Really informative video on framing pastels. I would be very interested in watching your next video on aesthetics in relation to frame choice. Thanks for the time you put into educating people.
You are absolutely correct about the relationship between artist and framer. My favorite person ,a lovely woman named Zoriada, framed many of my pastel paintings. She worked her magic as I went to her befuddled. Then the company got bought by a major corporation and she was fired. But you are so right in needing to find the right person to do this.
Would love to see a video as you mentioned showing pastel that has been partially fixed (say half no fixative and half fixative used), so that I can learn more about how best to preserve the artwork when taking it to a framer, and the end result after framing. Thanks for a very informative video!
I was one of those artist that hated the effect that fixative caused. For it is the softness that is pastel's advantage over paint.I also had learned framing and framed all my work and other students in the studio as well. So I always did a light fixative. As he mentions, it will only partially fix the most outer layers. So 10 years later I was demounting and cleaning all my hung works. At that point I shot them with several coats of fixative. With exception of portraits, because I could not force myself to mess up the unique softness of skin that pastel so brilliantly exceeds in creating. I wish I could have learned framing to the degree of this professional framer. Great framers are very expensive, if you can even find one in your area today.
This is a fantastic video... extremely helpful. I’ve been painting for 2 years doing hundreds of paintings... and haven’t framed a single one because of the hassle and expense of it.
Great video. I do want to mention one thing. When you talked about foam core vs cardboard not all foam core is archival. There is regular foam core (not acid-free) and acid-free foam core and the artist should specify their preference with the framer. Using acid-free mats with regular foam core defeats using the acid-free mat.
Gail, this is a very well done video. A much needed subject to be discussed..i would like for you to address the subject of the artwork arriving in clear bags. I have used them for quite a while with no complaints. All the framer has to do is use a sharp blade on the inside back of the work to remove it. I mount it on acid free foam board. It really is a great way to protect the artwork. I would however like to hear what his feelings about it are. Thank you for this important video.p.s. there's virtually no lift of the Pastel at all.
Hi Sheila, I love the clear crystal bags and if you watch out for it they now have bags where the adhesive strip is on the back of the bag and not the flap, so you can open the flap and reuse it if you wish. My only recommendation to you as an artist dealing with customers is reminding them that the bag protects it from dust but not dents or pressure marks. As a framer a lot of my customers come in to frame their crystal bagged art and when I remove it we find pressure marks on the face of it. So letting them know that a piece of cardboard over it would help it further reminds them that they still need to be a willing participate in protecting your work. hope that helps Mitchell
This was so helpful and insightful. I will be needing to frame my pastel paintings and was confused about where to start. I now have an idea of what I’m doing. Thank you 🙏🏼
I have had a box of soft pastels for a long time. Although it gives so much control, the only reason I didn’t feel encouraged to pursue pastels was the fact that the work cannot be framed properly. This video demystified that! Thanks Gail. I have so much confidence to try pastel more often now. Question: Some artists say, if fixative is not used, after sometime almost all the pastel dust particles just falls off. Is this true? Hos long does a pastel painting last?
Thanks for the info Gail and Mitchell. Nice to hear from a professional on the subject of framing and matting. I have used some of his suggestions in my own framing. I just wish we had the specialized glass available locally here in South America.
Wonderful video. Thank you! I recently had a portrait of my cat done in pastels. I had no idea that framing it would be a problem. Thank goodness the piece is not a standard size, so I have to take it to a frame shop. Otherwise, I would have ruined it! Now I know what to expect and what to ask for. This was so well done. The only question I have is about a topic that came up at the very end: what happens if the work is not perfectly square, or, in my case perfectly centered. I hope the framer I am taking this to will be professional enough to correct that for me in the framing.
@@GailSibleyArtist The Art Shoppe on Market St. in Greensboro, NC, did an amazing job of framing this piece for me. I was so impressed that I will never let anyone else frame my art, pastels or otherwise.
This was so helpful! I'm especially excited to view the video you do on aesthetics. For example, how do you know when to choose a mat or to use a spacer without using a mat. What about color of mat? I saw some beautiful examples of framing with a dark mat in this video. I have had the impression that the "correct" way is to use white. Or is that just tradition? I actually know very little about the "art" of framing and it is soooo important to enjoying the finished piece. Thank you!
So glad it was helpful Shirley. Love your questions to do with aesthetics and will make sure we get them answered on our next video! (And as a member of IGNITE! Art-making Membership, be sure you watch the Q&A we did especially for members! gailsibleyartschool.com/waitlist_page/)
What I find can be frustrating is that I might prefer a mat with color to set off the piece, but many places that hold exhibitions REQUIRE white mats -- or else they don't tell you that, and then the judge decides to throw out your piece exactly because you did NOT have a white mat!! (That happened to me once with one judge -- and in the next exhibit, with a different judge, the same piece, with black mat, won second prize! Go figure)
This was extremely helpful! Thanks to you and your framer. I do hope you can take him up on his offer to do another (more?) video to address aesthetics, not just of mats but of frames. Thanks so much, Gail!
