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Custom Art Framing
This custom art framing page offers advice directly from Takács the artist on working, storing and framing your pastels. Contrary to the popular belief that pastels are fragile, it is a very sturdy and durable medium; however precautions must be taken to preserve its beauty while in progress and after custom art framing.
Pastel Papers
Some pastel papers are easier to work with and to store than others. Here I discuss five types of pastel surfaces:
The least expensive is the Canson pastel paper and comes in many colors. It is relatively thin, requiring careful handling. The advantage, other than the price, is that it has two different sides. One side has a smooth surface and the reverse is rugged. Depending on the subject matter, both sides can achieve beautiful results. Portraits are easier to render on the smooth side because of the minute face details while landscapes can have relief effects due to the ruggedness of the paper. Mistakes can easily be rectified with a kneadable eraser. The smooth side had no grip so there is a danger of overworking certain areas to the extent that the paper resists further application of the pastel. There are several ways of dealing with this problem. One is to spread a thin layer of a "Workable Spray". This method will add a new surface over the affected area so that the pastel can be applied over the new paper grip so created. Another is to carefully scratch off the pastel accumulation off the affected area with the wide side of a razor blade until bare paper is revealed and slowly rebuild the desired effect.
The Sennelier paper is fairly thicker and rigid, has a sandpaper-like surface and it comes in different colours. It is 3 or 4 times more expensive than the Canson paper but the final results are worth the price. It "eats" the pastels quite readily but the luminosity of the finished work is remarkable. This paper also has advantages and disadvantages. The disadvantage is that mistakes cannot be erased nor scratched off without damaging the nature of the sandpaper-like surface. However, the advantage is that one can add layer upon layer of pastel to cover mistakes and the paper is less likely to be saturated. It is also sturdier than the Canson paper therefore easier to preserve. The St-Armand is a locally manufactured paper. The color selection is limited. It is fairly rugged but unlike the Sennelier, its surface is unevenly rough resembling watercolor paper. Personally, I find it hard to work with this paper, however some pastel artists can achieve fabulous effects with it. It is slightly less expensive and bigger in size than the Sennelier. Apparently, once one gets familiar with its challenges, it becomes the only paper of choice. This paper has the ability to reflect and emanate light off the page with incredible effect.
Another possibility is the use of heavy-duty watercolor paper (Arches 300 lbs). Dry pastel does not spread well on such a surface, however by pulverizing and wetting it, one can use a watercolor brush to spread the pastel in this manner over the entire surface of the paper for the background. Then, waiting until it dries the pastel sticks go on smoother on this rough surface. If an even color is desired, the dry pastel can be wiped off with a paper towel or tissue paper. The inconvenience of the above pastel papers is that they come in a certain size. The sheet can be used in its entirety or cut for smaller size paintings. But what if one wants to make a large paintings, bigger than the paper size? There is a product on the market called Art Spectrum that comes in small jars and has the consistency similar to Gesso (the spread used to tighten canvases). It comes in many colors and can be spread with a large paintbrush or roller over any surface (masonite, glass, wood, etc). When it dries, the surface is similar to the sandpaper-like Sennelier paper. In this way, the artist is not restricted to the paper manufacturer's limited size but can choose to do larger works.
Protecting Paintings
Personally I don't like to spray the finished work because its color can be affected by the spray product. Therefore, I use two large sheets of cardboard hinged with masking tape (in Montreal I use two FP21 cardboards). I affix the finished work on one of the cardboards with pieces of masking tape in the four corners on the reverse side so it wouldn't move and gently close the attached cardboard over the painting. I pile the paintings placed in this way one on top of each other so that the pastel is pressed into the paper until it is time to be framed.
Framing Pastels
In custom art framing, the pastels are usually protected by an acid-free mat and a frame with a glass cover. It is very important to have a space between your work and the glass. I prefer to have two mats: one touching the edges of the paper showing a complementary color to the work and a second mat of neutral color on top of the first. Foamcore can also be used between the two mats to lift the upper mat and give a pleasing depth effect to the finished work. Custom art framing of the work is possible without a mat. Some framers have in stock ready-made frames with wooden mats being part of the frame. If this method of custom art framing is chosen, the framers MUST use a separator between the work and the frame so that the pastel does not rub off on the inside of the glass. If the work is completed on watercolor paper, it is preferable not to cover the edges of the paper with a mat. The mat can be placed behind the paper so that the uneven edges of the watercolor paper shows through for added effect.
When transporting the framed work by any means of transportation, lay the paintings on their backs. If placed face down, the shaking of the vehicle can dislodge the pastel that in turn can fall on the inside of the glass, dirtying it. Shaking or turning the framed work should be done as gently as possible for the same reason.
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