Mounting drawings

[Mike McCarty]

One method that I have used involves placing a specialized (treated) paper between the artwork and an archival foam board. I believe the sandwich is then heated which permanently adheres the paper to the board. My framer back in Okla. did this for me and I have found that the Art supply store here in Sarasota also provides the service. I've had good luck with this process and it appears to be very permanent. I think it's called dry mount. I usually do it before hand to provide a rigid support that will allow me to place the board on my easel.

Come to think of it, I don't know that I have ever gone through this process after the art has been made. Hmmm .. Maybe someone else has.

[Chris Saper]

Actually, I have an artist friend who regularly gets her pastels dry mounted after they are done. I have to say I never had the nerve to try it myself. Best to do a trial first.

Foam core comes in an acid free version.

I think the larger problem will be how to avoid damaging the drawings. Anything that touches the charcoal will smudge it, and plastic will produce static, which will lift the charcoal off the surface, and deposit it onto the plastic. If the pencil work is soft, it will likewise fall victim.

If you want to just show samples, can you make a high quality print of the drawings from your computer?

If your intent is to use the drawings to get commissions, I really think they need to be properly matted, framed, and shown in their best light.