Expert: Gianina L. - 3/16/2011

Question
QUESTION: Hi,
I have begun painting with acrylics on large sheets cut from a roll of brown craft paper. I love how rustic the final look is, as the corners of the painted paper slightly curl. I am really liking this look, but I am now facing a huge problem. I would like to find some small metal rings to glue at the top center of the painting, in order to have it hang from baker's twine. Again, I am going for the rustic/vintage look by using hemp/twine... and I'd hate to have to find another alternative to this mounting option. My questions are, 1.) Can you suggest how I should mount this? I have considered using pieces of wood that I would glue to the back of the craft paper so it would be more durable, but I desperately don't want to glue down the corners of the paper because I love the curl-up look. Help! 2.) I am going to start selling these soon, but mailing them seems impossible to me right now and I am very frustrated, Can you suggest a good way to mail them so they would be securely packaged. How would I protect the surface of the painting while at the same time not pressing anything too firmly against the surface of the painting?
Thanks!

ANSWER: Hello Mair,

I love that you are finding materials that you enjoy working with. Let me get to your two questions.

1. How do you mount your brown craft paper art? I'm going to run through a few different scenarios. The easiest and simplest would be to use metal grommets that you can hammer into the paper wherever you want and use rope/twine/hemp to hang from the grommets. This link is an example of a grommet kit:
http://www.amazon.com/General-Tools-8-Inch-Solid-Grommet/dp/B00004T7VY/ref=sr_1_
They are available in many sizes and finishes. Now, using this option is the most "rustic" but is also the most vulnerable. Craft paper isn't incredibly sturdy, and tears and damage are quite possible. You may try at least coating the paper with matte medium to give it a protective coating once you've finished the painting.

Another option is to mount it to some sturdy surface such as a piece of wood by gluing, nailing, stapling (or however!), but let the curled edges spill over the edges of the wood so they are allowed to curl. You have so many options to use to hang this up. Traditional hanging uses hooks and wire, but you can experiment with different materials.

Now, how large are your paintings? Another idea is to buy a pre-made shadow box or build a box where the painting can be mounted on the inside, have room to curl, but be completely encased. This is the most expensive option but offers the most protection for your painting.

2. How do you ship these paintings? This all depends on which way you go in terms of mounting. Shipping something large and mounted can be tricky and expensive. In that case, I would recommend using a professional to package it and use shipping insurance. Make sure to transfer the costs of shipping to the buyer. If it remains as the paper by itself (such as in the grommet option), placing a protective sheet over the painting like tissue paper or vellum, rolling the entire painting very carefully, and placing the painting in a shipping tube is your best option.

To offset costs, you may consider just selling the large paintings through galleries (where people can buy in person) and creating smaller versions for sale online.

Finding the right solution for you may take some experimenting. I wish you the absolute best of luck!
Sincerely,
Gianina

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Gianina,

In response to your idea of coating the craft paper with matte medium to give it a protective painting... I used acrylic paints for the background, and on some of them (but not all) I stenciled in the letters with a sharpie marker. By applying matte medium, do you think it would make the marker smear? I am afraid of what it might do to the paint color also, but then again, I have not used it before. I am sorry to keep coming with all these questions, I am just getting  hand with this and came to you for guidance because I don't want to mess them up now that I've come this far.
Thanks!

Answer
Hey again!
That is a very good question. The matte medium should not affect the paint color, especially if you're careful with your application and don't use a thick coating. If you feel like you need more protection, apply multiple thin layers. If you use glossy medium, that can affect the colors a little bit, but often just makes colors appear brighter.

In terms of the sharpie, I agree that the risk of smearing is possible. I would recommend doing a test sheet using some scrap craft paper, some of your paint colors and some sharpie. Make sure you've allowed the sharpie and the paint to fully dry.

No worries about the extra questions. I'm happy to help!
Sincerely,
Gianina