How do you repair a small canvas tear?

Rats, accidents happen... I make a small 1/4 inch tear in my canvas which I am still in the process of painting. Fortunately, the tear is in an area where I can put a thick coat over and hence get an invisible result on the painting surface. However, at the back, I use electrical tape to seal the slit. It seems okay but are there side effects... like the glue turning yellow with age and seeping to the surface? Is there a more professional repair method that is better and more invisible?

Regards,

Been there, done that, John. In my case, the canvas caught a 2' rip dead center of a finished work. I turned it face down on a table with a carpet pad and a piece of plastic sheeting, cut another piece of canvas about 2x4 inches, coated both the torn area on the back of canvas and the scrap with acrylic modeling paste and weighed it down. The paste will seep through to the plastic in the front since the slit won't close completely. Once dry, I was able to touch up the front and even I can't tell where the rip was.

Now, if you're painting in oil, same trick should work, just be sure to wipe as much of the modeling paste off the front as possible.

Uhhh... I have both and probably meant gel medium... the heavy kind. MP would work in a pinch, I imagine, probably any thick latex based paint, for that matter. Gel medium would dry clear and be the best choice. However, I would still use a patch of canvas (or lighter weight fabric) on the back even with a tear as small as 1/4'. The canvas could conceivably shrink further, causing the tear to be vulnerable. Just my personal paranoia.

No no! Don't use electrical tape! Cut another piece of canvas, a rounded shape is better than square, then adhere it to the back with acrylic medium. It will last forever, and won't show. By the way, the reason I know this is that a painter friend of mine (with a 30 year painting history) told me - and I recently had to use the method myself. Good luck!

Thanks people for your advice people.