hi i am one of the vice presidents of the San Diego Pastel Society, this is a great tutorial I am going to share this to my group! thank you for the high quality content!
Thank You!! I finally bit the bullet and bought a roll of sanded paper. It was quickly clear that hinge mounts were not going to work on the larger pieces of paper. Ready to beat my head against the wall, I thought I would first check on RU-vid. That’s when I found your video. It works out fantastically! Thank you for saving my pastels, sanity and a trip to the ER!
Ramona Fusco that is hilarious! I am laughing over here. Really glad to save you some time, frustration, injury and paper! All the best in your painting.
This video was one of the best in understanding how to mount pastel paper to a board. I'm wondering, though, if there's an alternative to gatorboard bcuz that stuff is sooo expensive! By the way, I love that painting of the sunset over your left shoulder. Just stunning!
Oh, gosh! Exactly what I needed to hear at the end, because I have a painting I want to send to a friend that needs to be mounted first. I watched this a couple years ago and very excited to watch it again. I didn't remember the part about mounting a finished painting. Hooray!
Thank you for the video, Alain. I have been using double tack mounting sheets, but I like the idea of a roll, better. When I take off the backing paper, I peel back a little at a time and can then start adhering the sanded paper a bit at a time, and use my brayer as I go along, so there's less chance of bubbles forming. I keep peeling the paper away from underneath as I go. It's been very successful. I will try the 3M paper, though, may be even easier.
Thanks, Dana, so glad you have an effective method for mounting! That's really all that matters so you can work effectively. Who produces the double tack mounting sheets? It's always good to know our options! All the best
Seems like everyone just passes on the same info over and over until I'm ready to tear my eyes out! YOU have just saved me sanity as well as money! What an amazing informative video which I am now forever grateful! I was just about to take 100. sheets of paper for dry mounting! I love the fact that I can now mount my paper myself in my studio! BRILLIANT🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Extremely helpful!! As a newer artist, expenses matter, So the more I can DIY the better. Someday, I look forward to having a framer to work with. Thanks!
I know every penny counts, and I'm glad this was helpful. You can buy this adhesive in sheets that are smaller as well as the roll. That would save money as well. Take one step at a time and keep painting!
Thanks so much for this video. Just made my own board and it works wonderfully. Made a gouache board for the same reason as the pastel. No buckling! Seems like it’ll work. I did notice it does peel off a little when left to rest vertically. Prob needs to be left under weight for a little! Thank you again
UPDATE: 3M 568 Positionable Adhesive has been discontinued. Use Repositionable Adhesive Coated Gatorboard like this as an altrenative: www.artgrafix.com/store/page136.html Artgrafix.com will provide other double-sided adhesives that can be used in the same way. www.gator-board.com/self-adhesive-gator-board.htm
I have been a fan ever since I saw my first RU-vid Video of you!. This kinda of generous "secrets" sharing continue to bring me back to your tips, videos, and printed materials. PLEASE DO AN ON LINE VIDEO SERIES for those of us in the "boonies", a.k.a., out in the far country, that can NOT get to good teaching or even supplies. We keep Dakota and all other venues for art supplies busy on line.
I recently watched this video but the 3m 568 self adhesive positional product is no longer available. Is there another positional adhesive you would recommend? Thanks
3M 568 Positionable Adhesive has been discontinued. Use Repositionable Adhesive Coated Gatorboard like this as an altrenative: www.artgrafix.com/store/page136.html Artgrafix.com will provide other double-sided adhesives that can be used in the same way.
OK Cindy, you get extra love for thanking me for the guide! That's kind, and I'm really glad you find it helpful! You're the first person to say thanks for the guide, and it means a lot! I put my heart into those guides to make them helpful for you all!
Hi Eoin, thanks for the idea, I will consider it! In the meantime, if you buy a roll of glassine, you can cover your unframed pastels so they can be stacked and stored. All the best!
