I am wondering if it is okay to use a heat press to mount linen to a panel using Beva 371 film after the painting has been completed. I like to glue it afterwards because not every painting works out, and I’d like only glue the ones that I (or a buyer) determines a success. I heat it at 150 degrees for 6 minutes twice, once to attatch the glue film to the board, and a second time to adhere the linen to it. I am painting with oil paints using Gamsol and linseed oil as a medium, and painting without a lot of texture (which I have found that the heat press flattens), and gluing them to boards of MDF or hardboard. I have not noticed any issues, but am concerned that somewhere down the line the fact that the painting has been heated up might pose a problem. Additionally, I am wondering if I need to seal or size the support before I adhere the linen to it. Thanks so much. This is a great forum.
Thanks so much for your response Kristin. That answers a lot of questions I’ve had that are difficult to research. I have one more question, along those same lines. I’ve read a lot about the risks of using zinc white in paintings, and especially in the initial layers of a painting. This is challenging since almost all of the commercially prepared oil primed linens out there use zinc white. My question is, if I am gluing these to a rigid support, does the zinc priming carry the same risks, or any risk, as those stretched over stretcher bars? I’m using Claessesns, which is primed with a layer of zinc white, and then a layer of titanium white. Thanks again.
As you probably already read in our “Rigid Supports” document in the Resources section we generally do not recommend adhering completed paintings on canvas to rigid supports. This is partially because we have not tested every single art material out there using this procedure. However, it sounds like you are not painting use lots of texture/impasto (YES the heat press WOULD crush the impasto!) which helps you to avoid most problems that could come up using the materials you have listed. In short, we do not think your paintings will suffer down the road. As for sizing the rigid support first it couldn’t hurt to do so. And if you do this with liquid BEVA the bond with the BEVA film will be even better.
With anything that contains zinc white it is ALWAYS best to use a rigid support (with or without canvas attached) as this particular pigment is known increase the level of brittleness of the paint film over time.
Latest Post: How can I prevent plywood surface checking from damaging paint layer–will paper or sheer fabric work? Our newest member: weibo1232 Recent Posts Unread Posts
