How to hinge watercolour and wax on paper

[Steven Yip]

I ahve a client who brought in two small pieces of watercolour and wax on paper. The works are to ne hinged onto a rag mat and framed with a box frame.

First, the paper that the work is done on is a little translucent. The work is also envelope in a lyer of wax both on the front anf back. How would you hinge a piece like this?

Also, to have the work in the frame package over a long period of time, would there be any issue with the wax? Would the wax layer off gas and affect the visibility through the glazing?

All help are appreciated.

thanks and regards,
Steven Yip, CPF
Singapore

[gesso]

Are you window mounting or floating the artwork?
Window mounting you could hold the artwork beneath the top mount via flanges ie upside down strips of mount board cut with a bevel

if the later haven't got a clue never heard of let alone framed this type of artwork

Shouldn't think out gassing would be a problem as long as the box frame is deep enough. out gassing usually occurs when the artwork surface is within 5mm of the glazing.
Would be advisable to say to your customer to keep the work away from any source of heat ( radiators) and away from direct sunlight

[Steven Yip]

Hi Gesso,

Thank you for your reply.

Well, the client is thinking of floating the piece as the edges of the work is interesting and would like to expose them.

Steven

[Davie]

Sounds an interesting job......Float mounting is not a problem, seems the problem is that its translucent, As Robo said keep well away from any heat source.....I guess (without seeing it) something is going to show somewhere ie the tape i would be tempted to look at taping pieces around the image and wrapped around the back of your board i guess what you may see from the front is 3mm approx of tape at intervals around the artwork, you could just do this at the top and let the customer know but either way i can see no other solution if its to be hinge mounted, Another thought is ...Hinge the artwork but make a feature of it and have it showing, in a similar way to a tapestry......Please let us know how you get on....Its very difficult to know what to say without seeing the artwork.

[Steven Yip]

Hi Davie,

Thank you for your email.

I am tempted to float hinge the work onto a rag mat that is slightly larger than the work itself. This way, the rag mat can provide the support for the work as well as the solid surface behind to reduce the translucency of the piece and thereby hopefully will hide the hinges as well. However, the next challenge is how to hinge the work with the back of the work waxed as well. The challenge is to hinge the work and tro ensure that the hinges stay for as long as they should.

I am attaching an image of the work in question. The good thing is that the work is rather small.

Regards,
Steven

[framejunkie]

You're going to struggle to attach anything to that wax!

I'd use an encapsulation method(or ask the customer if they mind me making holes in the artwork!)

[prospero]

Steven. Have you thought about using folded Melinex strips along the edges? The only complication with this is the writing at the top which leves little room to play with, but strips along three sides should hold it. Maybe you could get a narrow strip along the top just enough to prevent possible slippage.

[MITREMAN]

Just an idea

How about making a sealed unit from picture glass, larger than the artwork silconed togeather strips of glass ( you can alter the strip width depending on mount width required) each side between, you then could show a coloured board behind it.

The artwork would then just be posted into the sealed unit at the open top then sealed or left open at the top, no fixings would be needed.

The silcone would need to cure on three sides for at least 24hrs before insertion of the artwork and if you decided to seal the top keep the artwork away from the silcone.

You could if you wanted leave the top joining strip out, for air circulation or just tape with an acid free water based tape.

Then frame in a deep moulding.

MITREMAN

[Roboframer]

I'd probably encapsulate or overlay in Melinex.

There's a new product out in the US called 'invisi-mount, which is a non glare polyester film, it has yet to have the blessing of a conservator, but big names seem to like it.

Here's something done in it.

http://www.thegrumble.com/showthread.php?t=40352

I wouldn't recommend a glass sandwich - well, maybe with some onions (just before anyone else did )

Acrylic perhaps as that warms and cools differently to glass so less chance of condensation. No chance with melinex - unless you take it out of a hot room and throw it in a freezer.

[Steven Yip]

Hi all,

Well, the job was finally done and the client was happy with the results. From all the contributions over this thread, I have decided to float the work on a piece of Rag mat slightly larger than the work itself using "photo corners". I even had to make a penetration on one of the photo corner as there is a small blurb of wax protruding from the otherwise straight edges to accomodate it.

I then iserted a layer of acid free fomaboard to furhter raise this floated image away form the backing Rag Mat. Finally, the whole package is assembled with spacers and turn buttons. I ahve asked the client to look out for any off-gassing from the wax and in case there is, she can just release the turnbuttons and open up the package for airing on her own.

Thank you everybody for your contributions and suggestions.

Regards,
Steven

[MITREMAN]

Hi Steven Yip,
Glad you found a way to mount it and keep your customer happy.

It's so good to get a challenging job, it makes our job more interesting then just doing the everyday run of the mill job.

MITREMAN