Pet Art Treasures

You can mat and frame your pastel yourself, easily and cheaply.  It's important to keep a pastel away from the glass of a frame, as static electricity might pull tiny dots of pastel against the glass.  The paper I use eliminates almost all pastel dust though, so matting and framing is easy.  It is still important though to ONLY HANDLE YOUR PASTEL BY THE EDGES!!!

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Buy a standard size frame with glass and a mat included. Mat should have an opening the size of your painting.  You will also need a "framing spacer" strip (see photo below), which is a long strip of acrylic with paper and adhesive on one side.  I prefer the 1/16" thick one and I get mine at "Hobby Lobby", in the framing department for $4 ($2 with online coupon), however almost all framing shops have it, at varying prices.  Spacers keep the pastel itself further away from the glass and also take care of any possible "dust" that may drop, by having it drop between the mat and pastel, instead of on the mat.  You can also buy it online.  The last thing you will need is acid free tape (this can be artist or framing tape or any other tape that's acid free).

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See my diagrams below.  Work on the BACK of your mat. Cut the spacers, with a scissors, to fit the mat opening edges, at about 1/4" from the mat opening edge.  Peel off paper backing and apply to mat back, 1/4" from edge. It does not have to be exactly placed, as it wont be seen, but make sure it isn't against the mat opening edge or it might be seen from front.

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Next, place your pastel against the back of the mat, with the painting facing front of mat, checking from front to see position.  When satisfied, use the acid free tape to tape all edges of the pastel to the mat back.  Voila!  done!! Replace the mat carefully into your frame and add back the backing for the frame. Don't forget to clean your glass first and let it dry thoroughly before adding matted pastel!

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IMPORTANT!!!!  NEVER HANG YOUR PASTEL IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT!  I USE THE BEST MATERIALS AVAILABLE BUT NO ARTWORK IN ANY MEDIA SHOULD EVER BE HUNG IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT!!

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