This is the most informative video I have seen yet on pastel framing!! Especially about the types of glass (had no idea that they had slight color tints), etc.......My question for Mr. Jones is this: the artwork of Gail's that she brought in the box, is on U-Art, which is NOTORIOUS for curling. How will you now deal with that curl on a finished piece? Will you mount it after the fact? (if so, how) If not, how do you ensure that the curl doesn't pull the piece away from any of your backings? (That happened to me once...). This would be helpful to know, because it is not always practical for an artist to pre-mount every piece of U-Art they work on. You might think you're just doing something for practice, just a throwaway piece, and then a MIRACLE happens, it turns out wonderfully, and you want to frame/keep/sell it but it's not mounted! Thanks for answering....and for making this and any future videos (especially on aesthetics). I'll be especially interested in recommendations on how to frame pastels at a plein air event....
Hi Paula, this is Mitchell here. So far with all of Gail's work we have not mounted any after the fact and with the mat overlapping the edge we have not had any trouble with the paper curling.If we are to mount a finished piece we have heat mount boards now that are acid free and allow us to have them in our press for a reduced time and temperature to minimize loss from the smooth release paper transferring pastel dust off of the art. As a framer I try not alter an original without the artist being involved in the conversation when ever possible.If your art is curling away from the backing I am assuming that there is no mat holding the art down and that it is floating on a aesthetic base. If this is what is happening then there are different hinging formats to help support the paper but I think the amount of choices and pros and cons may call for another video. sorry I'm not able to fully answer your question. Mitchell
So glad you found the video helpful Paula!! And love your question because yes to the crazy UART paper curl! As Mitchell has said though, currently I have only a few pre-mounted pieces of paper. Somehow, Mitchell deals with what I bring in as it is 😁
@@GailSibleyArtist Yes - I have questions... I have quite a few pastel paintings that I keep hinged under glassine in a black paper sketchbook (one painting per page, of course), and it is time to put them to frames... Most are permanently adhered to 3/16 foam core, some are on pastelmat alone. I loved the information about UltraVue UV70 glass. I have paintings that are 8x8, 0x10, 12x12, 8x10 & 9x12. My questions are: 1. I have a stained glass background and am quite comfortable with cutting my own glass to fit the frame, HOWEVER, I am unfamiliar with laminated glass. Will the UltraVue UV70 glass cut like regular stained glass? Do I need to worry about this as I score/cut a sheet to fit a frame? 2. I bought clear FrameTek spacers that will provide a 1/16 space between glass and painting - you know, those strips that are cut & attached to the glass. What depth of a frame should I buy so that everything fits comfortably/snugly in the frame? (3/16 foam core + 1/16 spacer + glass)? Frames are expensive, as we all know, and I plan on buying simple, plain frames that I will paint to fit the color scheme of the painting - without a surrounding mat (just painting and frame showing). And - I'm sure there are more questions... !! But I can't think of them right now! Ha! Thank you, Gail, I love your videos!
@@jjdjt4 Hi Jane, this is Mitchell the framer. Question concerning the glsss cutting. Conservation glass and Ultravue will score but.. with conservation glass one side has a film baked to the glass so you need to score the side that faces out away from the art. Ultravue glass can be scored on both sides. Depth of frames certainly do vary and some readymades are designed for a layer of paper only and held closed with turnbuttons. Watch out for that style of frame and see if you can work within the depth available. If you purchase a frame with 3/4 inch depth you should have no problem in case you wish to exaggerate the depth at some point as well and allow that to be a design component. hope that helps : )
Hello Gail and Mitchell - this is a question - I hope two years on from this video you're still able to help me. I have several soft pastel pieces that I would like framed. They are 27 x 40, or 40 x 27 depending on which way up I have painted. These paintings bleed right out to the edge of the paper, and I would like them to float so the maximum of the piece is visible. They have have been created on UArt sand paper. The grade is either 600 or 800, so the paper is thick. I really need guidance and help when it comes to framing these pieces as floating works. I would be very grateful for any advice or experience that Mitchell has in this area.
What an inrformative video! Thank you for sharing this much needed knowledge with us! QUESTION: You said there is a brand of fixative that doesn't change the color or texture very much. Which brand?
Glad to hear Jackie!! On your question of fixative, Lascaux is the one! But it’s on the pricey side. That’s the one I use. There may be others now but I haven’t checked for a while.
I've tried pastels and I really liked them, but I didn't pursue it because I found them to be quite messy and high maintenance. And now the framing is a whole other issue. How do artists actually make a decent living by specializing in pastels?
Should we be concerned about using foam core or gator board to back our pastes, which are not acid free? Also, when a pastelist premounts work at home and uses 3M 568 positionable adhesive, is that a conservation problem? Thank you!
Thank you so much, this answered several questions I had, plus taught me things about glass I hadn't considered! For artists wanting to mount their pastel paper onto firmer support, is the recommendation to use foam core or mat, or does it matter?
I can never remember if the film side of glass goes toward the artwork or away from it. Confusing! Also - would love to know the cost differences of the various glass, especially the UV and Conservation.
