Blog Archives

How to create a hinged window mat and backboard

29/8/2018

Hinging Mats: Archival Methods Expert How-to Guide is a comprehensive and well-illustrated article about how to create a hinged mat for your artwork on paper.

The authors are experts in the provision of archival, storage and presentation supplies and are based in New York State.

The article highlights:

the equipment you need
the process method to use
common errors that occur and how to avoid them

MY TIP: The one thing I'd add is that every time I do one of these I find it incredibly helpful if - BEFORE I cut the mat from the mountboard - I mark the INSIDE of the two mats with a large pencil cross. That way I make sure I put the two pieces of mat together the right way round.

Required materials: for those living in the UK

The authors are American and consequently some of the products mentioned are not available in the UK.

Mountboard is not a problem - however most art shops do not carry:

burnishing bones or
linen tape

Burnishing bone

You don't often come across a burnishing bone in an art shop. In fact I wouldn't mind betting quite a lot of assistants in art shops wouldn't have a clue what you were talking about if you asked for one - unless the shop also served those who relied on paper for crafts.

If you live in the UK and have not got a burnishing bone, I got mine from Shepherd and Falkiner (in London) who are experts in the provision of Fine Papers, Bookbinding Materials and Related Goods.

There are also various different sorts of bone burnisher available from Amazon UK

Linen Tape

I always use an archival quality self-adhesive linen tape for my hinge.
I prefer the self-adhesive as it avoids me tipping bowls of water over artwork!

A good tape is worth its weight in gold and it's always worth paying extra - because it never ever comes undone. (Well mine haven't!)

Self-Adhesive Linen Hinging Tape-White by Lineco

Acid free tape (which is important to avoid harming your artwork over time)
Used as a hinge in framing paper artwork
Self adhesive
Roll measures 1.25 inches by 35 feet

BUY Self-Adhesive Linen Hinging Tape-White 1.25"X35' From Amazon UK

You can read more about How to frame and Hang an Artwork on my website.

My page about matting artworks is in draft and will be putting in an appearance soon. I just need to do some diagrams!

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What happens when your "tech guy" disappears?

24/8/2018

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What happens if your "tech guy"

stops communicating?
disappears?
unplugs for the last time - and dies suddenly?

I've been amazed over the years by the extent to which artists put their trust for the tech side of their whole online life - their website, their way of communicating online and for some major income streams from their art business - to one person - your "tech guy"

The sad truth

I was reminded of this when reading a post by Gail Sibley about 5 Lessons Learnt From The Loss Of My Tech Guy.

RECOMMENDED READING: I commend the post to those who are very dependent on A. N. Other for their online art business for an account of what can happen when it really happens - and your "tech guy" dies.

How to avoid being left in limbo

I've long been an advocate of the fact that people need to learn how to do as much as they can for themselves - just because it makes your business more robust (and less risky to tech guy disappearing) and because it costs a lot less money!

However I also recognise that as your art business builds you will need help - and that means employing experts to help you do things you need to do with your art business - including the tech side of being online. Whether it's building, maintaining and developing your website, making a video for your online classes or building a subscription based forum for your teaching online.

The thing is you ALWAYS need to remain in control if you want to be secure your art business and your art income.

That means:

YOU cannot allow another person to have total control over your website - you must manage the risks of them "falling under a bus"
YOU must ALWAYS own your own domain name - in your name - not the name of your tech guy. Otherwise the credibility that you build for that domain name is owned by him not you.
YOU must ALWAYS have access to your own website - as well as your tech guy. That means knowing ALL the relevant passwords. That means thinking very hard before building functionality for systems that he had a licence for but you don't
YOU must have access at all times to your email subscription database - otherwise you might have to build it all over again from scratch - but without being able to email them to tell them. Plus you MUST have a written agreement with your "tech guy" about the security of that data.
YOU run a major risk if your system is a one-off built by the tech. guy and not understood by anybody else. That could mean starting again from scratch if he disappears!

So if you need help to run the tech side of your art business life online think about the "what ifs"

what if he's not around any more - what do you not have access to, what parts of your online life are in jeopardy?
what if you argue and/or he holds you to ransom re. the increase in his fee. This has happened to people I know more times than I thought possible!
what if you want to move your website to another tech guy - do you have an agreement in places for how this happens - sensibly and efficiently?

Identify the risks - and manage them

IDENTIFY:

The specific RISKS of every aspect of the tech. side of your art business
The nature of the IMPACT on your art business life (time/effort) and income ($/£000) if your tech guy disappeared/was no longer available and/or no longer working for you
identify how to REDUCE YOUR RISKS and what action you need to take to reduce each specific risk eg agreements as to your access to the systems which support your business

Then TAKE ACTION to make your art business life more secure for the future.

Remember even the best of chums can fall out - or your "tech guy" can suddenly die. So even if your tech guy is the best tech guy ever, you MUST have a fail-safe plan that works in your back pocket.

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Want to know how to pack pastel paintings for travel or shipping?

19/8/2018

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a new dedicated page about packing pastel paintings

How to wrap and pack pastel paintings for travel and/or shipping is a bit of a niche topic - for everybody but artists who work with soft pastels and/or charcoal.

However it deserves a dedicated page - and now it's got one. Last week I set up a new page in the Shipping section of this website - dedicate to how to wrap and pack pastel artworks for shipping.

Objective - your pastel artwork gets to where it needs to be in one piece and with no "pastel drop".

It includes advice and links to information from people who have packed and shipped pastel paintings all over the world.

It's also relevant to all those returning from summer holidays with pastel artworks packed in the bottom of their suitcase. The principle is the same - and if you follow it you'll have no accidents to either artwork or the rest of the contents of your suitcase! I've brought pastel paintings back from Greece, France, Italy, Bali and the USA without a problem. You can too....

Image: part of The Concord Meadow by Childe Hassam gouache and pastel on canvas

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Art Business Info: NEWS

How to create a hinged window mat and backboard

Required materials: for those living in the UK

Burnishing bone

Linen Tape

What happens when your "tech guy" disappears?

The sad truth

How to avoid being left in limbo

Identify the risks - and manage them

Want to know how to pack pastel paintings for travel or shipping?

Art Business Info. News for Artists

Visitors so far

Author

Archives

Categories

Art Business Info: NEWS

How to create a hinged window mat and backboard

Required materials: for those living in the UK

Burnishing bone

Linen Tape

What happens when your "tech guy" disappears?

The sad truth​

How to avoid being left in limbo​

Identify the risks - and manage them​

Want to know how to pack pastel paintings for travel or shipping?

Art Business Info. News for Artists

Visitors so far

Author

Archives

Categories

The sad truth

How to avoid being left in limbo

Identify the risks - and manage them