New Framing Experiment

Seeing Red

I have been searching for a framing alternative for the works I do on paper.   Why do I use paper? Well,  I guess because I always have and it was easier to throw away a piece of paper versus a canvas.  But primarily it is a lot easier to store and ship something on paper rather than canvas boards or stretched canvas.  But I have always felt the downside was that additional framing costs could prohibit a person from buying a piece.  Not only is it more expensive but you either have to do it yourself or pay a framer to do it for you.  This looks more like a floating frame and actually could be framed if you choose.

So, I think, I might have found a solution that I could implement that could make a paper piece "ready-to-hang", and do it at a reasonable cost.  This is my hibiscus, painted on Canson canvas paper, and a linen-like textured surface.  During and after the painting process I used varnish coats (I used gloss, ain't gonna do that again) which really kept the paper flexible, not wanting to warp when water was added, and sealed the acrylic.  I then painted the edges and sides of a canvas, slightly larger than the paper.  Then I adhered the paper to the canvas, originally I had it white, but think the black actually looks more like a frame.  Since I just got 7 more canvas I guess I will probably do 7 more of these in any case - or 7 more of something!!  Another positive to this is that you can use odd-size paper sizes and end result is a standard size painting that could be framed if desired.  Also you can experiment and adjust the side of the "mat" to get different looks, i.e. a miniature picture could be done and pasted so that the top and bottom edges are much wider.

 I think it gives a nice clean contemporary look to the piece - what are your thoughts?

Comments

hmuxo said…
Since I mostly paint with pastels, I just mat and gently cover the piece with glassine paper so not to smudge the piece... I tape all around and ship without framing since as you know it needs glass. Framing is personal so I leave it up to the customer.... Very interesting post Nelvia!!! Thanks for posting.....
August 30, 2018 at 8:48 AM
Mellowood Gallery said…
Super painting Nelvia and I think your 'framing' idea looks super too.
August 30, 2018 at 11:59 AM
Nelvia said…
I always tell myself that as well, but I wonder if it puts people off. I guess the tell will be if there is any interest. Like you I don't fix and when I send to anyone I always give them a sheet of instructions for the framer, even if it turns out to be them. I always wondered if I should include a mat, guess if I did then I'd have to learn how to use the mat cutter I have had for years and never used.
August 30, 2018 at 3:14 PM
Nelvia said…
Thanks Val, I like some other ideas I have for varying the paper size to the canvas, will be interesting to see what, if anything happens.
August 30, 2018 at 3:14 PM
Joan Tavolott said…
I really like the look of it. I like the black edging. How do you adhere it to the canvas? I only sell and ship paintings that are in mats. It is far too expensive to ship things already in a frame and then often the buyer wants to change the frame. I try to make sure to do paintings that when they are matted will fit in a standard frame. Then the buyer can easily frame it themselves if they don't want to take it to be frame.
August 30, 2018 at 8:43 PM
Sheila said…
Love it! I usually prefer clean over fussy. But it does depend on the workbeing framed :)
August 30, 2018 at 11:46 PM
Nelvia said…
I used matte medium as the glue, the process is from Bob Burridge, on YouTube, think it is #72, he goes through the process. He also adheres now to wood cradle boards, but they are a lot more expensive. I haven’t shipped framed or matted, bu tried to do standard sizes too. Always justified it as buyers preference, but always wondered if that put people off. So this is much lower cost than framing and I think still presents a nice clean look. I have one now I am experimenting with leaving larger amount of canvas around pic so see how that is received.
September 1, 2018 at 1:00 PM
Nelvia said…
I agree simple is usually much better and I th o this is kind of contemporary. Just added out to my Etsy and FASO sits so will be interested to see what if any reaction
September 1, 2018 at 1:02 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bold woman's portrait

Image
Bold Ok, for today's portrait I went out of the box and decided to try a different look and approach. This is on watercolor paper, I applied a layer of paper collate over it (you can see that some of it started lifting - so got to use more medium to glue it next time)  Anyway then I tried to leave part of that under collage showing, even in the face.  Went back in and applied several more light lawyers of transparent and opaque paint and then put in the hair using my dagger bus.   Gosh that brush makes hair so much easier While this might not the best example what are your thoughts to taking portraits this more dynamic direction? Thanks for stopping by and taking a look.
Read more

Her Highness mixed media woman portrait

Image
Her Highness   I just absolutely loved the expression on this lady and knew I wanted to try to capture her elegance and serenity.  I knew that I didn't want an exact portrait and decided to try another mixed media piece.    I added blobs of paint and used my large scraper to make the areas of color.  Just put paint on a piece of watercolor paper.  Then I inscribed and mixed the colors together with the end of my brush and got all the wavy lines (in real life they actually stand up so there is a 3D effect to the background).  Where I thought I wanted the face I really scraped most of the paint off, and ended up with color blotches and tones, and if you look in the forehead you can sort of see the design that was left.  I thought it would add some variance to the skin tones. I also want to keep her very soft so I tried to stay in the pastel tones, even with the lips.   Once I got shadows and lights added in, and went over it with some skin tone and more blue colors I let
Read more

In The Garden acrylic painting Redo

Image
In The Garden Original painting Well, thankfully I have some folks who tell me what they think.  I value their objective opinions very much and appreciate that they feel strongly enough to tell me when they feel something is off.  In the original painting no one liked the addition of the yellow flower, and felt it pulled the eye and overshadowed the focal point.   Well, I sat on it a bit and starting playing with how I could work it back into the composition.  I wanted the third flower, but I couldn't just really dull down the yellow.  As you an see I ended up making it darker in shadows and then burying it into the foliage.  I like it better because it now looks, to me, like it is part of the picture instead of just being put on in the corner.  Moral of the story, fix it first because it is hard to come in and match colors later. What do you think of the changes - for better or worse? Thanks much for stopping by and taking a look.
Read more