Hi Kathleen, this is Mitchell. With conservation glass the side that has the film on it that lays against the art scratches very easily so I will often take a blade and very lightly see if the blade has some resistance right at the edge so if it scratches the lip of the frame will hide it. In the framing industry conservation clear glass is now retailing around the same price as non glare. A great deal of framers like the Ultravue and Museum product but due to its high wholesale cost most framers are adjusting their profit formula to allow these products to have a lower retail. This format is different for every framer and location. hope that helps Mitchell
What kind of spacers are recommended for no mat framing? and size of the spacers? I have seen spacers that are really thin in width. For the depth, is 1/4 inch recommended? Are there quality issues?
Hello, thank you for creating this informative video! I have a very large pastel artwork (25x38”) that I am looking to frame. I keep hearing that you shouldn’t use plexi glass with pastels because of the static, but I also don’t know if it’s possible or economical at all to use real glass due to the size. Can I use plexi if I leave enough space between it and the piece? Any tips about framing large scale work is appreciated :)
It didn’t show up in this video (we had to re-record everything when we found my camera had only captured 5 mins!) but earlier on, Mitchell definitely stated his preference for some allowance/margin around the piece!
Hi Ursula, if there is a margin around the art the advantage is that the art can be taped to the backing without any concern for undue pressure when hinging the art to the matting. The paper will also sit better with your mat overlapping more paper against the backing than if it is just sitting on the edge of the paper. With a small amount being covered it can in some cases allow the paper to potentially buckle or slightly curl. hope that helps Mitchell
Hi I`d love to see the equipment the framer uses and have his opinion on what would be the basic minimum tools needed to frame my own pastels to a sellable standard, thanks for the feedback
Hi David, wow this could be a whole video on its own, but I will try my best here. any type of matcutter requires a lot of practice because even with a professional matcutter like the Fletcher Terry 2200 that I use it still requires proper stance and hand pressure to create a good clean cut without hooks and tears. I have customers who have been happy with a clamp down style matcutter depending on size of overall projects. An upright multi cutter helps to cut large sheets of material down to size such as matting, backing and glass. A nice sized work table helps so much with tools and materials close at hand.For cutting frames I am lucky to have a Morso chopper at the gallery and at home a Pistorious saw with 12" blades. A lot of framers make it work with a compound saw and really good blades. Luckily for artist that are serious about framing their art a lot of professional equipment is available for sale used. hope this helps and keep an eye for more videos : ) Mitchell
Many thanks to Mitchell for all this information. I am a Brit living in France so I don’t know these professional tools I was hoping to get away with a good circular mitre saw.
Hi Dierdre, this is Mitchell the framer. Much like pastel on art paper, once its there it is very hard to remove.For me the safest way to remove pastel dust is to use an adge of a blade and try to lift it off. Sadly the marks made by the dust will need to be lived with until it takes away from the enjoyment of the art and then a new mat would need to be made. This does come back to the understanding and laying out realistic expectations with customers who are purchasing this type of art form so if it occurs there is no disappointment but an understanding. hope that helps. Mitchell
@@mitchelljones2818 Excellent, informative, professional video! Regarding lifting pastel, I've found using regular masking tape (VERY GENTLE contact - no brushing) almost acts like a magnet with the pastel dust if it hasn't been ground/pressed into the mat. After using the tape to gently lift the dust particles, I use a kneaded eraser, again very gently touching it to the mat to further lift particles. After that, I LIGHTLY rub the kneaded eraser over the remaining color and it usually removes the rest of it without damaging the mat surface. Every step I try to avoid pressing the pigment further into the mat. With patience and a very light touch it works most of the time.
I don’t know if I missed it but is the picture stuck behind the mat board with some double sided tape to hold it in place? This man was excellent ! You were so lucky to find him.
Hi Jen, this is Mitchell the framer. The art is held in place in a number of ways. If there is extra paper border around the art we will often hold the art to the backing with conservation corners( very similiar to old photo corners). The matting will then be hinged at the top to hang like a hinge. If the artist has not provided any extra paper around the art and the matting is close to the edge we will often use acid free tape to hinge the art to the backing centered. I have had some soft pastel work pre mounted and due to the thickness we will build up a layer all around the art at the same height so the art cannot drop at a later date.Our main goal as a framer is to have the art hinged in a manner that allows for it to be removed without damage and using acid free materials. Hope that helps : ).
@@mitchelljones2818 Thanks heaps for the reply Mitchell. I live in a rural area of Australia and do all my own framing. Both watercolours and pastels. Framing is such hard work! I really admire your professionalism and your care for people’s work. Thanks so much for the very full reply. Cheers.
Thanks so much, this is very helpful. One question -- why do you recommend glass vs. plexiglass? One concern I have about glass is that it is heavy for big pictures, and that it is more reflective. Is that correct? Thanks
Hi Jessica, as a custom picture framer I like glass for several reasons. For my customers it is an easier product to maintain whereas plexi will eventually show striation marks from light cleaning; glass is also less expensive; and I like how there is not so much static buildup with the glass as well. We are starting to see that there is some static build up with some of the conservation products likely due to the UV film that is applied to the glass but it is minimal. Overall weight for me is not a concern since we have such great hardware that is overkill for most framed art as well providing picture hooks that give the customer a sense of security. Most picture frames only weigh around 2 - 8 pounds. My lightest weight picture hardware is rated for 20 lbs as well as my smallest hook that I can provide. From there I have hardware options that go up to 65 lb ratings and some specialty hardware for anything that exceeds that. hope that helps Mitchell
Brenda, me too! I actually meant to go to this topic in the video. We had to do a retake of the whole thing (because of sound issues) and although we touched on plexi, we didn't get to that question. So I'll leave Mitchell to answer it here!
