In response to my latest newsletter, I have had lots of questions about how to frame or display works on paper. There are more options than you might think. Mounting, matting, glass, no glass....read on!
First, about the paper. There are several brands of paper that are specially milled and treated to accept oil paints. The artist doesn't need to do anything extra to prepare these--they arrive ready to work on. Another option is to prepare your own paper support. I often use BFK Rives print-making paper. I prepare it with two coats of shellac, which keeps the oil from permeating the paper. It makes a wonderful, smooth surface. You can do the same thing with sturdy multi-media paper, or watercolor paper.
Now, to the finished painting. One option is to mat it. I leave a nice margin around the painting, so a mat can go on without covering any of the subject. You can cut the mat to a standard size, which enables you to buy a ready-made frame for it (thus saving money!).
Do you need to put glass over the matted painting? No. I can be framed sans glass. But you can use glass if you want to. Just be sure that the glass is not actually touching the painting. A mat is typically thick enough to keep the glass spaced off the painting. The image just above is a painting on paper by Erin Gafill that I bought and matted, then framed under glass.
Another option is to mount the painting on panel. The panel is first primed with an acrylic primer to prevent discoloration. I often mount paper on a flat panel (as immediately above), which allows for a number of frame options. I have recently mounted the paper on a cradled panel (shown below), so that it can be put in a floater frame. This makes for a really nice look.
Bottom line: Don't be afraid of paper! And feel free to contact me with any questions--I'll try to find the answers!
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