How to Frame a Double-Sided Oil Painting?

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Micah

Micah

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I have a small double-sided oil painting on paper (about 8 x 12) that I need to frame. It is painted all the way to the edges of the sheet on both sides. It came to me sandwiched between two pieces of glass in an Ikea frame. After I finished vomiting, I carefully removed it from the frame. Fortunately, there was no damage even though it was a bit sticky.

So how can I frame this?

The best idea I've come up with is to use a frame with a groove in the middle wide enough for two pieces of glass separated by a spacer. Then I could use another encircling the work with a V-shaped groove to loosely hold the paper. But I don't like this solution because it doesn't really allow the paper to expand and contract--or if I leave it loose enough then the paper won't be held adequately in place.

Any ideas?!?

Micah
 
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Not the ideal way to paint. 🤨

I'm thinking 'trap' it between two back-to-back thick mats with a thin (a tad thicker than the painting) spacer
mat sandwiched between. The spacer should be (a bit) bigger than the paper. This will hold it in place without crimping the edges.
It shouldn't expand/contract too much as it's effectively sealed by the oil paint but it decides to bow there is little you can do. 😟

*Instead of card mats you could make two wood 'mats' using a wide flat wood section with a bevel or a coved edge. I can get such a thing here in the UK
which makes a nice deep bevel (it's 7mm thick) I have to paint it though but it does mean I can seamlessly blend the miters.
 
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Not the ideal way to paint . . . especially with oil!!!

So, I have to come up with a solution that does not cover the edges, because the paint goes all the way to (off?) the edge of the paper! Sigh.
 
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This sounds like an artists attempt to have you share in the blame since the oil paint has not cured.

I saw this method at the Dublin Art Museum in 2016 with Dermot Cox-Kearns and Robert Markoff.

The frame was double glazed on both sides. The art, pages from a Leonardo DaVinci notebook were suspended from the corners of the pages to the corners of the frame without touching the glass. The almost colorless hinges were very narrow and I do not remember what they were made of. The attachment of the hinge material to the art was very short, less than 1/8". I would suggest using a strong, thin linen thread as the hinge as the fibers of the linen thread can be spread out a bit (untwisted) at the end for greater surface area. This thread could then be passed through spacers that separate the lites of glass. As for what adhesive to use, I would first start thinking about Klucel G.
 
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if it must be clear use three sheets optimum acrylic, one cut as mat. spacers and fillets to take up space between frames
or use linen mats with foamboard wrapped in linen between them for the support
 
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My first inclination for this project would be to suspend the paper between two sheets of glass or acrylic using neodymium "rare earth" magnets, and 3/8" spacers to separate the glazing sheets.

1/8" cube magnets might be strong enough to hold the paper. Using cyanoacrylate (SuperGlue), bond one set of four to the inside of the back glazing sheet, positioned just inside the corners of the paper item. Then, mate another set of four to hold the paper between the magnets at each corner. To protect the art, I suggest using tiny slips of acid free tissue, glassine, or clear polyester film under each of the magnets.

If you search the archives of this forum, you should find more instructions and photos. Also, there was an article in PFM a few years ago about this method.

Jerome Feig's suggestion sounds like what I call a "thread suspension" mount, whereby very fine threads are bonded to the edges of the paper at all four corners, and then attached to the inside corners of the frame. Klucel G probably would be my adhesive choice, but starch paste might do the job if you can bond directly to the paper (not the paint).
 
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I was thinking of encapsulating between mylar sheets, then double 4ply (or single 8ply) matt with approx. 1/4" space from artwork edges might work?

I'd also suggest the artist be politely "made aware" of how their process creates a burden of cost to the purchaser of their artwork to have it framed properly.
 
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I was also thinking of encapsulating the art between Mylar sheets, but the encapsulation tape needs to be a bit closer to the perimeter of the artwork than 1/4"- more like 1/8". Then have a mat on either side, with the opening measured to show all of the art but none of the tape. This would be pretty quick and easy to do, and would allow the entire sheet to be seen. The only "drawback" is the sheen of the Mylar, but "it is what it is".
:cool: Rick
 
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Hmm, yes, that could be more of an issue than I thought. Perhaps Jim's magnet suggestion would be better. The painting would continue to outgas within the frame, but at least it wouldn't be right up against the Mylar. I don't know whether that makes a difference.... I suppose if the contact interfered with the curing process it could cause the painting to stick to the Mylar.
:coffeedrinker2: Rick

I think we all probably wish art schools would train their students in the considerations of proper framing, and that these should be taken into account when creating the art.
Question: Do artists have some responsibility to the future purchasers of their work in this regard?
 
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Rick Granick said:
I think we all probably wish art schools would train their students in the considerations of proper framing, and that these should be taken into account when creating the art.
Question: Do artists have some responsibility to the future purchasers of their work in this regard?
Click to expand...

This topic pops up every once in a while.
Yes to this, one thousand times YES!!!! This has been a burr in my saddle since I began framing 12 years ago.

I guess a problem is there is a big difference between an artist with formal training and a self-taught DIY hobbyist.

Anybody who professes to be accomplished enough at something to offer it for sale ought to have more than a bare minimum of competency at it.
I have no experience in formal art training/education. It is beyond my understanding how there seems to be almost no exposure to art students of what happens with their art beyond it coming "off the easel".
For hobbyists or self-taught artists: "TEACH YOURSELF BETTER!" :shrug: You are not doing your field any favours by creating problems for your customers through poor workmanship (workpersonship?).

I know not all artists, trained or self-taught, are like this. I know several local artists who do follow better practices.
These are the ones who have done more in-depth learning than reading a few articles and watching Youtube videos.

To be fair, we all have to start by learning. And beginners make mistakes. The only way a mistake can be corrected is to be made aware of it.
That's why I think it is reasonable for purchasers of art to contact the artists when the purchaser has been smacked in the face with several hundreds of dollars(or more) of extra costs to frame a poorly conceived/executed art piece.
The artist must learn that they should either correct their methods or prepare their customers with the foreknowledge of the challenges of framing a particularly difficult form of artwork.

The same goes for us framers.
We begin learning. Make mistakes. Are made aware by unsatisfied customers. (Or learn from more skilled framers on The G ;)) Learn better methods. Improve our skills. Become better framers.

*Phew Rant over:p
 
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