@@GailSibleyArtist Ok, I hope he does answer as I always tell my buyers to use glass and not to use plexiglass and would like to know if that is wrong or not.
@@brendamaas4293 Hi Brenda, this is Mitchell the framer. You are correct that the static from plexi is a problem especially after it is hanging up at home and is cleaned at a later date creating more static "pull". We are seeing an increase in static with a lot of the newer glass choices as well. Conservation glass has a film baked to it that I find has a small amount of static to it and the optically coated glass for maximum clarity seems to have a small static quality to it. As in all framing choices it is a matter of understatnding the pros and cons of every choice and deciding on what comprimise need to be made. I always hope as an artist you have a framer or source that will share any and all info so you can understand what is a realistic expectation for framing and allow the beautiful art to be enjoyed as it should be : ) hope that helps Mitchell
This was wonderful! I’m learning all the time about framing and other things important when doing pastel works! I’ve done pet portraits for 3 years in pastel now and this was just wonderful information! Thank you so much! Maggiesvibrantpastels
Hello, this is Mitchell the framer. 1/2 inch to 2 inches around the art is always nice to have in case the art will be matted. If we have more paper under the matting usually the paper will have better tension and it will lay flatter as well. If it is to be framed without matting that border can always be trimmed at that time. As far as a video on framing esthetics we will try to put one together but do not worry about your paper size pertaining to border size. As a designer/framer your border is determined from colour selection,frame width, composition and setting as well. hope this helps : )
Me too!! When we did our retake of sections of this video, we forgot to talk about this very topic the second time. I am notoriously lax in this department!!!
Hi Anne-Marie. The tape that you will find most framers use is Filmoplast P-90. Majority of art supply shops will have this and a lot of framers are happy to sell it as well. We get it in the same size box that is retailed so its not a Huge quantity that only a framer would use. It is also a tape that rolls of the roll with a layer of release paper so you could buy it together with another artist and split in by unrolling it as well. hope that helps Anne-Marie, keep on creating : ) Mitch
I had a painting that I gave to friends and they wanted to do the framing. The framer sprayed the piece with something and in my opinion ruined the piece.
Really informative video on framing pastels. I would be very interested in watching your next video on aesthetics in relation to frame choice. Thanks for the time you put into educating people.
That’s great to hear and you are so welcome! Have you seen that next video yet? ruclips.net/video/7_6PVUVmReg/видео.htmlsi=ozEfgEIfT_TNqLo6
You are absolutely correct about the relationship between artist and framer. My favorite person ,a lovely woman named Zoriada, framed many of my pastel paintings. She worked her magic as I went to her befuddled. Then the company got bought by a major corporation and she was fired. But you are so right in needing to find the right person to do this.
Terrific. First time having to frame my soft pastels for a show and this was very helpful for now and and the future. Thank you so much.
Glad it was helpful!!
Would love to see a video as you mentioned showing pastel that has been partially fixed (say half no fixative and half fixative used), so that I can learn more about how best to preserve the artwork when taking it to a framer, and the end result after framing. Thanks for a very informative video!
I’m enjoying learning all of this. Please do more videos. I never know how to go about framing my work. I never knew how much I didn’t know.
I like the sensitivity to the customer needs with " is it going in the fuest bedroom..."
Indeed! That’s something pretty special about Mitchell!!
I was one of those artist that hated the effect that fixative caused. For it is the softness that is pastel's advantage over paint.I also had learned framing and framed all my work and other students in the studio as well. So I always did a light fixative. As he mentions, it will only partially fix the most outer layers. So 10 years later I was demounting and cleaning all my hung works. At that point I shot them with several coats of fixative. With exception of portraits, because I could not force myself to mess up the unique softness of skin that pastel so brilliantly exceeds in creating. I wish I could have learned framing to the degree of this professional framer. Great framers are very expensive, if you can even find one in your area today.
I am so enjoying your clear and engaging presentation (wonderful exchange between both of you)!
That’s wonderful to hear!!!
This is a fantastic video... extremely helpful. I’ve been painting for 2 years doing hundreds of paintings... and haven’t framed a single one because of the hassle and expense of it.
I love hearing this was helpful!!
Me too!
Agree and that's one of the main reasons I have shied away from pastels, in addition to the need to frame under glass.
Me too
Excellent video with an easy to listen to speaker/teacher. Very helpful information!
Being a professional Framer/Artist it's great to see how other Framer's work!
@@natlisan how cool!!
So awesome and timely for me, great to have access to this wonderful information! Thanks Gail!
Denise so glad the timing worked well for you!!
Really great video, very interesting and well explained. Would be great to have more on aesthetics, I would be very interested in that. Thanks
Glad you enjoyed it Karen! And thanks for your input regarding a video covering the aesthetics.
I would love that topic as well.
Wonderful video, lots of information and loved the presentation. Can't wait to see the next one. Thank you
Great to hear! And hope you've caught the second one we did!
Great information! Thank you guys. Can’t wait for the next video..
