Hello, I have been researching for a while with regards of finding the best archival support possible for my artworks.
I am happy painting on wood, but the detrimental effects RH and temperature swifts have on this material encourage me to look for a better option. I have also tried unsealed anodized panels, but i am unsure on long-term adhession of oil paints. I will try to keep it simple, as out there are many varied options.
I am currently driven towards painting on ACM supports, but I am dubious on which subtype to choose. I am not too fond of plastic, having read it to not be expected to be as durable as metal, which leaves me with Honeycomb or Alucobond panels.
On the one hand, I am interested in trying Honeycomb panels, but being located in Europe, getting Artefex’s ones is too expensive due to the shipping costs. I would like to test a sample before buying a bunch of them to save, but that seems unfeasible.
On the other hand, I found advice from Mr. Ross Merrill, former chief conservator of the National Gallery, where he recommended the use of an Alucobond panel glued to a Sunbrella poolyester fabric. I like this approach the best, as Alucobond seems to be the best option out of all the ACM types I have read about.
I have already asked Sunbrella and, although they claim their current anti-moisture coating to not be as easily removable by hand as before, they were happy to offer me some fabric samples for me to check (still pending to be shipped from France). Meanwhile, I find myself incapable of getting an Alucobond panel smaller than 400×150 cms and coated with a polyester fabric upon which to glue the Sunbrella one, for better adhesion.
I would like to ask for advice on whether or not I am being too fussy, as Dibond is easily available, but again I am not a fan of cheap plastic cores. Am I right making that assumption?
Maybe honeycomb panels from Artefex are the best way to go, and just testing the Sunbrella fabric to check if it’s worthwhile or just sticking to their lead oil panels in case not. At least for the time being, before getting any huge one directly from a manufacturer.
Any advise highly welcomed and appreciated, thank you.
Kind regards,
Jesus Boltzmann
Hi Jesus, i am not sure why you really interest to try metal panel that i actually had concerns with. the issue is for metal its expansion rate is very high, that may result of cracking in temp. changes. also the adhesion of ground to metal may be weak, because the surface is not porous for best adhesion.
plus it is only a very thin metal sheet, glues on a core, usually a plastic type, so i think it had risk of delamination or bending. and it could be very heavy.
so what i think a better alternative is tempered hardboard, which is engineered wood that immerged in oil for tempering, result of a stronger structure.
and i also not like gluing canvas on substrate, the reason is because with moisture fluation the canvas will experence dimension changes, that may lead to cracking.
so it would be best to directly acrylic gesso on tempered hardboard, it will result a very simple structure.
Hi, thank you for your answer. The first concern you mentioned is indeed the one that made me rule out anodized aluminum to begin with.
If using ACM panels my take would be glueing them to a metalic craddle to prevent bending, and using an ACM already coated with a polyester fabric, to promote adhession. If glueing a top fabric, it would be a polyester one, which being synthetic doesn’t react to changes in RH, preventing the oil painting layers from being exposed to potential damage. Having read a lot of opinions in this forum in favour of this solution, I have got truly interested in this option, hence my seek for advice.
I eitherway want to try an Ampersand tempered gessoboard (a brand for tempered hardboard) as well, but I think an Alucobond coated with polyester could be a good option just as Mr. Merrill stated back in the early 2000s.
hi, the thing is for metal panel you had to worry the adhesion of your polyester coating. even it is manufacture do that for you, it still has risk of being delamination due to the natural of metal surface. think about how easy a car paint can peel off from its metal.
and these product had not developed for archival purpose to use in mind, so not see a good reason to use them.
also, metal will expand much more than oil layer, that will result a cracking, even your polyest is inert to RH. but metal is sensitive to temp change.
but wood substrate had been used in hisotry and is proven to last. and engineered wood trying to solve common wood issue.
and tempered hardboard is porous to accept bonding to acrylic gesso, that i had take a test to apply acrylic gesso on top and use a knife to scrap it, and found it aheres wood layer off, so it means it really bonds.
HI Jesus,
A lot of back and forth here already, but just wanted to share a couple thoughts. We have found Oil Ground over Acrylic Gesso (acrylic dispersion ground) to be quite effective. It usually takes about 3 layers of Acrylic Gesso to block the potential for oil penetration into the fibers of the linen or canvas. If you like a smoother surface, you can apply both the Acrylic Gesso and the Oil Ground with a trowel or soft plastic blade such as a Bondo scraper, available at most hardware stores. Thin applications are best. We recommend allowing the Acrylic Gesso to dry for at least 3 days before applying the ground or painting with oils directly.
As for ACM having manufacturing flaws that would cause the polyester coating to delaminate from the metal, we have never seen that issue develop in the many years we have worked with Dibond or other brands of ACM. While it is possible to bend a corner if the panel were to fall to the ground, that is also a potential with other types of wooden substrates. And while fluctuations in temperature may be an issue in the extreme, most interior environments do not tend to fluctuate so intensely that the painting would be at risk in the majority of scenarios. In general, ACM seems to be a rather durable, reliable substrate for most applications. It is manufactured for exterior archetectural applications and for signs, which will experience much more difficult environmental conditions that an interior painting. Scuffing the surface and cleaning with isopropyl alcohol should prepare the ACM for adhering linen or canvas with either a reverable adhesive or a permanent acrylic gel or medium. But hardboard is good too.
Best wishes,
Greg
Hi Jesus,
Golden Molding Paste or simialr products can be used to fill the weave of fabric to reduce the texture. It usually takes 3-4 knifed on coats to reduce a medium weave. Then a coat or two of Oil Ground should finish it off. Oil Ground without solvent does not shrink like acrylic and can be very effective at filling texture. Here is a video about filling weave with Molding Paste, try it with a Bondo scraper for faster action: https://www.goldenpaints.com/videos/creating-a-smooth-surface-using-molding-paste
Oil Ground can go over 3 coats of either Molding Paste or Gesso. Perhaps you can try this technique on a small scape to get the hang of it before attempting it on a large surface.
Sunbrella is a nice sturdy synthetic fabric, but a water resistant coating does not sound like a good place to start. There are many types of polyester fabric with different style weaves that can be used instead. Polyflax or something similar may be worth looking into. Readily available at most art supply.
Best wishes,
Greg
Molding Paste is a thicker material and mostly contains calcium carbonate/chalk. Acrylic Gesso is much thinner, can be applied with a brush and has calcium carbonate as well, but also titanium white pigment other ingredients to balance absorbency, tooth/micro texture on the surface. Different brands have different thickness Acrylic Gesso with varible working properties.
Hi Jesus,
Have you read this post on MITRA?
https://www.artcons.udel.edu/mitra/forums/question?QID=1954
It offers some thoughts on hardboard and MDF. If you can’t find hardboard in your area perhaps you can find MDF, which may be a viable alternative for you.
Koo Schadler
Latest Post: Ttianium White is Not Mixing into True Gesso Our newest member: RonaldAlkam Recent Posts Unread Posts
