped” around the frame with the canvas secured in the center groove of the bar.
Corner Folds
The canvas is folded at the corners on top and bottom rather than cut to fit like most imports of gallery wrapped canvases.
Full Frame
A completed 24″ x 48″ stretcher frame ready for the attachment of canvas.
Elements
With just 8 screws, 4 corner joiners and 4 stretcher bars, you can make a completed stretcher frame in less than 5 minutes.
Corner Joiner
In combination with the patented triangular design, my unique corner joiner negates torsion (the twisting of the frame due to torque).
Corner Joiner Detail
The joiner connects two stretcher bars, and the corner is then secured by two screws.
Attachment of Canvas
The canvas is attached without staples or tacks into the center groove of the triangular bar.
Invented: A Vastly Improved Canvas Stretcher Bar!
U.S. Patent No. 9,108,460 B2Inspired by the Egyptian pyramids at Giza.
ABOUT DRUMTYGHT STRETCHER BARS
Stephen Hall has reinvented the artist stretcher bar for canvas — in shape, strength, and simplicity. His extruded one-piece aluminum stretcher bar, trademarked as Drumtyght, is a groundbreaking triangular geometric profile shape. It is an effective, lightweight support requiring no bracing at any size or wooden components. Moreover, unlike wood, it will not warp under any environmental conditions. Additionally, artists can attach the canvas to the stretcher bar without staples or tacks, leaving no holes or tears in the canvas fabric. In other words, it’s a genuinely innovative concept.
Before creating Drumtyght, Stephen commissioned a marketing firm to survey artists’ satisfaction with current canvas products stretched over wooden stretcher bars. The target market was a nationwide sampling of fine art gallery owners and professional artists who make their primary living by painting on canvas. The target market reported frustration with currently available canvas products. In addition, the survey identified several inefficient and costly “remedies” in place to attempt to “fix” the problems created by traditional wooden stretcher bars. The survey concluded that a significant potential market exists for a superior artist canvas stretcher bar.
Regarding competition, a few American and European companies have attempted to develop an aluminum stretcher bar as an alternative to wood. However, their designs are complex and flawed, requiring multiple parts. They mimic the traditional wooden stretcher bar in a rectangular bar profile shape, which is weak in the corners, and follow the conventional method of using staples to attach the canvas by including wood as an integral part of the support, negating aluminum’s benefits, increasing product cost, and leaving the finished canvas susceptible to warping. Even with aluminum, they still have to brace the canvas, adding to the weight and production time.
ABOUT STEPHEN HALL
Art director, painter and inventor of the DrumTyght™ Aluminum Stretcher Bar.
Stephen’s creative career began as art director for Louisville Magazine designing Kentucky Derby layouts — including creating the cover illustration for the 100th running of the Derby. In his publishing career, he has redesigned and art directed numerous national and regional magazines.
To launch his painting career, he developed a five-year plan to make the transition from art director to artist. Three years into the plan, he was represented by a respected gallery, had his paintings shown in ARTNEWS magazine, among others, and several solo shows under his belt. However, Stephen became deeply disappointed with the poorly made brand-name professional canvases stretched over wood. So, he set out to invent a new and better canvas stretcher bar for the professional artist. The result of that challenging quest is the DrumTyght™ Aluminum Stretcher Bar.
Mini-Portfolio / Stephen Hall
All work is acrylic on Arches Watercolor Paper. Stephen stopped painting on canvas due to the constant warping and general unreliability of professional level canvases stretched over wood. He can’t wait for DrumTyght to go into production so that he can paint once again on canvas.
Edge of the Word
Ironwood
Wellspring
Esau
Evolute
Red Sky
Red Sea
Conflagration
Swimming With Snakes
The Struggle
The Son Within
Tsunami of the Spirit
Contact Us About DrumTyght
If you have any questions or comments, we would like to hear from you. Has Stephen's design met all of your needs? See the Top Ten Benefits to painters.Contact Us
You may get in touch with us through this contact form,
or direct to:
Mike O’Shea, Patent Attorney, Washington DC, 202-262-4927