So good to hear Mirian! And, it's coming!!!
Great video.
I do want to mention one thing. When you talked about foam core vs cardboard not all foam core is archival. There is regular foam core (not acid-free) and acid-free foam core and the artist should specify their preference with the framer. Using acid-free mats with regular foam core defeats using the acid-free mat.
Hi Gail. This was very helpful. I am curious about the floating frame and if glass is generally used with this method.
Good to hear Beverly. Glass would always be used with pastel paintings!
Wow this Is so comprehensive and fabulous! Thank you so much for doing this I look forward to looking at other videos.
So glad to hear that Vivian!!
Gail, this is a very well done video. A much needed subject to be discussed..i would like for you to address the subject of the artwork arriving in clear bags. I have used them for quite a while with no complaints. All the framer has to do is use a sharp blade on the inside back of the work to remove it. I mount it on acid free foam board. It really is a great way to protect the artwork. I would however like to hear what his feelings about it are. Thank you for this important video.p.s. there's virtually no lift of the Pastel at all.
So interesting Sheila! Thanks for the detailed explanation on how a framer accesses the work without having to remove the piece from the bag.
Hi Sheila,
I love the clear crystal bags and if you watch out for it they now have bags where the adhesive strip is on the back of the bag and not the flap, so you can open the flap and reuse it if you wish.
My only recommendation to you as an artist dealing with customers is reminding them that the bag protects it from dust but not dents or pressure marks.
As a framer a lot of my customers come in to frame their crystal bagged art and when I remove it we find pressure marks on the face of it. So letting them know that a piece of cardboard over it would help it further reminds them that they still need to be a willing participate in protecting your work.
hope that helps
Mitchell
Gail Sibley thank you Mitchell. I will be sure to make it clear to my clients when they purchase my work. Thank you also for your response.
Ah that was amazing, very informative. Thank you both!
@@mehditorkamani9890 that’s so great to hear!!!
Excellent video! Thank you for sharing this with us!
This was so helpful and insightful. I will be needing to frame my pastel paintings and was confused about where to start. I now have an idea of what I’m doing. Thank you 🙏🏼
That’s so awesome to hear!!
I have had a box of soft pastels for a long time. Although it gives so much control, the only reason I didn’t feel encouraged to pursue pastels was the fact that the work cannot be framed properly. This video demystified that! Thanks Gail. I have so much confidence to try pastel more often now. Question: Some artists say, if fixative is not used, after sometime almost all the pastel dust particles just falls off. Is this true? Hos long does a pastel painting last?
Oh my goodness! This is so helpful!! Thank you, Gail. I love your framer❣️
Ohhh Iris I'm so glad you enjoyed it! And lol, me too!
Thanks for the info Gail and Mitchell. Nice to hear from a professional on the subject of framing and matting. I have used some of his suggestions in my own framing. I just wish we had the specialized glass available locally here in South America.
You are so welcome! And I'm sorry to hear you can't get the specialty glass. We are fortunate here that's for sure!
I came from your blog! So helpful thanks 🎉❤
That’s good to know! And so glad to hear it’s helpful 😁
This was was very informative and loved the video, thank you both so very much!
Wonderful video. Thank you! I recently had a portrait of my cat done in pastels. I had no idea that framing it would be a problem. Thank goodness the piece is not a standard size, so I have to take it to a frame shop. Otherwise, I would have ruined it! Now I know what to expect and what to ask for. This was so well done. The only question I have is about a topic that came up at the very end: what happens if the work is not perfectly square, or, in my case perfectly centered. I hope the framer I am taking this to will be professional enough to correct that for me in the framing.
LOVE hearing this Patricia! And please let us know what happened!
@@GailSibleyArtist The Art Shoppe on Market St. in Greensboro, NC, did an amazing job of framing this piece for me. I was so impressed that I will never let anyone else frame my art, pastels or otherwise.
This was so helpful! I'm especially excited to view the video you do on aesthetics. For example, how do you know when to choose a mat or to use a spacer without using a mat. What about color of mat? I saw some beautiful examples of framing with a dark mat in this video. I have had the impression that the "correct" way is to use white. Or is that just tradition? I actually know very little about the "art" of framing and it is soooo important to enjoying the finished piece. Thank you!
So glad it was helpful Shirley. Love your questions to do with aesthetics and will make sure we get them answered on our next video! (And as a member of IGNITE! Art-making Membership, be sure you watch the Q&A we did especially for members! gailsibleyartschool.com/waitlist_page/)
What I find can be frustrating is that I might prefer a mat with color to set off the piece, but many places that hold exhibitions REQUIRE white mats -- or else they don't tell you that, and then the judge decides to throw out your piece exactly because you did NOT have a white mat!! (That happened to me once with one judge -- and in the next exhibit, with a different judge, the same piece, with black mat, won second prize! Go figure)
This was extremely helpful! Thanks to you and your framer. I do hope you can take him up on his offer to do another (more?) video to address aesthetics, not just of mats but of frames. Thanks so much, Gail!