Alain this video was a great lesson for me as pastels are also new to me and I'm always searching for info on how to work with this beautiful medium. I love how generous you are with your knowledge. By the way...your work is absolutely beautiful. Thank you so much.
Thank you so much, Alain! I have experienced warping with Uart paper & foam core mounting, so this video is a wonderful help! The 3M 568 adhesive looks great! I have used PVA Archival adhesive and a foam brush, but results have been inconsistent. All the best, Yvonne Holland
After reading the user reviews of the adhesive, I think you are wise to secure the adhesive FIRST to the substrate. It is stable and easy to complete the mounting with likely minimal (or zero) glue getting onto the art surface or its edges. Thank you for a smart suggestion!
Thank you Alain for such a useful instructive video on mounting pastels. I enjoy and learn so much from your videos and am very grateful to you for the information you provide. Your artwork is phenomenal.
Thank you Sylvia, I am very honored! So glad you enjoy the lessons, It's my hope to bring encouragement and equipping to other artists like you! All the best.
I would really have liked to seen the already finished work mounted as I have more than a few pictures I would like to mount and would like to see more than 1 demonstration! your video is great for plain paper but I seek a finished picture mounting video! Thanks again!
Same approach, just tack a sheet of glassine over your finished pastel work so it doesn't get smudged while applying the adhesive backing. It's really not much different. Give it a try!
Thank you Alain for this great video and the guide! I ordered the 568 after watching your video, and it just arrived. I'm looking forward to trying it out in the next few days.
Thanks Alain. So far, it's going very well! I've mounted six sheets of 8x10 UArt 400, and will try mounting some larger sheets pretty soon. I like the 568 adhesive a lot. Before seeing your video, I bought a can of spray adhesive and now I'm thinking I don't even want to use it :>)
Is that adhesive good for archival mounting? Does that damage the paper and your final works after years becouse of the pH value of the adhesive layer?
I assume this would be used for directly placing the pastel under glass? Otherwise, wouldn't this cause concerns with the addition of mats around the perimeter on a standard (traditionally) framed & matted pastel?
All pastels must be place under glass for protection. But this method allows for a painting frame style presentation. If you will frame with a mat, you can mount art with a border for the mat.
This is such an easy way to Mount my paper! It’s so much easier than trying to use a spray adhesive. I’m hoping the edges will stay in place and not lift up when I try a wet underpainting. Thanks for sharing this tip, Alain!
Just downloaded your pastel supply let and I love its completeness, and also just watched and downloaded your mounting video and list. I am so very appreciative of all your information and have learned so much. I've been doing pastels for years, but now I see how incomplete my attempts were (even tho I put myself thru college at age 34 by doing sidewalk portraits!). Thank you so much, and I look forward to each and every video.
Excellent excellent excellent! I so appreciate your tips and tutorials! Thank you Alain...you are an inspiration to me and so many other artists our there! I can’t wait to try this DIY technique!!
Behind you , in this video, you have a pastel framed without a mat and one framed with a mat. What prompts each choice? I’ve been doing plain air pastels for forty years and have learned so much in the last five videos I just can’t imagine how I’ve gotten this far. Can’t tell you how much I appreciate your knowledge and teaching. Thank you thank you thank you. Perhaps I will now go from a B to an A+!
I get around this by making my own pumice board using a heavyweight archival illustration board (I learned this from Ellen Eagle). However I love having options, especially since I’m itching to try UArt Dark paper! Thank you talking this through!
You are so wonderful to share this with us. This question was on my mind as I just complete my 2nd Annual Strada Easley 30 day challenge. Your art is exquisite!❤️Blessings to you and your family!
Thanks so much for the video I have tried mounting paper before unsuccessfully but now I know the secret. Love your videos so informative and clearly explained. I appreciate your time and effort.
Alain: Thank you for sharing your knowledge about pastels. Could you tell me about fixative and if I can mount to a board, after the fixative is dried, a work that is already finished and sprayed. Thank you again.
