Mounting a Watercolor on a Panel

I taught a colored pencil workshop this week and was explaining to my students how I often like to mount a drawing or watercolor on a panel rather than framing it with a mat and under glass. It is a bit complicated so I thought I would put it on my blog for future reference. I have been using DaVinci ProPanels as a surface in which to mount my artwork. This acid-free archival panel is coated with a textured gesso. I haven't tried the smooth textured panel but I'm sure it would work too. I have also used Ampersand Art Claybord or Gessobord in the past. To adhere (or glue) my artwork to the panel I use Grafix Double Tack Mounting Film which is also archival and non yellowing. I sell my artwork so I want to be sure that I use the best quality materials that will last many years.

Today I am using a 16x16" DaVinci Pro Panel and a watercolor painting of a blue crab on Arches 140 lb watercolor paper. I have cut my watercolor painting to about 16.5 x 16.5" so I have a little bit of extra paper around the edges. I found out the hard way not to cut my artwork exactly the same size as my panel because it can move while being pasted down and the mounting film is not repositionable. Then I cut the piece of mounting film the same size as the artwork.

Next I pull off one side of the backing paper and carefully adhere the sticky side of the mounting film to the back side of my artwork. 

I lay my artwork face down on a flat clean surface and burnish the mounting film with my bone folder. I start in the middle and move the bone folder outward to the edges to remove any air bubbles and make sure the mounting film is securely glued to the back of my drawing. Now I have the mounting film on my drawing and have to adhere the drawing to the panel.

I lay my DaVinci panel on a flat surface and make sure the surface of the panel is clean and free from any debris. I peel off the other side of the backing paper on my artwork and, starting with one side edge, line up the panel and edge of artwork while paying attention to the top and bottom edges then lay down the mounting film as carefully as possible. It is not repositionable once stuck to the artwork so be very careful. (When I first began this process, I practiced using a small panel first.)

Now I turn the artwork right side up, take a piece of waxed paper or one of the waxy sheets I peeled off the mounting film and put it on top of my drawing. Again, burnish with the bone folder from the center outward to make sure it is firmly glued and to alleviate any air bubbles. 

Seeing that I cut my drawing a little larger than my panel, I have to trim the sides to fit. Turn the piece back over. I use a sharp X-Acto knife and carefully trim the excess paper close to the edge of the panel. After cutting, if the edges are jagged, lightly sand with a piece of fine grit sandpaper. 

 Here is what my piece looks like when mounted on the panel. It is completely flat and professional looking. Erase any marks or sand any edges that aren't even. The next step is to apply a varnish or fixative to the drawing and I will show that in the next blog post.