This is the most informative video I have seen yet on pastel framing!! Especially about the types of glass (had no idea that they had slight color tints), etc.......My question for Mr. Jones is this: the artwork of Gail's that she brought in the box, is on U-Art, which is NOTORIOUS for curling. How will you now deal with that curl on a finished piece? Will you mount it after the fact? (if so, how) If not, how do you ensure that the curl doesn't pull the piece away from any of your backings? (That happened to me once...). This would be helpful to know, because it is not always practical for an artist to pre-mount every piece of U-Art they work on. You might think you're just doing something for practice, just a throwaway piece, and then a MIRACLE happens, it turns out wonderfully, and you want to frame/keep/sell it but it's not mounted! Thanks for answering....and for making this and any future videos (especially on aesthetics). I'll be especially interested in recommendations on how to frame pastels at a plein air event....
Hi Paula,
this is Mitchell here. So far with all of Gail's work we have not mounted any after the fact and with the mat overlapping the edge we have not had any trouble with the paper curling.If we are to mount a finished piece we have heat mount boards now that are acid free and allow us to have them in our press for a reduced time and temperature to minimize loss from the smooth release paper transferring pastel dust off of the art. As a framer I try not alter an original without the artist being involved in the conversation when ever possible.If your art is curling away from the backing I am assuming that there is no mat holding the art down and that it is floating on a aesthetic base. If this is what is happening then there are different hinging formats to help support the paper but I think the amount of choices and pros and cons may call for another video.
sorry I'm not able to fully answer your question.
Mitchell
@@mitchelljones2818 thanks so much -- your reply is helpful to know!
So glad you found the video helpful Paula!! And love your question because yes to the crazy UART paper curl! As Mitchell has said though, currently I have only a few pre-mounted pieces of paper. Somehow, Mitchell deals with what I bring in as it is 😁
Thank you for the video. Where can I buy the plastic spacers?
You should be able to buy them wherever you get framing supplies.
Loved this video!! Very informative. YES - I'd love to see more!
That's great to hear Jane!!! Any particular topics/questions?
@@GailSibleyArtist Yes - I have questions... I have quite a few pastel paintings that I keep hinged under glassine in a black paper sketchbook (one painting per page, of course), and it is time to put them to frames... Most are permanently adhered to 3/16 foam core, some are on pastelmat alone. I loved the information about UltraVue UV70 glass. I have paintings that are 8x8, 0x10, 12x12, 8x10 & 9x12. My questions are:
1. I have a stained glass background and am quite comfortable with cutting my own glass to fit the frame, HOWEVER, I am unfamiliar with laminated glass. Will the UltraVue UV70 glass cut like regular stained glass? Do I need to worry about this as I score/cut a sheet to fit a frame?
2. I bought clear FrameTek spacers that will provide a 1/16 space between glass and painting - you know, those strips that are cut & attached to the glass. What depth of a frame should I buy so that everything fits comfortably/snugly in the frame? (3/16 foam core + 1/16 spacer + glass)? Frames are expensive, as we all know, and I plan on buying simple, plain frames that I will paint to fit the color scheme of the painting - without a surrounding mat (just painting and frame showing).
And - I'm sure there are more questions... !! But I can't think of them right now! Ha! Thank you, Gail, I love your videos!
@@jjdjt4 Hi Jane, this is Mitchell the framer. Question concerning the glsss cutting. Conservation glass and Ultravue will score but.. with conservation glass one side has a film baked to the glass so you need to score the side that faces out away from the art. Ultravue glass can be scored on both sides.
Depth of frames certainly do vary and some readymades are designed for a layer of paper only and held closed with turnbuttons. Watch out for that style of frame and see if you can work within the depth available. If you purchase a frame with 3/4 inch depth you should have no problem in case you wish to exaggerate the depth at some point as well and allow that to be a design component.
hope that helps : )
@@mitchelljones2818 Mr. Jones - - you are a dream! Thank you so very much for your expert help! Fingers crossed - - !!!
Thank you for this informative information
So good to know it’s helpful Judith!!
This was so informative, thank you so much.
So glad to hear that Mary!! Look out for a follow up video soon!!!
Do you ever use plexi -?why or why not Thank you Also With the floating style--is there a spacer or is it right up against the glass ?
Hello Gail and Mitchell - this is a question - I hope two years on from this video you're still able to help me.
I have several soft pastel pieces that I would like framed. They are 27 x 40, or 40 x 27 depending on which way up I have painted. These paintings bleed right out to the edge of the paper, and I would like them to float so the maximum of the piece is visible. They have have been created on UArt sand paper. The grade is either 600 or 800, so the paper is thick. I really need guidance and help when it comes to framing these pieces as floating works. I would be very grateful for any advice or experience that Mitchell has in this area.
Thank you so much for this informative video!
So glad you found it useful Loreeta!!
What an inrformative video! Thank you for sharing this much needed knowledge with us!
QUESTION: You said there is a brand of fixative that doesn't change the color or texture very much. Which brand?
Glad to hear Jackie!! On your question of fixative, Lascaux is the one! But it’s on the pricey side. That’s the one I use. There may be others now but I haven’t checked for a while.
I've tried pastels and I really liked them, but I didn't pursue it because I found them to be quite messy and high maintenance. And now the framing is a whole other issue. How do artists actually make a decent living by specializing in pastels?