Absolutely, you can do that. Just keep in mind that foam board can warp when it's bigger, so I would use it for smaller works if possible. All the best!
Thank you Alain. This was so well put together....easy and clear. Did you share anything on how to frame pastel? I'm new to pastel since PastelLive, so I want to know the best way to frame.
I have done some small 9x12 sheets of Wallis paper unfinished and they worked fine. Taking a finished work - I was a little concerned. But the glassine in between that painting and 3M supplied finishing paper sounds pretty good. I like the 3M positionable adhesive film. Works really well and thanks again for the great video!
Great, Alain - just need to sort out how to carefully do fixative and finish the framing, keeping the painting away from the glass - taking me a long time to decide to do this! Jane/Oxford
Jane Lintern you can get frame spacers that will line the inside of your frame behind the glass and keep the pastel spaced off the glass. They work well. You can do it!
I had trouble finding gator board so I used acid free foam core board. Don’t do it! It worked ok for 9x12, but when I went bigger, the divots from from the foam core, created furrows that made it impossible to get a smooth pastel coverage. Lesson learned!
This was useful, but fir some reason I thought you were going to show us how you mount the work behind a mount frame as in the sunset picture behind you. I understand that if you mount a pastel with glass, you have to leave a gap to allow any pastel dust to drop below the painting. Could you show us how to do that next time please? Many thanks Alain!
Excellent video. I have a question on a different matter: how do you deal with pastels dust in the studio? I watch someone using a vacuum. What is your advise on this?
Thank for your reply Alain. I was thinking I could mount it carefully after the painting was complete...using glassine. Have you ever used a brayer to press paper to board with this product? Your tip about painting with Mi Tient using a few sheets as a cushion is great . Will give it a try.
Hi Irene. You are very welcome. This combination is PH Neutral or non acidic. But it is not truly archival. Gator Board is not archival. You would want to mount to conservation rag museum board for a truly archival approach. Hope that helps!
Alain, thank you for this! While researching the process I learned that the 3M 568 PMA has been discontinued. Do you know of a good alternative? Or any experience with using those self-adhesive gatorboards?
UPDATE: 3M 568 Positionable Adhesive has been discontinued. Use Repositionable Adhesive Coated Gatorboard like this as an altrenative: www.artgrafix.com/store/page136.html Artgrafix.com will provide other double-sided adhesives that can be used in the same way. www.gator-board.com/self-adhesive-gator-board.htm
Thanks so much for this video, Alain, and all of your videos. I wasn't familiar with this 3M product. I sometimes order my boards from Dakota, and sometimes from ProArt Panels, but the sizes i prefer to work on are not standard sizes. I will definitely try this product. Thanks again :-)
What great information! Thanks so much! I just came across Bainbridge Self Adhesive Backing Board. I don't know if it's new but it seems so easy for some smaller pieces that I want to mount. I would love to know if you have used it and what your thoughts are regarding this. Thanks so much!
The thickness of the mounting board did not allow for store bought backing to be inserted for the type of frame that sits on a dresser vs wall. I loved this video though!! I’m just wondering if there is a better thickness of mount board that would allow receiver to use a stand up frame if desired. Also, I’ve heard of 4 or 8 ply Matt board used? Drawbacks if any? Blicks told me true gatorboard way too hard to cut with utility knife and acid free foam core seems like it could bend or buckle (and it’s artist quality good thickness). But everything else I get and love. A video on plus and minus and thickness options would be informative. Thank You for this video!!!
you can mount to 4ply or 8ply museum board, excellent choice. 3/16" gatorboard is not hard to cut with good clean utility knife. You can mount to Sintra, a plastic surface, or aluminum as well. But Aluminum, while very archival, is not at all easy to cut. So gatorboard works well as a hard and light surface, and 8ply museum board is a very archival surface.
Hi Alain. Thank you for this video. Would this process also work with a Canson paper such as Mi-Teintes? Or would the adhesive transfer through over time? Thanks!
