QA

Question: How To Frame Art Pencil Pastel Charcoal Painting

How do you frame a charcoal painting?

The ideal method is to use T-Hinges, V-hinges or acid-free photo corners attached to the backing board rather than the mount board. By connecting the drawing to the backing board using hinging or photo corners, you’ll ensure there’s minimal movement and with that, minimal dust falling from the paper.

What is the best way to frame a pastel painting?

Pastel paintings need to be framed behind glass to avoid accidental smudges and damage. However, the painting should never touch the glass as the pastel particles will stick to the glass, which can ruin the painting.

How do you protect pastel paintings?

To protect your pastels and the edges of all your drawings too, use two sheets of acid-free foam board. Place your pastel drawing in between two pieces that have that you have cut to size. (Leave an extra inch around the edges.) Then, tape them together like a sandwich using acid-free tape.

Can I frame a charcoal drawing?

Whether sprayed or unsprayed, when framing a charcoal drawing, it’s best to use a double or triple mat to prevent the charcoal from touching the glass. Whether you spray or not, proper storage or framing will ensure your drawing will last for many generations to come.

How do you display a charcoal drawing?

Charcoal and pastel drawings should be stored face-up and flat in an acid-free storage box, preferably not on top of one another. Each work can be covered with a glassine sheet — not plastic or paper, which can both disturb the artwork — if necessary, held in place with acid-free tape to a substrate such as mat board.

Do soft pastels need fixative?

Although Conté crayons look similar to pastel, they produce less dust because of their waxier hardness. Soft Pastel on paper may require a fixative, because there’s hardly any texture on the pastel papers to hold the dry media when mainly using soft pastel – pigment with hardly any binder.

Should pastel paintings be matted?

Back Boards. Some pastel papers are sturdy enough to be framed without a backing board or back mat, if the artwork is on paper that is not heavy weight then it is recommended to attach it to a backing board. This will keep the artwork from slipping or moving after it has been framed.

How do you select a frame for a painting?

Consider the overall tone of the painting when choosing a frame. Lighter frame colors often work well for more casual pieces, while darker frames add a feeling of formality. To help your artwork stand out, choose a frame color that’s different from your wall color.

Can you varnish over charcoal?

Rather than use a brush-on varnish (which would smear the charcoal anyway), you should use a spray varnish such as Golden Archival Spray Varnish or Lascaux UV Protect.

What can you use to set charcoal drawings?

The answer is yes – you can use hairspray to set your charcoal drawing if needed, but you should use a professional fixative if you are serious about drawing. What is this? Hairspray can be used to set charcoal because of the unique properties it possesses that make it so great for “setting” your hairstyle.

How do you preserve and frame a pencil drawing?

The following are some of the easy and effective ways you can try. Protect it With a Fixative Spray. Use Glassine Interleaving Paper. Use Parchment or Wax Paper as Page Inserts. Frame your Pencil Drawing. Lay your Pencil Artwork Flat.

Is black pastel the same as charcoal?

Black pastel can be an effective substitute for charcoal, since it yields a similar effect when used in a black and white drawing. Keep in mind, however, that black pastel can be difficult to work with if you’re used to erasing charcoal or lifting out highlights later.

Can you frame a print without a mat?

If you just put a print into a frame without a mat or spacers, contact with the glass can cause sticking, buckling, newton rings, and a variety of other problems. The trick is to use spacers to create an air gap between the print and glazing (glass or acrylic).

How do I keep my charcoal drawing from smudging?

To stop charcoal sketches from smearing, one must use fixative spray. Use many light coats to avoid dust from the sketch. Instead of applying one heavy coat of fixative, it is best to apply multiple lighter coats. You need to hold the fixative about 2 feet away from the paper while you spray.

Does Hairspray seal pastels?

Results show that the hairsprays tested may serve as adequate fixatives for pastel as they do not appear to have any deleterious effects when compared to the commercial art fixatives tested, and appear to prevent light-induced fading of fugitive pigments and coloured papers.

How long do pastel paintings last?

If properly taken care of, your painting will last for many lifetimes. Pastel is one of the most permanent art mediums in existence. Many pastels painted over 200 years ago are still as bright and fresh as the day they were created. The artist’s pigments in my pastels are the same as those used in fine oil paints.

How do you clean pastel dust?

If a pastel stick is dirty because it gathered dust from other pastel sticks, the trick to clean it is to have a small plastic container with raw grains of rice. You pop the dirty stick into the container and gently shake it. The rice will clean the stick.

Do you have to seal pastel drawings?

Oil Pastel paintings made using solvents don’t need a fixative very much. Other: Sennelier oil pastels are a bit softer than Daler-Rowney. Oil pastel fixative does fix soft pastel.

Can you varnish over soft pastel?

Artists who wish to use a varnish or fixative on their oil pastels despite the risk of future delamination will likely encounter a second problem, namely tackiness. Especially softer oil pastels remain tacky, also when varnished.

Can you seal soft pastels?

There are some options out there for spraying a pastel painting to seal it (such as those done on canvas), but spray fixative that comes in a can is really just a quick tool to help “control” your pastels. It may help your painting process, but expecting more of it than that will probably just leave you disappointed.