How I Mount my One Finger Drawings for Exhibition

iPad Minis 3" x 4" mounted on .75" or 1.5" Powlonia Cradles

While I was participating in 30 paintings in 30 days challenge, I was also busy mounting ipad drawings ready for submission and exhibition. It took me a week to complete 16 iPad Minis, 10 6” x 8” and 10 8” x 10”. I think mounting and finishing a print takes longer than painting a whole new painting: While many steps are the same, the mounting includes more archival prep, and several extra layers. Here is my process.

Final gassing off before packaging

HERE IS MY PROCESS
1. Select the powlonia cradles. Only about a third are suitable due to rough surfaces or off angles, plywood separation etc. A large batch takes several trips to the art shop when new stock is delivered on Fridays.
2. Sand edges and surfaces. They are never smooth enough.

Two 6" x 8" Embellished One Finger Drawings showing choice of cradle depth

3. Paint on GAC 100 archival blocker. Leave minimum 24 hours. Paint another coat and allow to gas off another 24 hours.
4. Paint sides and edges of cradle with gesso or acrylic. Allow to dry. Sand lightly and paint another layer. Allow to dry for 24 hours to gas off. If you don't allow gas off time the edges of the print will eventually lift, so this step is important.
5. Order and collect prints or print on specialized printer.

Six 6" x 8" Embellished and Mounted One Finger Drawings

More 6" x 8" Embellished and Mounted One Finger Drawings

6. Cut print to size. Although I order the correct sizes they are always different to the cradle.
7. Paint a thick layer of matt archival gel. Quickly place print and smooth from center out with soft cloth.
8. Remove any excess gel that has ouzed out around sides. Allow to dry for 24 hours to gas off.

Six 8" x 10" Embellished and Mounted One Finger Drawings
9. Embellish with acrylic paint and/or iridescent/interference paint. Allow to dry thoroughly.
10. Apply brush stroke acrylic finish. Allow to dry overnight.
11. Add any glitter touches and allow to dry thoroughly.

Two more 8" x 10" Embellished and Mounted One Finger Drawings and one Acrylic Painting

12. On back of cradle write cat #, name of print and edition if there is one, name of artist (me), media (LIMITED Edition  E print or Mixed Media Art), signature, year, contact email or website.
13. Adhere  artists bio on back.
14. Place eyelets with screws and add plastic covered wire to hang.
15. Gas off/dry for at least two more days before wrapping in archival quality cellophane (not plastic) ready to ship to exhibition.

PHEW!

Hard to see, but this shows two paintings with iridescent and brushwork finishes