Please have the products used facing the camera. When u showed the tape, it was upside down & the name was not facing the camera. Thx 😊
I live in Germany & have difficulty in purchasing “glassine”, is there an equivalent type of paper to buy? Thanks
Should we be concerned about using foam core or gator board to back our pastes, which are not acid free? Also, when a pastelist premounts work at home and uses 3M 568 positionable adhesive, is that a conservation problem? Thank you!
Thank you so much, this answered several questions I had, plus taught me things about glass I hadn't considered! For artists wanting to mount their pastel paper onto firmer support, is the recommendation to use foam core or mat, or does it matter?
I can never remember if the film side of glass goes toward the artwork or away from it. Confusing! Also - would love to know the cost differences of the various glass, especially the UV and Conservation.
Hi Kathleen, this is Mitchell. With conservation glass the side that has the film on it that lays against the art scratches very easily so I will often take a blade and very lightly see if the blade has some resistance right at the edge so if it scratches the lip of the frame will hide it. In the framing industry conservation clear glass is now retailing around the same price as non glare. A great deal of framers like the Ultravue and Museum product but due to its high wholesale cost most framers are adjusting their profit formula to allow these products to have a lower retail. This format is different for every framer and location.
hope that helps
Mitchell
What kind of spacers are recommended for no mat framing? and size of the spacers? I have seen spacers that are really thin in width. For the depth, is 1/4 inch recommended? Are there quality issues?
Hello, thank you for creating this informative video! I have a very large pastel artwork (25x38”) that I am looking to frame. I keep hearing that you shouldn’t use plexi glass with pastels because of the static, but I also don’t know if it’s possible or economical at all to use real glass due to the size. Can I use plexi if I leave enough space between it and the piece? Any tips about framing large scale work is appreciated :)
I am wondering how a framer feels about whether the artist works right to the edge of the paper or if it is better to leave a margin
It didn’t show up in this video (we had to re-record everything when we found my camera had only captured 5 mins!) but earlier on, Mitchell definitely stated his preference for some allowance/margin around the piece!
Hi Ursula,
if there is a margin around the art the advantage is that the art can be taped to the backing without any concern for undue pressure when hinging the art to the matting. The paper will also sit better with your mat overlapping more paper against the backing than if it is just sitting on the edge of the paper. With a small amount being covered it can in some cases allow the paper to potentially buckle or slightly curl.
hope that helps
Mitchell
Write down name of tape, please. Very helpful
Hi I`d love to see the equipment the framer uses and have his opinion on what would be the basic minimum tools needed to frame my own pastels to a sellable standard, thanks for the feedback
Oh interesting question David! That may be a good topic for another video!
Let’s see if Mitchell is ready to give us some of his frame making secrets
Hi David,
wow this could be a whole video on its own, but I will try my best here.
any type of matcutter requires a lot of practice because even with a professional matcutter like the Fletcher Terry 2200 that I use it still requires proper stance and hand pressure to create a good clean cut without hooks and tears. I have customers who have been happy with a clamp down style matcutter depending on size of overall projects. An upright multi cutter helps to cut large sheets of material down to size such as matting, backing and glass. A nice sized work table helps so much with tools and materials close at hand.For cutting frames I am lucky to have a Morso chopper at the gallery and at home a Pistorious saw with 12" blades. A lot of framers make it work with a compound saw and really good blades. Luckily for artist that are serious about framing their art a lot of professional equipment is available for sale used.
hope this helps and keep an eye for more videos : )
Mitchell
Many thanks to Mitchell for all this information. I am a Brit living in France so I don’t know these professional tools I was hoping to get away with a good circular mitre saw.
Great information in this video - thanks Gail! Can you ask the framer what is used to clean the matting when it has pastel dust fall onto it?
Glad to hear Deirdre! And I'll make sure Mitchell sees your question 😁
Hi Dierdre, this is Mitchell the framer. Much like pastel on art paper, once its there it is very hard to remove.For me the safest way to remove pastel dust is to use an adge of a blade and try to lift it off. Sadly the marks made by the dust will need to be lived with until it takes away from the enjoyment of the art and then a new mat would need to be made. This does come back to the understanding and laying out realistic expectations with customers who are purchasing this type of art form so if it occurs there is no disappointment but an understanding.
hope that helps.
Mitchell
@@mitchelljones2818 Excellent, informative, professional video! Regarding lifting pastel, I've found using regular masking tape (VERY GENTLE contact - no brushing) almost acts like a magnet with the pastel dust if it hasn't been ground/pressed into the mat. After using the tape to gently lift the dust particles, I use a kneaded eraser, again very gently touching it to the mat to further lift particles. After that, I LIGHTLY rub the kneaded eraser over the remaining color and it usually removes the rest of it without damaging the mat surface. Every step I try to avoid pressing the pigment further into the mat. With patience and a very light touch it works most of the time.
Great video on a very important topic. Does this wonderful framer happen to have a brother farmer in Denmark?🤣
🤣 Mitchell will just have to clone himself!!!
I don’t know if I missed it but is the picture stuck behind the mat board with some double sided tape to hold it in place? This man was excellent ! You were so lucky to find him.
