When I started working with resin and alcohol inks I found that canvases weren't always the best surface to use; pouring resin on canvases would make them sag and dip in the centre and inks would sink into the canvas itself, losing the effect I wanted to achieve. My first attempt to solve this consisted of stretching and stapling yupo paper around a wooden frame as you would with a canvas cotton roll, but given the rigidity of the paper it formed creases and was only loosely wrapped around the frame. After this I opted to try constructing my own cradled wood panels. Here's a list of items I used to make my 1.22m cradled wood panels:
Plywood sheets (I used 9mm thick 2.4x1.22m sheets, this can be changed to suit your measurements).
Timber (18mm x 44mm x 2.4m)
Circular saw & single bevel mitre saw - other variations of saws could be used.
Carpenter's square or other 90 degree squared edge.
'D4 Premium Wood Adhesive' or alternative.
V-nails and panel pins.
Clamps.
Wood filler for any holes, knotting solution for knots and sandpaper.
Steps:
Cut the 9mm thick plywood sheets to your desired size using a circular saw and sand to get a smoother grain edge.
Use the single bevel mitre saw to cut four lengths of timber (I chose timber for the frame as it was stronger and a nicer finish than plywood) ensuring each side is angled so that the frame will securely slot together at a 90 degree angle.
Assemble the timber frame by putting the pieces flush into the corner of a Carpenter's Square (or other frame) to make sure the panel will be completely square when secured, glue timber with a wood adhesive and secure with three ‘V-nails’ in each corner (two on the under side and one on the upper for extra strength in the joints.
Apply adhesive to the top of your timber frame and set your plywood sheet in place on top - I then put panel pins in each corner and the middle of each side of the plywood sheet for extra security.
Clamp the edges of your wood panels and add pressure for 24 hours to allow your wood to properly bond.
After giving your panel time to adhere, sand down any rough areas in the same direction as the grain to remove any splintering and fill in any holes and coat knots in knotting solution.
Finally, prime and get painting!
This piece was actually made on my first cradled wood panel - the panel gave me the opportunity to create much larger scale alcohol ink paintings by mounting yupo paper onto it.
I hope this tutorial has been helpful - if you found it useful, give it a like!