Solo Show: How I Frame My Artwork

August 05, 2019 in Tutorials

In honor of my solos show, I wanted to do a post sharing advice on how to frame your own work. My first solo show will be with Gallery1988 August 2nd at 7pm in Los Angeles, CA. “The Female Gaze” is celebrating the women of the scifi and fantasy world of TV and film. It will feature 19 pieces total in chalk pastel and graphite. Limited edition prints and originals are available for purchase from the show here:

Here we go!
There are many reasons you may decide to mat and frame your own artwork. You save money in the long run, you don’t have to drop off your artwork and wait 2 weeks, and you can control every aspect of the process.

Step 1: Order Framing Materials

• PictureFrames.com is my go to online framing company. The process is easy and you can reuse the shipping box. You save money by reusing the materials and they give you the option to have an unmarked box sent to you. You can request samples too.

• Frame Destination is where I buy my non-glare acrylic, museum glass,. and shipping stuff. Their materials are priced fairly and it’s a local company. The staff there is very nice and Dallas locals can pick up their orders and avoid shipping. You can request samples too.

Tip: Acrylic is way more affordable than glass and it ships safely.
Tip: Acrylic will have static. You may not want that if your work uses dry media. It can lift particles from the artwork. Wipe it down with a wet rag and then an anti-static cloth to get ride of the static.
Tip: 16x20 museum glass is more affordable than 14x18, 11x14, etc.

Step 2: Matting Artwork

Materials: Logan Mat cutter. I suggest the Elite since it works with the the default 30x40 sized mat board. You can learn how to use the Logan Mat cutter with the instructions and video links provide with the product.

• Purchasing mat board sheets online is expensive. It’s also pricey to purchase them cut to size through PictureFrames.com. I suggest ordering the 30x40 sheets from a local stores like HobbyLobby and Michaels.

Tip: You can get four 16x20 mats from one 30x40 sheet.

Step 3: Framing the Artwork

Adhesive Applicators
Dust Cover Trimmer
Dust Cover Paper
D Ring Hangers
Soft Strange Wire
Point Driver

My biggest bit of advice is to keep your area clean. AND if you can find a piece of foam to elevate your working area, I highly suggest it. This way the framing materials will stay to the side and your framed artwork will be safe from dings and scratches. See below what I use.

You can purchase something at a hardware store. Look for 2” insulation panels. Make sure they aren’t toxic or something crazy. Talk to a store clerk.

This keeps your frame from safe. You can also use section of carpet, but I like having the 2” elevation from all my tools.

Below are some great videos summarizing how to frame your artwork.

Here are few things that are aren’t mentioned:
• Handle museum glass with cotton gloves to avoid smudges.
• Use only ammonia free glass cleaning when cleaning museum glass.
• You can request stickers showing you’re using museum glass and how to take care of it.

Step 4: Shipping

Materials:
Bubble Wrap
Corner Protectors
Optional: Custom Box, Painters Tape for Glass, and Glassine

Often I’ll just reuse the same packaging material I get when I order my frames online. Or you can purchase boxes at hardware stores and cut them to size. OR you can go to Fedex and USPS and they’ll package them for you.

How to Mount Prints with ArtResin

May 16, 2017 in Advice, Tutorials

I've been wanting to sell mounted prints of my most popular illustrations Reflection and Trial. And I know how scary working with resin can seem, so I decided to put together a step-by-step video guide explaining how to mount prints and seal them with ArtResin, a non-yellowing and archival resin just for the artwork.

What you'll need:

ArtResin
Gesso or Matte Medium
8x10 Wooden Panel
Medium Sponge Brush
Exacto Blade
Wax Paper
Brayer (or a bone fold or credit card)
Tombow Xtreme Adhesive
Wax Paper
Spare Cardboard. Used to protect your workstation.
Mixing cup
Tablespoon
Box Top. Used to protect your mounted piece from dust as it cures.
Latex gloves (optional)

Step 1: Prepping Your Surface
Cover your 8x10 wooden panel with gesso or matte medium to protect it from any acids in the wood. Some panels come pre-gessoed. Just make sure that your surface is very smooth, so your print will lay flat.

Step 2: Adhere your Print
Apply Tombow Xtreme Adhesive to your wooden panel. Carefully align your pre-trimmed print to the surface. (Side note: I print my own prints with a Canon Pixma Pro 100 printer on Canon Premium Luster paper.) Cover your print with wax paper and use a brayer to press the print onto your wooden panel. Cut any excess with an Exacto blade.

Step 2 Alternative (not in video)
Cover your wooden panel with matte medium or any other acid-free glue meant for paper. Print your intended print with a .25 bleed and place your print on the wooden panel. Cover with wax paper to protect your print and use your brayer to press the print firmly to your surface. Start from the middle and work your way outwards with the brayer. This prevents trapped bubbles. Let dry for 20mins. Flip your piece over and trim the excess paper with your Exacto blade. Here is a past tutorial I did for mounting BFK rives paper: View it here. It is the exact same method.

Step 3: Apply ArtResin
Mix as instructed. Make sure your measurements are exact. Otherwise, it won't cure correctly. I use 2TB of the resin and 2TB of the hardener for a single 8x10 print. Apply ArtResin directly onto your now mounted print. Spread across your piece. ArtResin will self-level, so don't worry about getting it even. Let it sit for 5 mins to let the bubbles settle.

Step 4: Bubble Killing
Use a hand torch to eliminate bubbles. I bought a small kitchen one for $20 at Bed Bath and Beyond. Try to eliminate all your bubbles in the first 20mins. The ArtResin will start to harden at 45mins. Remember to cover your sides with resin too. This will seal your print that much better. Smooth out any dripping. Remove any dust with a toothpick or loop of paper.

Step 5: Cover Your Artwork
Cover your piece with a box lid for 24hours. It'll completely harden in 72hours.

Step 6: Paint the Sides
Wait the full 72 hours. Paint the sides of the print with water based paint. A wet paper towel will remove any smudges that may get on the actual print. Just wipe away quickly.

Step 7: Hang and Enjoy!

Sealing Chalk Pastel

August 27, 2016 in Advice, Tutorials

Mounting Paper on Wood

August 19, 2016 in Advice, Tutorials

These panels were created so I could experiment with other media after I spray my chalk pastels with fixative. Often fixative will keep the piece from smudging, but it will alter the values and color, unfortunately. I'm trying out other media to decide what is the best way to work on top of the piece after fixative.

This one is called "Winter" and I used gouache and prismacolor pencils. This seems to be a good combination. You can purchase this mini-original in my store: click here.

A thank you to Kelly McKernan for her tutorial, which I used as a reference when creating this step-by-step guide. She follows up with how to varnish watercolor pieces and the post is definitely worth looking at. Click the image to see it larger or save it to your desktop.

Tips and Tricks

May 16, 2016 in Patreon, Advice, Tutorials

I store my pastels in fishing tackle containers for easy travel. They are filled with rice, so the pastels stay clean and not rub against each other. This keeping my pastels from looking like muddy brown sticks and saves me tons of time from having to cleaning them. It also helps me keep track of what colors I'm running low on.

Learn more tips and tricks from my 5 page Setup and Safety PDF offered on My Patreon . Pledge Tier 2 for $6 to get this reward and other helpful stuff!

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