Hi Jen, this is Mitchell the framer. The art is held in place in a number of ways. If there is extra paper border around the art we will often hold the art to the backing with conservation corners( very similiar to old photo corners). The matting will then be hinged at the top to hang like a hinge. If the artist has not provided any extra paper around the art and the matting is close to the edge we will often use acid free tape to hinge the art to the backing centered. I have had some soft pastel work pre mounted and due to the thickness we will build up a layer all around the art at the same height so the art cannot drop at a later date.Our main goal as a framer is to have the art hinged in a manner that allows for it to be removed without damage and using acid free materials. Hope that helps : ).
@@mitchelljones2818 Thanks heaps for the reply Mitchell. I live in a rural area of Australia and do all my own framing. Both watercolours and pastels. Framing is such hard work! I really admire your professionalism and your care for people’s work. Thanks so much for the very full reply. Cheers.
Jen I AM lucky!!!
I've started mounting my sand pastel paper on an acid free foam board with a special mounting adhesive. Would that be a problem for framing?
I think that would work just fine Sofia!! I've had mounted paper framed in the past.
Thanks so much, this is very helpful. One question -- why do you recommend glass vs. plexiglass? One concern I have about glass is that it is heavy for big pictures, and that it is more reflective. Is that correct? Thanks
Plexiglass can become electrostatically charged and actually attract pastel particles.
So glad it was helpful Jessica! I'll let Mitchell answer. Do you frame with plexi?
Hi Jessica,
as a custom picture framer I like glass for several reasons.
For my customers it is an easier product to maintain whereas plexi will eventually show striation marks from light cleaning; glass is also less expensive; and I like how there is not so much static buildup with the glass as well. We are starting to see that there is some static build up with some of the conservation products likely due to the UV film that is applied to the glass but it is minimal. Overall weight for me is not a concern since we have such great hardware that is overkill for most framed art as well providing picture hooks that give the customer a sense of security. Most picture frames only weigh around 2 - 8 pounds. My lightest weight picture hardware is rated for 20 lbs as well as my smallest hook that I can provide. From there I have hardware options that go up to 65 lb ratings and some specialty hardware for anything that exceeds that.
hope that helps
Mitchell
I was always told not to use plexi glass because the static on it/from it would pull off some of the pastel, is that not right?
Brenda, me too! I actually meant to go to this topic in the video. We had to do a retake of the whole thing (because of sound issues) and although we touched on plexi, we didn't get to that question. So I'll leave Mitchell to answer it here!
@@GailSibleyArtist Ok, I hope he does answer as I always tell my buyers to use glass and not to use plexiglass and would like to know if that is wrong or not.
@@brendamaas4293 Hi Brenda, this is Mitchell the framer. You are correct that the static from plexi is a problem especially after it is hanging up at home and is cleaned at a later date creating more static "pull".
We are seeing an increase in static with a lot of the newer glass choices as well. Conservation glass has a film baked to it that I find has a small amount of static to it and the optically coated glass for maximum clarity seems to have a small static quality to it.
As in all framing choices it is a matter of understatnding the pros and cons of every choice and deciding on what comprimise need to be made.
I always hope as an artist you have a framer or source that will share any and all info so you can understand what is a realistic expectation for framing and allow the beautiful art to be enjoyed as it should be : )
hope that helps
Mitchell
@@mitchelljones2818 thank you very much for your informative reply.
thank you!!!
You are so welcome Nanci!
This was wonderful! I’m learning all the time about framing and other things important when doing pastel works! I’ve done pet portraits for 3 years in pastel now and this was just wonderful information! Thank you so much! Maggiesvibrantpastels
@@maggiecasner9010 you are so welcome Maggie! I love hearing it is useful!
I would love to hear about framing aesthetic. It would also help to know how much margin around the artwork that a framer would prefer.
Hello, this is Mitchell the framer. 1/2 inch to 2 inches around the art is always nice to have in case the art will be matted. If we have more paper under the matting usually the paper will have better tension and it will lay flatter as well. If it is to be framed without matting that border can always be trimmed at that time.
As far as a video on framing esthetics we will try to put one together but do not worry about your paper size pertaining to border size. As a designer/framer your border is determined from colour selection,frame width, composition and setting as well.
hope this helps : )
@@mitchelljones2818 Thank you so much. This is so helpful. I will start leaving generous margins.
@@labcat647 me too!
Me too!! When we did our retake of sections of this video, we forgot to talk about this very topic the second time. I am notoriously lax in this department!!!
We will definitely plan a video about the aesthetic side of things! Thanks!
What is the name of the tape please?
Hi Anne-Marie. The tape that you will find most framers use is Filmoplast P-90.
Majority of art supply shops will have this and a lot of framers are happy to sell it as well. We get it in the same size box that is retailed so its not a Huge quantity that only a framer would use. It is also a tape that rolls of the roll with a layer of release paper so you could buy it together with another artist and split in by unrolling it as well.
hope that helps Anne-Marie, keep on creating : )
Mitch
Many thanks for the info, Mitchell.
Full of info, but it would of been nice to actually see the framer put one together...☺
Ahhh yes! I'll talk to Mitchell and see what we can do
I had a painting that I gave to friends and they wanted to do the framing. The framer sprayed the piece with something and in my opinion ruined the piece.
ACK!! Exactly. I'm so sorry to hear that Glenny!
What was the name of the tape?