Question French mats

Create a Post
M

maara14

Grumbler
Joined
Jun 23, 2011
Posts
38
Happy New Year to all-
I have started to delve into the doing of french mats and am having some difficulty selecting the correct materials. As well, it is hard to get the water color stripe (if its called that at all) to be soft and smooth. Any suggestions, or recommended literature? Thanks for any help!
 
I mostly use pastels for doing colored panels. They are much easier to control then W/C. If you are set on using W/C then I suggest you first go over your panel with a clear wash of water first and then keep your edges wet. Also make sure to mix up plenty of wash as you don't want to run out half way though your project.
 
I use acrylics,thinned down. Course I use it for nearly everything. L
 
Lavis et fillet (wash and line)

Mat decoration began in the Italy, with Gorgio Vasari and it reached a high point in Paris in the 18-19th Centuries. Thinned acrylics are quite helpful, since they allow you to do the lines and then the wash, but the problem is finding a high quality ruling pen. Pre-1970 Swiss pens are wonderful, as are most draughting pens from the early 20th Century. If you have an antique frame, using its lines to form those of the design will bring mat and frame together, visually.




Hugh
 
Keep an eye on eBay. Occasionally a Kern ruling pen will be offered.
While I use all the various media to make decorated mats (pastel, acrylic and watercolor) I prefer watercolor for subtlety.
Don't skimp on the quality of any of your tools. A good brush won't make you a great painter, but a cheap brush won't allow you to be one.
 
Yup, the old Kern pen I have is a dream. I am in love with this pen. I store it in a foam padded box. It's so precious, my precious.

Some people like to mask off the area for the panel with magic tape, but I find it's still risking running underneath. I prefer to lightly mark the area in pencil and carefully work the edges freehand, then do the lines afterward. A rounded brush gives you more control when following these lines steadily. And not a cheap brush, keep them clean and neat. Messy brush = messy panels. And yes, clear water wash first when using watercolor. Some mats are available that have the surface treated with sizing for french matting, which I could never really tell if it's helpful or not, but if you want to give that a try it's indicated on the sample. Smoother surfaces are easier to work with than the ones with that waffle texture.
 
New ruling pens need a bit of breaking in. I find that if you don't clean the inside too meticulously, the thin film of dried paint actually helps to hold the bead of wet paint/ink.

I'm still using Mat Magic™ powders for the panels. Long since unobtainable. Unless somebody knows differently. ;)

Powders aren't necessarily quicker or easier to use than wet wash, but they are a lot less stressful. :thumbsup:
 
I'll be taking a class about this in Vegas...... I've done just about everything to a mat...
I hope its a good class.......... :icon21:
I'll definately report back!
 
My brain is going a 100 miles an hour..
Hot pink panel.. with black inked in high heels..
Glitter..... ;)
 
imaluma said:
I'd like to also add that the typo in the title is adorable. My seven year old daughter is really into "french dolls" which in her minds is any porcelain doll, but she pronounces it "Franch".
Click to expand...

Oops! Afraid I was in too much of a hurry to edit-
 
Wash and line decorations

Nothing can enhance a frame like a good mat decoration and if it is subtly done, it will not compete with the art or the frame, but will complement both. If one is using acrylic, it is especially important to keep the ruling pen clean.




Hugh
 
imaluma said:
I have a set of mat magic powders found stashed behind a pile of #### here. I have to say I tried them a few times, didn't like them much, and went back to watercolor panels.
Click to expand...

There is a knack to getting nice results. They work better on some boards than others. And some colors work better than others come to think of it......
 
Get out the Ox Gall and the breathing apparatus!!!

:icon21:
 
I sell lots of them.
I use the method that imaluma uses except that I add a tiny bit of ox gall to the very thinned watercolors. I also use a very good flat wide watercolor brush for my panels and only the panels. I have them in several widths and use one just a tiny bit narrower than the panel width. In fact, I plan my panels based on the width brushes I have.

Speaking of very thin watercolors, that IS how is use them; very, very thinned. You can always go back and add another thin layer. When you apply a too thick watercolor wash, you run a greater chance of unevenness and splotchiness.

Also, Nicole, you can get iridescent medium to add to any paint that makes it magically sparkly. It's bootyfull.

Some fun variations are to wash the WHOLE mat, wash the whole mat, but leave the 'panel' unwashed, butt two panels right up against one another, outline wash panels in a shade just a tiny bit darker than the panel, bleed a panel right at the bevel, put pale panels of gouache on darker mats using pale linework, use outrageous colors, use colors unrelated to the artwork, and whatever else I forgot...

Oodles of photos here:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150323041478094.356239.289564248093&type=3

Here's a crazy one:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150315582113094.354802.289564248093&type=3

You should be able to see these facebook albums without signing up or in.

edie the donottouchmywatercolorbrushes goddess
 
Hello! I wish I had seen this tread earlier! If you need French materials, we’ve got your back. We have our brushes, boards, papers, glues, tapes, inks, teinte perdue, and other materials shipped in from our warehouse in France, so you can buy them direct from us in the DC metro area. Even gold leaf bonded to paper for little gold fillets between your lines. We’re working to put a brochure or web-presentation together for other framers. We’re willing to sell to other framers at a whole sale discount. We have the actual stuff used in France by our brand, L’Eclat de Verre. We have 40 shops there, so there’s a lot of research into materials for the purpose.

Let me know what you’re looking for and I can see what we have stock of Contre Colle boards to inks, to compasses, and beyond. We even have the French mat cutters for cutting a 3mm bevel to add depth to your French lines or Lavis.

If you want to discuss further about what we have, drop me a line at chevychase (at) eclatdeverre.com or message me here. We would love to branch out and supply other framers with a source of actual French products.
 
I have had lots of ruling pens; my first from high school and engineering drawing; they were great; then a few I bought some since then that were ****

A few years I finally found a great one from more recent manufacture. ECOBRA is a fine ruling pen that has the prong that opens up (like a scissors). It is manufactured in Germany. It also has a numbered dial. If it really gets dirty, I wipe it with steel wool, something I learned about in high school. I don't know if that is still recommended.

I got a few from Lion Distributing outside of London. I got the information from the British equivalent of the Grumble, and asked what they used, because some of the British are the experts in French Mats, and this is the one they recommended. I had Lion ship them to a hotel when I was in London about 8 years ago, but they now sell in the US. I believe they are at the WCAF this year too. There number back then was 1375.
 
Create a Post
Back
Top