Thursday, September 23, 2010

waiting frames

I thought someone might be interested to see how I store pastel paintings that are waiting to be framed.

Paintings that are complete are attached at the top edge onto archival foam core, matted (with foam core spacer painted black along the window-edge) and glass is laid over the mat. Bubble wrap corners hold the whole thing together while the painting is waiting for the frame. Additional paintings that I either haven't gotten around to sandwiching, or am not sure I'm done painting on, hang from pants-hangers along a closet rod in the corner of my studio.

I have nine paintings here waiting for frames. The last time I framed a group of paintings was May of this year so I guess I frame about twice a year except for emergencies.

An example of an emergency is having a painting accepted into a show and then finding out that, with a mat around it, it exceeds the maximum size limit (a reminder to read the prospectus carefully). I had to reframe the painting without a mat which I would like to continue doing, but I can't seem to get used to the look of my work without a mat around it.

3 comments:

  1. Great idea! I never would have thought of the pants hangers...how ingenius!

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  2. I love the look of just a frame or a liner and frame on my pastels - similar to an oil - rather than a mat. I do still prefer a mat on smaller works, since they can feel crowded with just a frame,no mat - I think smaller pieces need some visual breathing room that is satisfied by a mat and thin frame, whereas medium to large works look very nice with a bigger frame alone.

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